2020 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2020 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $47,148 at Step 1 to $60,837 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 2020 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$47,148 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$60,837 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2020 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $47,148 | $1,813.38 | $22.59 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,669 | $1,871.88 | $23.32 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,190 | $1,930.38 | $24.05 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,711 | $1,988.88 | $24.78 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,232 | $2,047.38 | $25.51 | - |
| Step 6 | $54,753 | $2,105.88 | $26.24 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,274 | $2,164.38 | $26.96 | - |
| Step 8 | $57,795 | $2,222.88 | $27.69 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,316 | $2,281.38 | $28.42 | - |
| Step 10 | $60,837 | $2,339.88 | $29.15 | - |
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 2020. 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 | 41.44% | $66,686 | $86,048 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $63,169 | $81,509 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $62,858 | $81,108 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $62,429 | $80,554 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $61,519 | $79,380 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $61,184 | $78,948 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $61,137 | $78,887 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $61,052 | $78,778 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $60,873 | $78,547 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $60,628 | $78,230 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $60,029 | $77,458 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $59,939 | $77,342 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $59,887 | $77,275 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $59,581 | $76,880 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $59,425 | $76,679 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $58,926 | $76,034 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $58,775 | $75,839 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $58,341 | $75,280 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $58,232 | $75,140 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $57,596 | $74,318 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $57,030 | $73,588 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $56,964 | $73,503 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $56,837 | $73,339 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $56,809 | $73,303 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $56,672 | $73,126 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $56,634 | $73,077 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $56,587 | $73,017 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $56,554 | $72,974 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $56,507 | $72,913 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $56,370 | $72,737 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $56,295 | $72,639 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $56,191 | $72,506 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $56,050 | $72,323 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $55,715 | $71,891 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $55,578 | $71,715 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $55,531 | $71,654 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $55,484 | $71,593 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $55,470 | $71,575 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $55,371 | $71,447 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $55,257 | $71,301 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $55,253 | $71,295 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $55,224 | $71,258 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $55,182 | $71,204 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $55,125 | $71,131 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $55,111 | $71,112 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $55,055 | $71,039 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $55,036 | $71,015 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $55,012 | $70,985 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $54,956 | $70,912 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $54,932 | $70,881 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $54,847 | $70,772 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $54,814 | $70,729 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $54,668 | $70,541 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $47,148 | $60,837 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2020 is $47,148 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.