2025 GS-5 Pay in Buffalo
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY earn 22.41% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $34,454 on the base table to $42,175 in Buffalo.
2025 GS-5 Pay in Buffalo
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,175 | $1,622.12 | $20.21 | +$7,721 |
| Step 2 | $43,580 | $1,676.15 | $20.88 | +$7,978 |
| Step 3 | $44,986 | $1,730.23 | $21.56 | +$8,236 |
| Step 4 | $46,391 | $1,784.27 | $22.23 | +$8,493 |
| Step 5 | $47,796 | $1,838.31 | $22.90 | +$8,750 |
| Step 6 | $49,201 | $1,892.35 | $23.57 | +$9,007 |
| Step 7 | $50,607 | $1,946.42 | $24.25 | +$9,265 |
| Step 8 | $52,012 | $2,000.46 | $24.92 | +$9,522 |
| Step 9 | $53,417 | $2,054.50 | $25.60 | +$9,779 |
| Step 10 | $54,823 | $2,108.58 | $26.27 | +$10,037 |
2025 GS-5 pay table for Buffalo
Each step below already includes the 22.41% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,175 | $1,622.12 | $20.21 | +$7,721 |
| Step 2 | $43,580 | $1,676.15 | $20.88 | +$7,978 |
| Step 3 | $44,986 | $1,730.23 | $21.56 | +$8,236 |
| Step 4 | $46,391 | $1,784.27 | $22.23 | +$8,493 |
| Step 5 | $47,796 | $1,838.31 | $22.90 | +$8,750 |
| Step 6 | $49,201 | $1,892.35 | $23.57 | +$9,007 |
| Step 7 | $50,607 | $1,946.42 | $24.25 | +$9,265 |
| Step 8 | $52,012 | $2,000.46 | $24.92 | +$9,522 |
| Step 9 | $53,417 | $2,054.50 | $25.60 | +$9,779 |
| Step 10 | $54,823 | $2,108.58 | $26.27 | +$10,037 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Buffalo pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in Buffalo: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2025, the Buffalo pay area adds a 22.41% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in Buffalo
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Buffalo earns roughly $1,622 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,109. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2025 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 Buffalo page.
Other grades in Buffalo
GS-5 in Buffalo questions
-
How much does a GS-5 make in Buffalo?
In 2025, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Buffalo earns $42,175 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $54,823. This is 22.41% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in Buffalo?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Buffalo in 2025, it is 22.41%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $7,721 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in Buffalo?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in Buffalo earns roughly $1,622 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.