2025 GS-9 Pay in Chicago
GS-9 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 30.86% on top of the base GS-9 pay scale. That means a GS-9 Step 1 salary jumps from $52,205 on the base table to $68,315 in Chicago.
2025 GS-9 Pay in Chicago
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $68,315 | $2,627.50 | $32.73 | +$16,110 |
| Step 2 | $70,592 | $2,715.08 | $33.82 | +$16,647 |
| Step 3 | $72,869 | $2,802.65 | $34.92 | +$17,184 |
| Step 4 | $75,146 | $2,890.23 | $36.01 | +$17,721 |
| Step 5 | $77,423 | $2,977.81 | $37.10 | +$18,258 |
| Step 6 | $79,700 | $3,065.38 | $38.19 | +$18,795 |
| Step 7 | $81,977 | $3,152.96 | $39.28 | +$19,332 |
| Step 8 | $84,254 | $3,240.54 | $40.37 | +$19,869 |
| Step 9 | $86,531 | $3,328.12 | $41.46 | +$20,406 |
| Step 10 | $88,808 | $3,415.69 | $42.55 | +$20,943 |
2025 GS-9 pay table for Chicago
Each step below already includes the 30.86% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-9 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $68,315 | $2,627.50 | $32.73 | +$16,110 |
| Step 2 | $70,592 | $2,715.08 | $33.82 | +$16,647 |
| Step 3 | $72,869 | $2,802.65 | $34.92 | +$17,184 |
| Step 4 | $75,146 | $2,890.23 | $36.01 | +$17,721 |
| Step 5 | $77,423 | $2,977.81 | $37.10 | +$18,258 |
| Step 6 | $79,700 | $3,065.38 | $38.19 | +$18,795 |
| Step 7 | $81,977 | $3,152.96 | $39.28 | +$19,332 |
| Step 8 | $84,254 | $3,240.54 | $40.37 | +$19,869 |
| Step 9 | $86,531 | $3,328.12 | $41.46 | +$20,406 |
| Step 10 | $88,808 | $3,415.69 | $42.55 | +$20,943 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Chicago pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in Chicago: what to expect
Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.
For 2025, the Chicago pay area adds a 30.86% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.
Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.
The rough military equivalent for GS-9 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-9 in Chicago
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $2,628 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,416. 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-9 Chicago page.
Other grades in Chicago
GS-9 in Chicago questions
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How much does a GS-9 make in Chicago?
In 2025, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns $68,315 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $88,808. This is 30.86% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in Chicago?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Chicago in 2025, it is 30.86%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $16,110 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in Chicago?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $2,628 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.