2019 GL-6 Pay Scale
The 2019 base salary range for GL-6 runs from $38,171 at Step 1 to $47,990 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-6 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2019 GL-6 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-6.
$38,171 GL-6 Step 1 base salary
$47,990 GL-6 Step 10 base salary
Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2019 GL-6 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-6 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 | $38,171 | $1,468.12 | $18.29 | - |
| Step 2 | $39,262 | $1,510.08 | $18.81 | - |
| Step 3 | $40,353 | $1,552.04 | $19.34 | - |
| Step 4 | $41,444 | $1,594.00 | $19.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $42,535 | $1,635.96 | $20.38 | - |
| Step 6 | $43,626 | $1,677.92 | $20.90 | - |
| Step 7 | $44,717 | $1,719.88 | $21.43 | - |
| Step 8 | $45,808 | $1,761.85 | $21.95 | - |
| Step 9 | $46,899 | $1,803.81 | $22.47 | - |
| Step 10 | $47,990 | $1,845.77 | $22.99 | - |
What kind of role is GL-6?
Typical role. Experienced officers or investigators with more responsibility, case complexity or patrol authority.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-5 level.
Career progression. A GL-6 employee is commonly next considered for GL-7 or GL-8 promotion.
Step progression for GL-6
GL-6 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-6 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-6 Step 1 | GL-6 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 40.35% | $53,573 | $67,354 |
| New York-Newark | 33.06% | $50,790 | $63,855 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 32.54% | $50,592 | $63,606 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 31.47% | $50,183 | $63,092 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 29.32% | $49,363 | $62,061 |
| State of Alaska | 28.89% | $49,199 | $61,854 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.87% | $49,191 | $61,845 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 28.80% | $49,164 | $61,811 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 28.27% | $48,962 | $61,557 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.05% | $48,878 | $61,451 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.81% | $48,405 | $60,856 |
| Denver-Aurora | 26.30% | $48,210 | $60,611 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 26.04% | $48,111 | $60,487 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 25.59% | $47,939 | $60,271 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 25.30% | $47,828 | $60,131 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.21% | $47,412 | $59,608 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.00% | $47,332 | $59,508 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.13% | $47,000 | $59,090 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.12% | $46,996 | $59,085 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.64% | $46,431 | $58,375 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.58% | $46,027 | $57,866 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.45% | $45,977 | $57,804 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.21% | $45,885 | $57,689 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.99% | $45,801 | $57,583 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.67% | $45,679 | $57,430 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.60% | $45,653 | $57,396 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 19.47% | $45,603 | $57,334 |
| Richmond | 19.38% | $45,569 | $57,290 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.18% | $45,492 | $57,194 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.98% | $45,416 | $57,099 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.86% | $45,370 | $57,041 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.61% | $45,275 | $56,921 |
| Laredo | 18.22% | $45,126 | $56,734 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 17.46% | $44,836 | $56,369 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.19% | $44,733 | $56,239 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.19% | $44,733 | $56,239 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.05% | $44,679 | $56,172 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.04% | $44,675 | $56,167 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.79% | $44,580 | $56,048 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.68% | $44,538 | $55,995 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.65% | $44,526 | $55,980 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.60% | $44,507 | $55,956 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.57% | $44,496 | $55,942 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.49% | $44,465 | $55,904 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.33% | $44,404 | $55,827 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.20% | $44,355 | $55,764 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.18% | $44,347 | $55,755 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.07% | $44,305 | $55,702 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.01% | $44,282 | $55,673 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 15.91% | $44,244 | $55,625 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 15.87% | $44,229 | $55,606 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 15.77% | $44,191 | $55,558 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.67% | $44,152 | $55,510 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-6
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-6 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-6 in 2019?
The base starting salary for GL-6 in 2019 is $38,171 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-6 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-6 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-6 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.