2018 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2018 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $45,319 at Step 1 to $58,477 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-9 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2018 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$45,319 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$58,477 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2018 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $45,319 | $1,743.04 | $21.71 | - |
| Step 2 | $46,781 | $1,799.27 | $22.42 | - |
| Step 3 | $48,243 | $1,855.50 | $23.12 | - |
| Step 4 | $49,705 | $1,911.73 | $23.82 | - |
| Step 5 | $51,167 | $1,967.96 | $24.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $52,629 | $2,024.19 | $25.22 | - |
| Step 7 | $54,091 | $2,080.42 | $25.92 | - |
| Step 8 | $55,553 | $2,136.65 | $26.62 | - |
| Step 9 | $57,015 | $2,192.88 | $27.32 | - |
| Step 10 | $58,477 | $2,249.12 | $28.02 | - |
What kind of role is GL-9?
Typical role. Senior investigators, supervisors and subject-matter experts near the top of the LEO pay scale.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-8 level.
Career progression. Promotion to GL-10 is selective and usually depends on vacancy and merit selection.
Step progression for GL-9
GL-9 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-9 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-9 Step 1 | GL-9 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $63,120 | $81,447 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $59,880 | $77,266 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $59,703 | $77,038 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $59,173 | $76,353 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $58,108 | $74,979 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $58,103 | $74,973 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $58,017 | $74,862 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $57,954 | $74,780 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $57,773 | $74,546 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $57,768 | $74,541 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $57,215 | $73,827 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $56,862 | $73,371 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $56,699 | $73,161 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $56,585 | $73,014 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $56,463 | $72,856 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $55,924 | $72,161 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $55,910 | $72,143 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $55,579 | $71,716 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $55,529 | $71,652 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $54,909 | $70,851 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $54,446 | $70,254 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $54,419 | $70,219 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $54,324 | $70,096 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $54,165 | $69,892 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $54,011 | $69,693 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $53,970 | $69,640 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $53,916 | $69,570 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $53,834 | $69,465 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $53,698 | $69,289 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $53,671 | $69,254 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $53,635 | $69,208 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $53,526 | $69,067 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $53,205 | $68,652 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $52,892 | $68,249 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $52,837 | $68,178 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $52,797 | $68,126 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $52,792 | $68,120 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $52,783 | $68,108 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $52,674 | $67,968 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $52,665 | $67,956 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $52,647 | $67,933 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $52,638 | $67,921 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $52,615 | $67,892 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $52,606 | $67,880 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $52,538 | $67,792 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $52,461 | $67,693 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $52,285 | $67,465 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $45,319 | $58,477 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2018 is $45,319 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-9 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-9 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-9 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.