2022 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2022 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $48,667 at Step 1 to $62,797 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 2022 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$48,667 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$62,797 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2022 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $48,667 | $1,871.81 | $23.32 | - |
| Step 2 | $50,237 | $1,932.19 | $24.07 | - |
| Step 3 | $51,807 | $1,992.58 | $24.82 | - |
| Step 4 | $53,377 | $2,052.96 | $25.58 | - |
| Step 5 | $54,947 | $2,113.35 | $26.33 | - |
| Step 6 | $56,517 | $2,173.73 | $27.08 | - |
| Step 7 | $58,087 | $2,234.12 | $27.83 | - |
| Step 8 | $59,657 | $2,294.50 | $28.59 | - |
| Step 9 | $61,227 | $2,354.88 | $29.34 | - |
| Step 10 | $62,797 | $2,415.27 | $30.09 | - |
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 2022. 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 | 42.74% | $69,467 | $89,636 |
| New York-Newark | 35.06% | $65,730 | $84,814 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.96% | $65,194 | $84,123 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 33.61% | $65,024 | $83,903 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 31.53% | $64,012 | $82,597 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 30.87% | $63,691 | $82,182 |
| State of Alaska | 30.42% | $63,472 | $81,900 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.20% | $63,364 | $81,762 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 30.09% | $63,311 | $81,693 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.18% | $62,868 | $81,121 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 28.28% | $62,430 | $80,556 |
| Denver-Aurora | 28.10% | $62,342 | $80,443 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.86% | $62,226 | $80,292 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 27.30% | $61,953 | $79,941 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.95% | $61,783 | $79,721 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 25.68% | $61,165 | $78,923 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 25.49% | $61,072 | $78,804 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.34% | $60,513 | $78,082 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.80% | $60,250 | $77,743 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.63% | $59,680 | $77,008 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.32% | $59,043 | $76,185 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.25% | $59,009 | $76,141 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.94% | $58,858 | $75,947 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.94% | $58,858 | $75,947 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.84% | $58,809 | $75,884 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.78% | $58,780 | $75,846 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.69% | $58,736 | $75,790 |
| Richmond | 20.64% | $58,712 | $75,758 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.45% | $58,619 | $75,639 |
| State of Hawaii | 20.40% | $58,595 | $75,608 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.93% | $58,366 | $75,312 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.90% | $58,352 | $75,294 |
| Laredo | 19.85% | $58,327 | $75,262 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.80% | $57,816 | $74,603 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 18.68% | $57,758 | $74,527 |
| Colorado Springs | 18.42% | $57,631 | $74,364 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 18.35% | $57,597 | $74,320 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.25% | $57,549 | $74,257 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.06% | $57,456 | $74,138 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.90% | $57,378 | $74,038 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.77% | $57,315 | $73,956 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.67% | $57,266 | $73,893 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 17.62% | $57,242 | $73,862 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.58% | $57,223 | $73,837 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 17.39% | $57,130 | $73,717 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.26% | $57,067 | $73,636 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.18% | $57,028 | $73,586 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.14% | $57,009 | $73,560 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.01% | $56,945 | $73,479 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.93% | $56,906 | $73,429 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.82% | $56,853 | $73,359 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.81% | $56,848 | $73,353 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 16.52% | $56,707 | $73,171 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.20% | $56,551 | $72,970 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $48,667 | $62,797 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
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What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2022?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2022 is $48,667 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.