2018 GL-7 Pay Scale
The 2018 base salary range for GL-7 runs from $40,634 at Step 1 to $51,389 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-7 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2018 GL-7 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-7.
$40,634 GL-7 Step 1 base salary
$51,389 GL-7 Step 10 base salary
Staff Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2018 GL-7 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-7 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 | $40,634 | $1,562.85 | $19.47 | - |
| Step 2 | $41,829 | $1,608.81 | $20.04 | - |
| Step 3 | $43,024 | $1,654.77 | $20.62 | - |
| Step 4 | $44,219 | $1,700.73 | $21.19 | - |
| Step 5 | $45,414 | $1,746.69 | $21.76 | - |
| Step 6 | $46,609 | $1,792.65 | $22.33 | - |
| Step 7 | $47,804 | $1,838.62 | $22.91 | - |
| Step 8 | $48,999 | $1,884.58 | $23.48 | - |
| Step 9 | $50,194 | $1,930.54 | $24.05 | - |
| Step 10 | $51,389 | $1,976.50 | $24.62 | - |
What kind of role is GL-7?
Typical role. Advanced journeyman roles, senior investigators and officers with broader case work or field duties.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-6 level.
Career progression. Promotion to GL-8 or GL-9 generally requires competitive selection and a higher-grade vacancy.
Step progression for GL-7
GL-7 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-7 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-7 Step 1 | GL-7 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $56,595 | $71,575 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $53,690 | $67,900 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $53,531 | $67,700 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $53,056 | $67,099 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $52,101 | $65,891 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $52,097 | $65,886 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $52,020 | $65,788 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $51,963 | $65,716 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $51,800 | $65,511 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $51,796 | $65,506 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $51,300 | $64,879 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $50,983 | $64,478 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $50,837 | $64,293 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $50,736 | $64,164 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $50,626 | $64,026 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $50,142 | $63,414 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $50,130 | $63,399 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $49,834 | $63,023 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $49,789 | $62,967 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $49,232 | $62,263 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $48,818 | $61,739 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $48,793 | $61,708 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $48,708 | $61,600 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $48,566 | $61,420 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $48,428 | $61,245 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $48,391 | $61,199 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $48,342 | $61,137 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $48,269 | $61,045 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $48,147 | $60,891 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $48,123 | $60,860 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $48,090 | $60,819 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $47,993 | $60,696 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $47,704 | $60,331 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $47,424 | $59,976 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $47,375 | $59,914 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $47,339 | $59,868 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $47,335 | $59,863 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $47,326 | $59,853 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $47,229 | $59,729 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $47,221 | $59,719 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $47,205 | $59,699 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $47,196 | $59,688 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $47,176 | $59,663 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $47,168 | $59,652 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $47,107 | $59,575 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $47,038 | $59,488 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $46,879 | $59,287 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $40,634 | $51,389 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-7
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-7 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-7 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GL-7 in 2018 is $40,634 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-7 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-7 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-7 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.