2020 GL-5 Pay Scale
The 2020 base salary range for GL-5 runs from $37,141 at Step 1 to $46,177 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 2020 GL-5 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-5.
$37,141 GL-5 Step 1 base salary
$46,177 GL-5 Step 10 base salary
Specialist Approximate military comparison
2020 GL-5 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-5 table for 2020. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $37,141 | $1,428.50 | $17.80 | - |
| Step 2 | $38,145 | $1,467.12 | $18.28 | - |
| Step 3 | $39,149 | $1,505.73 | $18.76 | - |
| Step 4 | $40,153 | $1,544.35 | $19.24 | - |
| Step 5 | $41,157 | $1,582.96 | $19.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $42,161 | $1,621.58 | $20.20 | - |
| Step 7 | $43,165 | $1,660.19 | $20.68 | - |
| Step 8 | $44,169 | $1,698.81 | $21.16 | - |
| Step 9 | $45,173 | $1,737.42 | $21.64 | - |
| Step 10 | $46,177 | $1,776.04 | $22.13 | - |
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 2020. 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 | 41.44% | $52,532 | $65,313 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $49,762 | $61,868 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $49,516 | $61,563 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $49,178 | $61,143 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $48,462 | $60,252 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $48,198 | $59,924 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $48,161 | $59,878 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $48,094 | $59,795 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $47,953 | $59,619 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $47,760 | $59,379 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $47,288 | $58,793 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $47,217 | $58,705 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $47,176 | $58,654 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $46,935 | $58,354 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $46,813 | $58,201 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $46,419 | $57,712 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $46,300 | $57,564 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $45,958 | $57,139 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $45,873 | $57,033 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $45,371 | $56,410 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $44,926 | $55,856 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $44,874 | $55,791 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $44,773 | $55,666 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $44,751 | $55,639 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $44,643 | $55,505 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $44,614 | $55,468 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $44,577 | $55,422 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $44,551 | $55,389 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $44,513 | $55,343 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $44,406 | $55,209 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $44,346 | $55,135 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $44,265 | $55,034 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $44,153 | $54,895 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $43,890 | $54,567 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $43,782 | $54,433 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $43,745 | $54,387 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $43,708 | $54,341 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $43,696 | $54,327 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $43,618 | $54,230 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $43,529 | $54,119 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $43,526 | $54,115 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $43,503 | $54,087 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $43,470 | $54,046 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $43,425 | $53,990 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $43,414 | $53,976 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $43,370 | $53,921 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $43,355 | $53,902 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $43,336 | $53,879 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $43,292 | $53,824 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $43,273 | $53,801 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $43,206 | $53,718 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $43,180 | $53,685 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $43,065 | $53,542 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $37,141 | $46,177 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-5
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2020
GL-3 $28,770
GL-4 $32,297
GL-5 $37,141
GL-6 $39,162
GL-7 $42,273
GL-8 $44,064
GL-9 $47,148
GL-10 $51,921
GL-5 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-5 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GL-5 in 2020 is $37,141 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.