2022 GL-3 Pay Scale
The 2022 base salary range for GL-3 runs from $29,699 at Step 1 to $37,124 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-3 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2022 GL-3 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-3.
$29,699 GL-3 Step 1 base salary
$37,124 GL-3 Step 10 base salary
Private Approximate military comparison
2022 GL-3 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-3 table for 2022. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $29,699 | $1,142.27 | $14.23 | - |
| Step 2 | $30,524 | $1,174.00 | $14.63 | - |
| Step 3 | $31,349 | $1,205.73 | $15.02 | - |
| Step 4 | $32,174 | $1,237.46 | $15.42 | - |
| Step 5 | $32,999 | $1,269.19 | $15.81 | - |
| Step 6 | $33,824 | $1,300.92 | $16.21 | - |
| Step 7 | $34,649 | $1,332.65 | $16.60 | - |
| Step 8 | $35,474 | $1,364.38 | $17.00 | - |
| Step 9 | $36,299 | $1,396.12 | $17.39 | - |
| Step 10 | $37,124 | $1,427.85 | $17.79 | - |
What kind of role is GL-3?
Typical role. Entry-level federal law enforcement roles with basic field duties. This is the starting grade for many criminal investigator and officer ladders.
Typical qualification path. Entry-level experience, academy training, or the minimum qualification standard for the job series.
Career progression. Progression usually moves to GL-4 after one year of satisfactory service.
Step progression for GL-3
GL-3 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-3 Step 1 and Step 10 across all published locality pay areas for 2022. Use it to see how much location changes federal law enforcement salary.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GL-3 Step 1 | GL-3 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 42.74% | $42,392 | $52,991 |
| New York-Newark | 35.06% | $40,111 | $50,140 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.96% | $39,785 | $49,731 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 33.61% | $39,681 | $49,601 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 31.53% | $39,063 | $48,829 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 30.87% | $38,867 | $48,584 |
| State of Alaska | 30.42% | $38,733 | $48,417 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.20% | $38,668 | $48,335 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 30.09% | $38,635 | $48,295 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.18% | $38,365 | $47,957 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 28.28% | $38,098 | $47,623 |
| Denver-Aurora | 28.10% | $38,044 | $47,556 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.86% | $37,973 | $47,467 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 27.30% | $37,807 | $47,259 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.95% | $37,703 | $47,129 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 25.68% | $37,326 | $46,657 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 25.49% | $37,269 | $46,587 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.34% | $36,928 | $46,160 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.80% | $36,767 | $45,960 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.63% | $36,420 | $45,525 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.32% | $36,031 | $45,039 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.25% | $36,010 | $45,013 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.94% | $35,918 | $44,898 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.94% | $35,918 | $44,898 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.84% | $35,888 | $44,861 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.78% | $35,870 | $44,838 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.69% | $35,844 | $44,805 |
| Richmond | 20.64% | $35,829 | $44,786 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.45% | $35,772 | $44,716 |
| State of Hawaii | 20.40% | $35,758 | $44,697 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.93% | $35,618 | $44,523 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.90% | $35,609 | $44,512 |
| Laredo | 19.85% | $35,594 | $44,493 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.80% | $35,282 | $44,103 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 18.68% | $35,247 | $44,059 |
| Colorado Springs | 18.42% | $35,170 | $43,962 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 18.35% | $35,149 | $43,936 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.25% | $35,119 | $43,899 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.06% | $35,063 | $43,829 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.90% | $35,015 | $43,769 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.77% | $34,977 | $43,721 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.67% | $34,947 | $43,684 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 17.62% | $34,932 | $43,665 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.58% | $34,920 | $43,650 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 17.39% | $34,864 | $43,580 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.26% | $34,825 | $43,532 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.18% | $34,801 | $43,502 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.14% | $34,789 | $43,487 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.01% | $34,751 | $43,439 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.93% | $34,727 | $43,409 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.82% | $34,694 | $43,368 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.81% | $34,691 | $43,365 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 16.52% | $34,605 | $43,257 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.20% | $34,510 | $43,138 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $29,699 | $37,124 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-3
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2022
GL-3 $29,699
GL-4 $33,338
GL-5 $38,335
GL-6 $40,424
GL-7 $43,635
GL-8 $45,483
GL-9 $48,667
GL-10 $53,593
GL-3 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-3 in 2022?
The base starting salary for GL-3 in 2022 is $29,699 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-3 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-3 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-3 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.