2017 GL-3 Pay Scale
The 2017 base salary range for GL-3 runs from $27,275 at Step 1 to $34,097 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-3 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2017 GL-3 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-3.
$27,275 GL-3 Step 1 base salary
$34,097 GL-3 Step 10 base salary
Private Approximate military comparison
2017 GL-3 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-3 table for 2017. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $27,275 | $1,049.04 | $13.07 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,033 | $1,078.19 | $13.43 | - |
| Step 3 | $28,791 | $1,107.35 | $13.80 | - |
| Step 4 | $29,549 | $1,136.50 | $14.16 | - |
| Step 5 | $30,307 | $1,165.65 | $14.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $31,065 | $1,194.81 | $14.89 | - |
| Step 7 | $31,823 | $1,223.96 | $15.25 | - |
| Step 8 | $32,581 | $1,253.12 | $15.61 | - |
| Step 9 | $33,339 | $1,282.27 | $15.97 | - |
| Step 10 | $34,097 | $1,311.42 | $16.34 | - |
What kind of role is GL-3?
Typical role. Entry-level federal law enforcement roles with basic field duties. This is the starting grade for many criminal investigator and officer ladders.
Typical qualification path. Entry-level experience, academy training, or the minimum qualification standard for the job series.
Career progression. Progression usually moves to GL-4 after one year of satisfactory service.
Step progression for GL-3
GL-3 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-3 Step 1 and Step 10 across all published locality pay areas for 2017. Use it to see how much location changes federal law enforcement salary.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GL-3 Step 1 | GL-3 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $37,686 | $47,112 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $35,790 | $44,742 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $35,722 | $44,657 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $35,362 | $44,207 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $34,795 | $43,498 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $34,675 | $43,348 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $34,667 | $43,337 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $34,634 | $43,296 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $34,598 | $43,252 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $34,566 | $43,211 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $34,279 | $42,853 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $33,998 | $42,502 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $33,886 | $42,362 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $33,859 | $42,328 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $33,786 | $42,236 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $33,472 | $41,844 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $33,442 | $41,806 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $33,311 | $41,643 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $33,262 | $41,581 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $32,921 | $41,155 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $32,651 | $40,818 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $32,624 | $40,783 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $32,599 | $40,753 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $32,463 | $40,582 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $32,365 | $40,460 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $32,340 | $40,429 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $32,318 | $40,402 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $32,236 | $40,299 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $32,163 | $40,207 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $32,146 | $40,187 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $32,135 | $40,173 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $32,073 | $40,095 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $31,824 | $39,784 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $31,636 | $39,549 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $31,631 | $39,542 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $31,620 | $39,529 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $31,598 | $39,501 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $31,598 | $39,501 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $31,593 | $39,495 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $31,546 | $39,437 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $31,544 | $39,433 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $31,538 | $39,426 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $31,527 | $39,413 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $31,519 | $39,402 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $31,497 | $39,375 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $31,464 | $39,334 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $31,383 | $39,232 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $27,275 | $34,097 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-3
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2017
GL-3 $27,275
GL-4 $30,614
GL-5 $35,209
GL-6 $37,124
GL-7 $40,075
GL-8 $41,769
GL-9 $44,693
GL-10 $49,218
GL-3 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-3 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GL-3 in 2017 is $27,275 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-3 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-3 steps?
Within-grade step increases follow the same OPM timing used for other statutory pay systems: one year between Steps 1 to 4, two years between Steps 4 to 7, and three years between Steps 7 to 10, assuming acceptable performance. -
Does GL-3 include LEAP or overtime?
No. This table shows basic pay only. It does not include law enforcement availability pay, overtime, premium pay, retention incentives, or other agency-specific compensation.