2018 GL-3 Pay Scale
The 2018 base salary range for GL-3 runs from $27,653 at Step 1 to $34,565 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 2018 GL-3 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-3.
$27,653 GL-3 Step 1 base salary
$34,565 GL-3 Step 10 base salary
Private Approximate military comparison
2018 GL-3 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-3 table for 2018. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $27,653 | $1,063.58 | $13.25 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,421 | $1,093.12 | $13.62 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,189 | $1,122.65 | $13.99 | - |
| Step 4 | $29,957 | $1,152.19 | $14.35 | - |
| Step 5 | $30,725 | $1,181.73 | $14.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $31,493 | $1,211.27 | $15.09 | - |
| Step 7 | $32,261 | $1,240.81 | $15.46 | - |
| Step 8 | $33,029 | $1,270.35 | $15.83 | - |
| Step 9 | $33,797 | $1,299.88 | $16.19 | - |
| Step 10 | $34,565 | $1,329.42 | $16.56 | - |
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 2018. 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 | 39.28% | $38,515 | $48,142 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $36,538 | $45,671 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $36,430 | $45,536 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $36,107 | $45,132 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $35,457 | $44,319 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $35,454 | $44,316 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $35,401 | $44,250 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $35,363 | $44,202 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $35,252 | $44,063 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $35,249 | $44,060 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $34,912 | $43,638 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $34,696 | $43,369 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $34,597 | $43,244 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $34,528 | $43,158 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $34,453 | $43,065 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $34,124 | $42,653 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $34,116 | $42,643 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $33,914 | $42,391 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $33,883 | $42,352 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $33,504 | $41,879 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $33,222 | $41,526 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $33,206 | $41,506 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $33,148 | $41,433 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $33,051 | $41,312 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $32,957 | $41,195 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $32,932 | $41,163 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $32,899 | $41,122 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $32,849 | $41,060 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $32,766 | $40,956 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $32,749 | $40,935 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $32,727 | $40,908 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $32,661 | $40,825 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $32,465 | $40,579 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $32,274 | $40,341 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $32,241 | $40,299 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $32,216 | $40,268 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $32,213 | $40,265 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $32,207 | $40,258 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $32,141 | $40,175 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $32,136 | $40,168 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $32,124 | $40,154 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $32,119 | $40,147 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $32,105 | $40,130 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $32,100 | $40,123 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $32,058 | $40,071 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $32,011 | $40,012 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $31,903 | $39,878 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $27,653 | $34,565 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-3
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2018
GL-3 $27,653
GL-4 $31,043
GL-5 $35,700
GL-6 $37,639
GL-7 $40,634
GL-8 $42,355
GL-9 $45,319
GL-10 $49,907
GL-3 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-3 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GL-3 in 2018 is $27,653 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.