2020 GL-7 Pay Scale
The 2020 base salary range for GL-7 runs from $42,273 at Step 1 to $53,460 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 2020 GL-7 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-7.
$42,273 GL-7 Step 1 base salary
$53,460 GL-7 Step 10 base salary
Staff Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2020 GL-7 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-7 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 | $42,273 | $1,625.88 | $20.26 | - |
| Step 2 | $43,516 | $1,673.69 | $20.85 | - |
| Step 3 | $44,759 | $1,721.50 | $21.45 | - |
| Step 4 | $46,002 | $1,769.31 | $22.04 | - |
| Step 5 | $47,245 | $1,817.12 | $22.64 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,488 | $1,864.92 | $23.23 | - |
| Step 7 | $49,731 | $1,912.73 | $23.83 | - |
| Step 8 | $50,974 | $1,960.54 | $24.42 | - |
| Step 9 | $52,217 | $2,008.35 | $25.02 | - |
| Step 10 | $53,460 | $2,056.15 | $25.62 | - |
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 2020. 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 | 41.44% | $59,791 | $75,614 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $56,637 | $71,626 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $56,358 | $71,273 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $55,974 | $70,786 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $55,158 | $69,755 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $54,858 | $69,375 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $54,815 | $69,322 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $54,739 | $69,225 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $54,579 | $69,022 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $54,359 | $68,744 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $53,822 | $68,065 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $53,742 | $67,964 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $53,695 | $67,905 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $53,420 | $67,557 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $53,281 | $67,381 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $52,833 | $66,814 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $52,698 | $66,643 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $52,309 | $66,151 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $52,211 | $66,028 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $51,641 | $65,307 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $51,133 | $64,665 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $51,074 | $64,590 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $50,960 | $64,446 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $50,935 | $64,414 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $50,812 | $64,259 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $50,778 | $64,216 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $50,736 | $64,163 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $50,706 | $64,125 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $50,664 | $64,072 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $50,542 | $63,917 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $50,474 | $63,831 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $50,381 | $63,714 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $50,254 | $63,553 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $49,954 | $63,174 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $49,831 | $63,019 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $49,789 | $62,965 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $49,747 | $62,912 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $49,734 | $62,896 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $49,645 | $62,783 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $49,544 | $62,655 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $49,540 | $62,650 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $49,514 | $62,618 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $49,476 | $62,570 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $49,426 | $62,505 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $49,413 | $62,489 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $49,362 | $62,425 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $49,345 | $62,404 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $49,324 | $62,377 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $49,273 | $62,313 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $49,252 | $62,286 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $49,176 | $62,190 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $49,147 | $62,153 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $49,016 | $61,987 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $42,273 | $53,460 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-7
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-7 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-7 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GL-7 in 2020 is $42,273 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.