2019 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2019 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $45,953 at Step 1 to $59,291 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 2019 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$45,953 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$59,291 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2019 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $45,953 | $1,767.42 | $22.02 | - |
| Step 2 | $47,435 | $1,824.42 | $22.73 | - |
| Step 3 | $48,917 | $1,881.42 | $23.44 | - |
| Step 4 | $50,399 | $1,938.42 | $24.15 | - |
| Step 5 | $51,881 | $1,995.42 | $24.86 | - |
| Step 6 | $53,363 | $2,052.42 | $25.57 | - |
| Step 7 | $54,845 | $2,109.42 | $26.28 | - |
| Step 8 | $56,327 | $2,166.42 | $26.99 | - |
| Step 9 | $57,809 | $2,223.42 | $27.70 | - |
| Step 10 | $59,291 | $2,280.42 | $28.41 | - |
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 2019. 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 | 40.35% | $64,495 | $83,215 |
| New York-Newark | 33.06% | $61,145 | $78,893 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 32.54% | $60,906 | $78,584 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 31.47% | $60,414 | $77,950 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 29.32% | $59,426 | $76,675 |
| State of Alaska | 28.89% | $59,229 | $76,420 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.87% | $59,220 | $76,408 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 28.80% | $59,187 | $76,367 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 28.27% | $58,944 | $76,053 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.05% | $58,843 | $75,922 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.81% | $58,273 | $75,187 |
| Denver-Aurora | 26.30% | $58,039 | $74,885 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 26.04% | $57,919 | $74,730 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 25.59% | $57,712 | $74,464 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 25.30% | $57,579 | $74,292 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.21% | $57,078 | $73,645 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.00% | $56,982 | $73,521 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.13% | $56,582 | $73,005 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.12% | $56,577 | $72,999 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.64% | $55,897 | $72,122 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.58% | $55,410 | $71,493 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.45% | $55,350 | $71,416 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.21% | $55,240 | $71,274 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.99% | $55,139 | $71,143 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.67% | $54,992 | $70,954 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.60% | $54,960 | $70,912 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 19.47% | $54,900 | $70,835 |
| Richmond | 19.38% | $54,859 | $70,782 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.18% | $54,767 | $70,663 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.98% | $54,675 | $70,544 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.86% | $54,620 | $70,473 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.61% | $54,505 | $70,325 |
| Laredo | 18.22% | $54,326 | $70,094 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 17.46% | $53,976 | $69,643 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.19% | $53,852 | $69,483 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.19% | $53,852 | $69,483 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.05% | $53,788 | $69,400 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.04% | $53,783 | $69,394 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.79% | $53,669 | $69,246 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.68% | $53,618 | $69,181 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.65% | $53,604 | $69,163 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.60% | $53,581 | $69,133 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.57% | $53,567 | $69,116 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.49% | $53,531 | $69,068 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.33% | $53,457 | $68,973 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.20% | $53,397 | $68,896 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.18% | $53,388 | $68,884 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.07% | $53,338 | $68,819 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.01% | $53,310 | $68,783 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 15.91% | $53,264 | $68,724 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 15.87% | $53,246 | $68,700 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 15.77% | $53,200 | $68,641 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.67% | $53,154 | $68,582 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2019?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2019 is $45,953 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.