2019 GL-5 Pay Scale
The 2019 base salary range for GL-5 runs from $36,196 at Step 1 to $44,998 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 2019 GL-5 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-5.
$36,196 GL-5 Step 1 base salary
$44,998 GL-5 Step 10 base salary
Specialist Approximate military comparison
2019 GL-5 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-5 table for 2019. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $36,196 | $1,392.15 | $17.34 | - |
| Step 2 | $37,174 | $1,429.77 | $17.81 | - |
| Step 3 | $38,152 | $1,467.38 | $18.28 | - |
| Step 4 | $39,130 | $1,505.00 | $18.75 | - |
| Step 5 | $40,108 | $1,542.62 | $19.22 | - |
| Step 6 | $41,086 | $1,580.23 | $19.69 | - |
| Step 7 | $42,064 | $1,617.85 | $20.16 | - |
| Step 8 | $43,042 | $1,655.46 | $20.62 | - |
| Step 9 | $44,020 | $1,693.08 | $21.09 | - |
| Step 10 | $44,998 | $1,730.69 | $21.56 | - |
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 2019. 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 | 40.35% | $50,801 | $63,155 |
| New York-Newark | 33.06% | $48,162 | $59,874 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 32.54% | $47,974 | $59,640 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 31.47% | $47,587 | $59,159 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 29.32% | $46,809 | $58,191 |
| State of Alaska | 28.89% | $46,653 | $57,998 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.87% | $46,646 | $57,989 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 28.80% | $46,620 | $57,957 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 28.27% | $46,429 | $57,719 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.05% | $46,349 | $57,620 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.81% | $45,900 | $57,062 |
| Denver-Aurora | 26.30% | $45,716 | $56,832 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 26.04% | $45,621 | $56,715 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 25.59% | $45,459 | $56,513 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 25.30% | $45,354 | $56,382 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.21% | $44,959 | $55,892 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.00% | $44,883 | $55,798 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.13% | $44,568 | $55,406 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.12% | $44,565 | $55,402 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.64% | $44,029 | $54,736 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.58% | $43,645 | $54,259 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.45% | $43,598 | $54,200 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.21% | $43,511 | $54,092 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.99% | $43,432 | $53,993 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.67% | $43,316 | $53,849 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.60% | $43,290 | $53,818 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 19.47% | $43,243 | $53,759 |
| Richmond | 19.38% | $43,211 | $53,719 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.18% | $43,138 | $53,629 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.98% | $43,066 | $53,539 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.86% | $43,023 | $53,485 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.61% | $42,932 | $53,372 |
| Laredo | 18.22% | $42,791 | $53,197 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 17.46% | $42,516 | $52,855 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.19% | $42,418 | $52,733 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.19% | $42,418 | $52,733 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.05% | $42,367 | $52,670 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.04% | $42,364 | $52,666 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.79% | $42,273 | $52,553 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.68% | $42,233 | $52,504 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.65% | $42,223 | $52,490 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.60% | $42,205 | $52,468 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.57% | $42,194 | $52,454 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.49% | $42,165 | $52,418 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.33% | $42,107 | $52,346 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.20% | $42,060 | $52,288 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.18% | $42,053 | $52,279 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.07% | $42,013 | $52,229 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.01% | $41,991 | $52,202 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 15.91% | $41,955 | $52,157 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 15.87% | $41,940 | $52,139 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 15.77% | $41,904 | $52,094 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.67% | $41,868 | $52,049 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-5
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2019
GL-3 $28,042
GL-4 $31,477
GL-5 $36,196
GL-6 $38,171
GL-7 $41,204
GL-8 $42,947
GL-9 $45,953
GL-10 $50,605
GL-5 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-5 in 2019?
The base starting salary for GL-5 in 2019 is $36,196 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.