2025 GS-9 Pay in Houston
GS-9 employees with a duty station in Houston-The Woodlands, TX earn 35.00% 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 $70,477 in Houston.
2025 GS-9 Pay in Houston
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for Houston-The Woodlands, TX.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $70,477 | $2,710.65 | $33.77 | +$18,272 |
| Step 2 | $72,826 | $2,801.00 | $34.90 | +$18,881 |
| Step 3 | $75,175 | $2,891.35 | $36.02 | +$19,490 |
| Step 4 | $77,524 | $2,981.69 | $37.15 | +$20,099 |
| Step 5 | $79,873 | $3,072.04 | $38.27 | +$20,708 |
| Step 6 | $82,222 | $3,162.38 | $39.40 | +$21,317 |
| Step 7 | $84,571 | $3,252.73 | $40.52 | +$21,926 |
| Step 8 | $86,920 | $3,343.08 | $41.65 | +$22,535 |
| Step 9 | $89,269 | $3,433.42 | $42.77 | +$23,144 |
| Step 10 | $91,618 | $3,523.77 | $43.90 | +$23,753 |
2025 GS-9 pay table for Houston
Each step below already includes the 35.00% 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 | $70,477 | $2,710.65 | $33.77 | +$18,272 |
| Step 2 | $72,826 | $2,801.00 | $34.90 | +$18,881 |
| Step 3 | $75,175 | $2,891.35 | $36.02 | +$19,490 |
| Step 4 | $77,524 | $2,981.69 | $37.15 | +$20,099 |
| Step 5 | $79,873 | $3,072.04 | $38.27 | +$20,708 |
| Step 6 | $82,222 | $3,162.38 | $39.40 | +$21,317 |
| Step 7 | $84,571 | $3,252.73 | $40.52 | +$21,926 |
| Step 8 | $86,920 | $3,343.08 | $41.65 | +$22,535 |
| Step 9 | $89,269 | $3,433.42 | $42.77 | +$23,144 |
| Step 10 | $91,618 | $3,523.77 | $43.90 | +$23,753 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Houston pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in Houston: what to expect
Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.
For 2025, the Houston pay area adds a 35.00% 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 Houston
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Houston earns roughly $2,711 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,524. 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 Houston page.
Other grades in Houston
GS-9 in Houston questions
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How much does a GS-9 make in Houston?
In 2025, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Houston earns $70,477 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $91,618. This is 35.00% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in Houston?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Houston in 2025, it is 35.00%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $18,272 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in Houston?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in Houston earns roughly $2,711 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.