2025 GS-9 Pay in Washington DC
GS-9 employees with a duty station in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA earn 33.94% 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 $69,923 in Washington DC.
2025 GS-9 Pay in Washington DC
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $69,923 | $2,689.35 | $33.50 | +$17,718 |
| Step 2 | $72,254 | $2,779.00 | $34.62 | +$18,309 |
| Step 3 | $74,584 | $2,868.62 | $35.74 | +$18,899 |
| Step 4 | $76,915 | $2,958.27 | $36.85 | +$19,490 |
| Step 5 | $79,246 | $3,047.92 | $37.97 | +$20,081 |
| Step 6 | $81,576 | $3,137.54 | $39.09 | +$20,671 |
| Step 7 | $83,907 | $3,227.19 | $40.20 | +$21,262 |
| Step 8 | $86,237 | $3,316.81 | $41.32 | +$21,852 |
| Step 9 | $88,568 | $3,406.46 | $42.44 | +$22,443 |
| Step 10 | $90,898 | $3,496.08 | $43.55 | +$23,033 |
2025 GS-9 pay table for Washington DC
Each step below already includes the 33.94% 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 | $69,923 | $2,689.35 | $33.50 | +$17,718 |
| Step 2 | $72,254 | $2,779.00 | $34.62 | +$18,309 |
| Step 3 | $74,584 | $2,868.62 | $35.74 | +$18,899 |
| Step 4 | $76,915 | $2,958.27 | $36.85 | +$19,490 |
| Step 5 | $79,246 | $3,047.92 | $37.97 | +$20,081 |
| Step 6 | $81,576 | $3,137.54 | $39.09 | +$20,671 |
| Step 7 | $83,907 | $3,227.19 | $40.20 | +$21,262 |
| Step 8 | $86,237 | $3,316.81 | $41.32 | +$21,852 |
| Step 9 | $88,568 | $3,406.46 | $42.44 | +$22,443 |
| Step 10 | $90,898 | $3,496.08 | $43.55 | +$23,033 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Washington DC pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in Washington DC: what to expect
Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.
For 2025, the Washington DC pay area adds a 33.94% 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 Washington DC
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $2,689 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,496. 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 Washington DC page.
Other grades in Washington DC
GS-9 in Washington DC questions
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How much does a GS-9 make in Washington DC?
In 2025, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns $69,923 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $90,898. This is 33.94% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in Washington DC?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Washington DC in 2025, it is 33.94%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $17,718 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in Washington DC?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $2,689 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.