2025 GS-9 Pay in Denver
GS-9 employees with a duty station in Denver-Aurora, CO earn 30.52% 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 $68,138 in Denver.
2025 GS-9 Pay in Denver
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for Denver-Aurora, CO.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $68,138 | $2,620.69 | $32.65 | +$15,933 |
| Step 2 | $70,409 | $2,708.04 | $33.74 | +$16,464 |
| Step 3 | $72,680 | $2,795.38 | $34.83 | +$16,995 |
| Step 4 | $74,951 | $2,882.73 | $35.91 | +$17,526 |
| Step 5 | $77,222 | $2,970.08 | $37.00 | +$18,057 |
| Step 6 | $79,493 | $3,057.42 | $38.09 | +$18,588 |
| Step 7 | $81,764 | $3,144.77 | $39.18 | +$19,119 |
| Step 8 | $84,035 | $3,232.12 | $40.27 | +$19,650 |
| Step 9 | $86,306 | $3,319.46 | $41.35 | +$20,181 |
| Step 10 | $88,577 | $3,406.81 | $42.44 | +$20,712 |
2025 GS-9 pay table for Denver
Each step below already includes the 30.52% 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 | $68,138 | $2,620.69 | $32.65 | +$15,933 |
| Step 2 | $70,409 | $2,708.04 | $33.74 | +$16,464 |
| Step 3 | $72,680 | $2,795.38 | $34.83 | +$16,995 |
| Step 4 | $74,951 | $2,882.73 | $35.91 | +$17,526 |
| Step 5 | $77,222 | $2,970.08 | $37.00 | +$18,057 |
| Step 6 | $79,493 | $3,057.42 | $38.09 | +$18,588 |
| Step 7 | $81,764 | $3,144.77 | $39.18 | +$19,119 |
| Step 8 | $84,035 | $3,232.12 | $40.27 | +$19,650 |
| Step 9 | $86,306 | $3,319.46 | $41.35 | +$20,181 |
| Step 10 | $88,577 | $3,406.81 | $42.44 | +$20,712 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Denver pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in Denver: what to expect
Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.
For 2025, the Denver pay area adds a 30.52% 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 Denver
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Denver earns roughly $2,621 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,407. 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 Denver page.
Other grades in Denver
GS-9 in Denver questions
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How much does a GS-9 make in Denver?
In 2025, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Denver earns $68,138 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $88,577. This is 30.52% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in Denver?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Denver in 2025, it is 30.52%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $15,933 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in Denver?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in Denver earns roughly $2,621 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.