2022 GL-6 Pay Scale
The 2022 base salary range for GL-6 runs from $40,424 at Step 1 to $50,819 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-6 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2022 GL-6 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-6.
$40,424 GL-6 Step 1 base salary
$50,819 GL-6 Step 10 base salary
Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2022 GL-6 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-6 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 | $40,424 | $1,554.77 | $19.37 | - |
| Step 2 | $41,579 | $1,599.19 | $19.92 | - |
| Step 3 | $42,734 | $1,643.62 | $20.48 | - |
| Step 4 | $43,889 | $1,688.04 | $21.03 | - |
| Step 5 | $45,044 | $1,732.46 | $21.58 | - |
| Step 6 | $46,199 | $1,776.88 | $22.14 | - |
| Step 7 | $47,354 | $1,821.31 | $22.69 | - |
| Step 8 | $48,509 | $1,865.73 | $23.24 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,664 | $1,910.15 | $23.80 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,819 | $1,954.58 | $24.35 | - |
What kind of role is GL-6?
Typical role. Experienced officers or investigators with more responsibility, case complexity or patrol authority.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-5 level.
Career progression. A GL-6 employee is commonly next considered for GL-7 or GL-8 promotion.
Step progression for GL-6
GL-6 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-6 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-6 Step 1 | GL-6 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 42.74% | $57,701 | $72,539 |
| New York-Newark | 35.06% | $54,597 | $68,636 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.96% | $54,152 | $68,077 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 33.61% | $54,011 | $67,899 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 31.53% | $53,170 | $66,842 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 30.87% | $52,903 | $66,507 |
| State of Alaska | 30.42% | $52,721 | $66,278 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.20% | $52,632 | $66,166 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 30.09% | $52,588 | $66,110 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.18% | $52,220 | $65,648 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 28.28% | $51,856 | $65,191 |
| Denver-Aurora | 28.10% | $51,783 | $65,099 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.86% | $51,686 | $64,977 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 27.30% | $51,460 | $64,693 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.95% | $51,318 | $64,515 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 25.68% | $50,805 | $63,869 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 25.49% | $50,728 | $63,773 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.34% | $50,263 | $63,188 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.80% | $50,045 | $62,914 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.63% | $49,572 | $62,319 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.32% | $49,042 | $61,654 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.25% | $49,014 | $61,618 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.94% | $48,889 | $61,460 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.94% | $48,889 | $61,460 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.84% | $48,848 | $61,410 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.78% | $48,824 | $61,379 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.69% | $48,788 | $61,333 |
| Richmond | 20.64% | $48,768 | $61,308 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.45% | $48,691 | $61,211 |
| State of Hawaii | 20.40% | $48,670 | $61,186 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.93% | $48,481 | $60,947 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.90% | $48,468 | $60,932 |
| Laredo | 19.85% | $48,448 | $60,907 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.80% | $48,024 | $60,373 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 18.68% | $47,975 | $60,312 |
| Colorado Springs | 18.42% | $47,870 | $60,180 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 18.35% | $47,842 | $60,144 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.25% | $47,801 | $60,093 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.06% | $47,725 | $59,997 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.90% | $47,660 | $59,916 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.77% | $47,607 | $59,850 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.67% | $47,567 | $59,799 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 17.62% | $47,547 | $59,773 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.58% | $47,531 | $59,753 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 17.39% | $47,454 | $59,656 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.26% | $47,401 | $59,590 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.18% | $47,369 | $59,550 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.14% | $47,353 | $59,529 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.01% | $47,300 | $59,463 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.93% | $47,268 | $59,423 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.82% | $47,223 | $59,367 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.81% | $47,219 | $59,362 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 16.52% | $47,102 | $59,214 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.20% | $46,973 | $59,052 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $40,424 | $50,819 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-6
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-6 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-6 in 2022?
The base starting salary for GL-6 in 2022 is $40,424 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-6 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-6 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-6 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.