2025 GS-6 Pay Scale
The GS-6 base salary range for 2025 is $38,407 at Step 1, rising to $49,927 at Step 10. Add the locality pay adjustment for your duty station on top. This page shows the base table first, then every locality-adjusted version of GS-6 for 2025.
2025 GS-6 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-6 rates for 2025.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,407 | $1,477.19 | $18.40 | - |
| Step 2 | $39,687 | $1,526.42 | $19.02 | - |
| Step 3 | $40,967 | $1,575.65 | $19.63 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,247 | $1,624.88 | $20.24 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,527 | $1,674.12 | $20.86 | - |
| Step 6 | $44,807 | $1,723.35 | $21.47 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,087 | $1,772.58 | $22.08 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,367 | $1,821.81 | $22.70 | - |
| Step 9 | $48,647 | $1,871.04 | $23.31 | - |
| Step 10 | $49,927 | $1,920.27 | $23.92 | - |
2025 GS-6 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-6 salary schedule for 2025, before any locality adjustment. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay and hourly rate for every step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,407 | $1,477.19 | $18.40 | - |
| Step 2 | $39,687 | $1,526.42 | $19.02 | - |
| Step 3 | $40,967 | $1,575.65 | $19.63 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,247 | $1,624.88 | $20.24 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,527 | $1,674.12 | $20.86 | - |
| Step 6 | $44,807 | $1,723.35 | $21.47 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,087 | $1,772.58 | $22.08 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,367 | $1,821.81 | $22.70 | - |
| Step 9 | $48,647 | $1,871.04 | $23.31 | - |
| Step 10 | $49,927 | $1,920.27 | $23.92 | - |
Who is a GS-6?
Typical role. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, or a master's degree for some series.
Career progression. Promoted to GS-7 after one year of creditable experience in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-6 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-6 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2025, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-6 Step 1 | GS-6 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $56,205 | $73,063 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $52,982 | $68,874 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $52,414 | $68,135 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $51,849 | $67,401 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $51,442 | $66,872 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $51,358 | $66,762 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $50,920 | $66,193 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $50,836 | $66,083 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $50,728 | $65,944 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $50,532 | $65,689 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $50,259 | $65,334 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $50,129 | $65,165 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $49,837 | $64,785 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $49,591 | $64,466 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $49,541 | $64,401 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $49,015 | $63,717 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $48,877 | $63,537 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $48,443 | $62,973 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $47,882 | $62,244 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $47,544 | $61,805 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $47,029 | $61,136 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $47,018 | $61,121 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $47,014 | $61,116 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $46,964 | $61,051 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $46,949 | $61,031 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $46,945 | $61,026 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $46,937 | $61,016 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $46,914 | $60,986 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $46,830 | $60,876 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $46,822 | $60,866 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $46,699 | $60,706 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $46,634 | $60,621 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $46,484 | $60,427 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $46,384 | $60,297 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $46,223 | $60,087 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $46,146 | $59,987 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $46,100 | $59,927 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $45,962 | $59,748 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $45,923 | $59,698 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $45,877 | $59,638 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $45,869 | $59,628 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $45,812 | $59,553 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $45,693 | $59,398 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $45,677 | $59,378 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $45,628 | $59,313 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $45,620 | $59,303 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $45,447 | $59,079 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $45,412 | $59,034 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $45,409 | $59,029 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $45,378 | $58,989 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $45,324 | $58,919 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $45,293 | $58,879 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $45,274 | $58,854 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $45,194 | $58,749 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $45,186 | $58,739 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $45,178 | $58,729 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $45,136 | $58,674 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $44,959 | $58,445 |
Top and bottom GS-6 localities in 2025
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-6 pay scale
GS-6 is part of the 2025 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
How step increases work
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable. You move from Step 1 to Step 4 one year at a time, from Step 4 to Step 7 every two years, and from Step 7 to Step 10 every three years. Managers can award a one-time quality step increase (QSI) to accelerate progression for employees whose performance is rated outstanding.
Browse other grades in 2025
GS-6 questions for 2025
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What is the starting salary for GS-6 in 2025?
The base starting salary for GS-6 in 2025 is $38,407 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2025 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-6 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-6 Step 10?
If you never get a quality step increase, it takes roughly 18 years to move from Step 1 to Step 10. Steps 1-4 take one year each, Steps 5-7 take two years each, and Steps 8-10 take three years each. A quality step increase can shorten that timeline by one year per QSI. -
How do I get promoted from GS-6 to GS-7?
Promotion from GS-6 to GS-7 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-6 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-7 vacancy. Open the GS-7 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-6?
GS-6 is roughly equivalent to O-1 Second Lieutenant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.