2019 GL-7 Pay Scale
The 2019 base salary range for GL-7 runs from $41,204 at Step 1 to $52,112 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 2019 GL-7 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-7.
$41,204 GL-7 Step 1 base salary
$52,112 GL-7 Step 10 base salary
Staff Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2019 GL-7 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-7 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 | $41,204 | $1,584.77 | $19.74 | - |
| Step 2 | $42,416 | $1,631.38 | $20.32 | - |
| Step 3 | $43,628 | $1,678.00 | $20.90 | - |
| Step 4 | $44,840 | $1,724.62 | $21.49 | - |
| Step 5 | $46,052 | $1,771.23 | $22.07 | - |
| Step 6 | $47,264 | $1,817.85 | $22.65 | - |
| Step 7 | $48,476 | $1,864.46 | $23.23 | - |
| Step 8 | $49,688 | $1,911.08 | $23.81 | - |
| Step 9 | $50,900 | $1,957.69 | $24.39 | - |
| Step 10 | $52,112 | $2,004.31 | $24.97 | - |
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 2019. 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 | 40.35% | $57,830 | $73,139 |
| New York-Newark | 33.06% | $54,826 | $69,340 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 32.54% | $54,612 | $69,069 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 31.47% | $54,171 | $68,512 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 29.32% | $53,285 | $67,391 |
| State of Alaska | 28.89% | $53,108 | $67,167 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.87% | $53,100 | $67,157 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 28.80% | $53,071 | $67,120 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 28.27% | $52,852 | $66,844 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.05% | $52,762 | $66,729 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.81% | $52,251 | $66,083 |
| Denver-Aurora | 26.30% | $52,041 | $65,817 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 26.04% | $51,934 | $65,682 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 25.59% | $51,748 | $65,447 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 25.30% | $51,629 | $65,296 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.21% | $51,179 | $64,728 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.00% | $51,093 | $64,619 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.13% | $50,734 | $64,166 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.12% | $50,730 | $64,160 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.64% | $50,121 | $63,389 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.58% | $49,684 | $62,837 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.45% | $49,630 | $62,769 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.21% | $49,531 | $62,644 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.99% | $49,441 | $62,529 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.67% | $49,309 | $62,362 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.60% | $49,280 | $62,326 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 19.47% | $49,226 | $62,258 |
| Richmond | 19.38% | $49,189 | $62,211 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.18% | $49,107 | $62,107 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.98% | $49,025 | $62,003 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.86% | $48,975 | $61,940 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.61% | $48,872 | $61,810 |
| Laredo | 18.22% | $48,711 | $61,607 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 17.46% | $48,398 | $61,211 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.19% | $48,287 | $61,070 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.19% | $48,287 | $61,070 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.05% | $48,229 | $60,997 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.04% | $48,225 | $60,992 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.79% | $48,122 | $60,862 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.68% | $48,077 | $60,804 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.65% | $48,064 | $60,789 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.60% | $48,044 | $60,763 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.57% | $48,032 | $60,747 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.49% | $47,999 | $60,705 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.33% | $47,933 | $60,622 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.20% | $47,879 | $60,554 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.18% | $47,871 | $60,544 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.07% | $47,825 | $60,486 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.01% | $47,801 | $60,455 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 15.91% | $47,760 | $60,403 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 15.87% | $47,743 | $60,382 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 15.77% | $47,702 | $60,330 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.67% | $47,661 | $60,278 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-7
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-7 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-7 in 2019?
The base starting salary for GL-7 in 2019 is $41,204 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.