2021 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2021 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $47,619 at Step 1 to $61,443 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 2021 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$47,619 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$61,443 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2021 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $47,619 | $1,831.50 | $22.82 | - |
| Step 2 | $49,155 | $1,890.58 | $23.55 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,691 | $1,949.65 | $24.29 | - |
| Step 4 | $52,227 | $2,008.73 | $25.02 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,763 | $2,067.81 | $25.76 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,299 | $2,126.88 | $26.50 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,835 | $2,185.96 | $27.23 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,371 | $2,245.04 | $27.97 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,907 | $2,304.12 | $28.70 | - |
| Step 10 | $61,443 | $2,363.19 | $29.44 | - |
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 2021. 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% | $67,352 | $86,905 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $63,800 | $82,321 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $63,486 | $81,916 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $63,052 | $81,357 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $62,133 | $80,171 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $61,795 | $79,735 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $61,748 | $79,673 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $61,662 | $79,563 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $61,481 | $79,329 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $61,233 | $79,010 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $60,629 | $78,229 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $60,538 | $78,112 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $60,486 | $78,045 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $60,176 | $77,646 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $60,019 | $77,443 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $59,514 | $76,791 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $59,362 | $76,595 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $58,924 | $76,030 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $58,814 | $75,888 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $58,171 | $75,059 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $57,600 | $74,321 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $57,533 | $74,235 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $57,405 | $74,070 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $57,376 | $74,033 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $57,238 | $73,854 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $57,200 | $73,805 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $57,152 | $73,744 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $57,119 | $73,701 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $57,071 | $73,639 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $56,933 | $73,461 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $56,857 | $73,363 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $56,752 | $73,228 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $56,609 | $73,043 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $56,271 | $72,607 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $56,133 | $72,429 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $56,086 | $72,368 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $56,038 | $72,306 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $56,024 | $72,288 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $55,924 | $72,159 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $55,809 | $72,011 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $55,805 | $72,005 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $55,776 | $71,968 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $55,733 | $71,913 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $55,676 | $71,839 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $55,662 | $71,821 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $55,605 | $71,747 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $55,586 | $71,722 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $55,562 | $71,692 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $55,505 | $71,618 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $55,481 | $71,587 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $55,395 | $71,477 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $55,362 | $71,434 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $55,214 | $71,243 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $55,214 | $71,243 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $47,619 | $61,443 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2021 is $47,619 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.