2020 GL-6 Pay Scale
The 2020 base salary range for GL-6 runs from $39,162 at Step 1 to $49,233 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 2020 GL-6 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-6.
$39,162 GL-6 Step 1 base salary
$49,233 GL-6 Step 10 base salary
Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2020 GL-6 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-6 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 | $39,162 | $1,506.23 | $18.76 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,281 | $1,549.27 | $19.30 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,400 | $1,592.31 | $19.84 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,519 | $1,635.35 | $20.37 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,638 | $1,678.38 | $20.91 | - |
| Step 6 | $44,757 | $1,721.42 | $21.45 | - |
| Step 7 | $45,876 | $1,764.46 | $21.98 | - |
| Step 8 | $46,995 | $1,807.50 | $22.52 | - |
| Step 9 | $48,114 | $1,850.54 | $23.05 | - |
| Step 10 | $49,233 | $1,893.58 | $23.59 | - |
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 2020. 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 | 41.44% | $55,391 | $69,635 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $52,469 | $65,962 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $52,211 | $65,637 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $51,854 | $65,189 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $51,099 | $64,239 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $50,821 | $63,890 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $50,781 | $63,840 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $50,711 | $63,752 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $50,562 | $63,565 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $50,358 | $63,309 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $49,861 | $62,683 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $49,787 | $62,590 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $49,744 | $62,536 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $49,489 | $62,216 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $49,360 | $62,053 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $48,945 | $61,531 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $48,819 | $61,374 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $48,459 | $60,921 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $48,369 | $60,808 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $47,840 | $60,143 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $47,370 | $59,552 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $47,316 | $59,483 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $47,210 | $59,350 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $47,186 | $59,321 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $47,073 | $59,178 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $47,041 | $59,139 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $47,002 | $59,089 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $46,975 | $59,055 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $46,936 | $59,006 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $46,822 | $58,863 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $46,759 | $58,784 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $46,673 | $58,676 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $46,556 | $58,528 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $46,278 | $58,179 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $46,164 | $58,036 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $46,125 | $57,987 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $46,086 | $57,937 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $46,074 | $57,923 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $45,992 | $57,819 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $45,898 | $57,701 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $45,894 | $57,696 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $45,870 | $57,667 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $45,835 | $57,622 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $45,788 | $57,563 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $45,776 | $57,548 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $45,729 | $57,489 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $45,714 | $57,470 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $45,694 | $57,445 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $45,647 | $57,386 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $45,628 | $57,361 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $45,557 | $57,273 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $45,530 | $57,238 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $45,408 | $57,086 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $39,162 | $49,233 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-6
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-6 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-6 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GL-6 in 2020 is $39,162 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.