2021 GL-7 Pay Scale
The 2021 base salary range for GL-7 runs from $42,698 at Step 1 to $54,002 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 2021 GL-7 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-7.
$42,698 GL-7 Step 1 base salary
$54,002 GL-7 Step 10 base salary
Staff Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2021 GL-7 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-7 table for 2021. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,698 | $1,642.23 | $20.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $43,954 | $1,690.54 | $21.06 | - |
| Step 3 | $45,210 | $1,738.85 | $21.66 | - |
| Step 4 | $46,466 | $1,787.15 | $22.26 | - |
| Step 5 | $47,722 | $1,835.46 | $22.87 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,978 | $1,883.77 | $23.47 | - |
| Step 7 | $50,234 | $1,932.08 | $24.07 | - |
| Step 8 | $51,490 | $1,980.38 | $24.67 | - |
| Step 9 | $52,746 | $2,028.69 | $25.27 | - |
| Step 10 | $54,002 | $2,077.00 | $25.88 | - |
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 2021. 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% | $60,392 | $76,380 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $57,207 | $72,352 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $56,925 | $71,995 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $56,536 | $71,504 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $55,712 | $70,462 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $55,409 | $70,078 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $55,366 | $70,024 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $55,290 | $69,927 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $55,127 | $69,722 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $54,905 | $69,441 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $54,363 | $68,755 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $54,282 | $68,653 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $54,235 | $68,593 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $53,957 | $68,242 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $53,817 | $68,064 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $53,364 | $67,492 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $53,227 | $67,319 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $52,835 | $66,822 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $52,736 | $66,698 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $52,160 | $65,969 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $51,648 | $65,321 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $51,588 | $65,245 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $51,472 | $65,099 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $51,447 | $65,067 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $51,323 | $64,910 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $51,289 | $64,867 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $51,246 | $64,813 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $51,216 | $64,775 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $51,174 | $64,721 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $51,050 | $64,565 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $50,981 | $64,478 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $50,887 | $64,360 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $50,759 | $64,198 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $50,456 | $63,814 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $50,332 | $63,658 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $50,290 | $63,604 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $50,247 | $63,550 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $50,234 | $63,533 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $50,145 | $63,420 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $50,042 | $63,290 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $50,038 | $63,285 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $50,012 | $63,253 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $49,974 | $63,204 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $49,923 | $63,139 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $49,910 | $63,123 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $49,858 | $63,058 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $49,841 | $63,037 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $49,820 | $63,010 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $49,769 | $62,945 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $49,747 | $62,918 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $49,671 | $62,821 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $49,641 | $62,783 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $49,508 | $62,615 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $49,508 | $62,615 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $42,698 | $54,002 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-7
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2021
GL-3 $29,058
GL-4 $32,620
GL-5 $37,512
GL-6 $39,553
GL-7 $42,698
GL-8 $44,505
GL-9 $47,619
GL-10 $52,440
GL-7 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-7 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GL-7 in 2021 is $42,698 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.