2025 GS-5 Pay in Philadelphia
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD earn 28.99% 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 $44,442 in Philadelphia.
2025 GS-5 Pay in Philadelphia
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,442 | $1,709.31 | $21.29 | +$9,988 |
| Step 2 | $45,923 | $1,766.27 | $22.00 | +$10,321 |
| Step 3 | $47,404 | $1,823.23 | $22.71 | +$10,654 |
| Step 4 | $48,885 | $1,880.19 | $23.42 | +$10,987 |
| Step 5 | $50,365 | $1,937.12 | $24.13 | +$11,319 |
| Step 6 | $51,846 | $1,994.08 | $24.84 | +$11,652 |
| Step 7 | $53,327 | $2,051.04 | $25.55 | +$11,985 |
| Step 8 | $54,808 | $2,108.00 | $26.26 | +$12,318 |
| Step 9 | $56,289 | $2,164.96 | $26.97 | +$12,651 |
| Step 10 | $57,769 | $2,221.88 | $27.68 | +$12,983 |
2025 GS-5 pay table for Philadelphia
Each step below already includes the 28.99% 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 | $44,442 | $1,709.31 | $21.29 | +$9,988 |
| Step 2 | $45,923 | $1,766.27 | $22.00 | +$10,321 |
| Step 3 | $47,404 | $1,823.23 | $22.71 | +$10,654 |
| Step 4 | $48,885 | $1,880.19 | $23.42 | +$10,987 |
| Step 5 | $50,365 | $1,937.12 | $24.13 | +$11,319 |
| Step 6 | $51,846 | $1,994.08 | $24.84 | +$11,652 |
| Step 7 | $53,327 | $2,051.04 | $25.55 | +$11,985 |
| Step 8 | $54,808 | $2,108.00 | $26.26 | +$12,318 |
| Step 9 | $56,289 | $2,164.96 | $26.97 | +$12,651 |
| Step 10 | $57,769 | $2,221.88 | $27.68 | +$12,983 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Philadelphia pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in Philadelphia: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2025, the Philadelphia pay area adds a 28.99% 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 Philadelphia
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns roughly $1,709 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,222. 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 Philadelphia page.
Other grades in Philadelphia
GS-5 in Philadelphia questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in Philadelphia?
In 2025, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns $44,442 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $57,769. This is 28.99% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in Philadelphia?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Philadelphia in 2025, it is 28.99%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,988 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in Philadelphia?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns roughly $1,709 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.