2018 GL-5 Pay Scale
The 2018 base salary range for GL-5 runs from $35,700 at Step 1 to $44,385 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-5 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2018 GL-5 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-5.
$35,700 GL-5 Step 1 base salary
$44,385 GL-5 Step 10 base salary
Specialist Approximate military comparison
2018 GL-5 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-5 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 | $35,700 | $1,373.08 | $17.11 | - |
| Step 2 | $36,665 | $1,410.19 | $17.57 | - |
| Step 3 | $37,630 | $1,447.31 | $18.03 | - |
| Step 4 | $38,595 | $1,484.42 | $18.49 | - |
| Step 5 | $39,560 | $1,521.54 | $18.96 | - |
| Step 6 | $40,525 | $1,558.65 | $19.42 | - |
| Step 7 | $41,490 | $1,595.77 | $19.88 | - |
| Step 8 | $42,455 | $1,632.88 | $20.34 | - |
| Step 9 | $43,420 | $1,670.00 | $20.80 | - |
| Step 10 | $44,385 | $1,707.12 | $21.27 | - |
What kind of role is GL-5?
Typical role. Qualified law enforcement officers, investigators and agents handling assigned duties with limited supervision.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-4 level.
Career progression. Career ladders often move to GL-7 after one year of creditable experience.
Step progression for GL-5
GL-5 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-5 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-5 Step 1 | GL-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $49,723 | $61,819 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $47,170 | $58,646 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $47,031 | $58,473 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $46,613 | $57,953 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $45,775 | $56,910 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $45,771 | $56,906 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $45,703 | $56,822 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $45,653 | $56,760 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $45,510 | $56,582 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $45,507 | $56,578 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $45,071 | $56,036 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $44,793 | $55,690 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $44,664 | $55,530 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $44,575 | $55,419 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $44,479 | $55,299 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $44,054 | $54,771 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $44,043 | $54,758 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $43,782 | $54,434 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $43,743 | $54,385 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $43,254 | $53,777 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $42,890 | $53,324 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $42,869 | $53,298 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $42,794 | $53,204 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $42,669 | $53,049 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $42,547 | $52,898 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $42,515 | $52,858 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $42,472 | $52,805 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $42,408 | $52,725 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $42,301 | $52,592 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $42,280 | $52,565 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $42,251 | $52,530 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $42,165 | $52,423 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $41,912 | $52,108 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $41,665 | $51,802 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $41,623 | $51,748 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $41,591 | $51,709 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $41,587 | $51,704 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $41,580 | $51,695 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $41,494 | $51,589 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $41,487 | $51,580 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $41,473 | $51,562 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $41,466 | $51,553 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $41,448 | $51,531 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $41,441 | $51,522 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $41,387 | $51,456 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $41,326 | $51,380 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $41,187 | $51,207 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $35,700 | $44,385 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-5
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-5 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-5 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GL-5 in 2018 is $35,700 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-5 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-5 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-5 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.