2023 GL-3 Pay Scale
The 2023 base salary range for GL-3 runs from $30,918 at Step 1 to $38,649 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 2023 GL-3 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-3.
$30,918 GL-3 Step 1 base salary
$38,649 GL-3 Step 10 base salary
Private Approximate military comparison
2023 GL-3 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-3 table for 2023. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $30,918 | $1,189.15 | $14.81 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,777 | $1,222.19 | $15.23 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,636 | $1,255.23 | $15.64 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,495 | $1,288.27 | $16.05 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,354 | $1,321.31 | $16.46 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,213 | $1,354.35 | $16.87 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,072 | $1,387.38 | $17.28 | - |
| Step 8 | $36,931 | $1,420.42 | $17.70 | - |
| Step 9 | $37,790 | $1,453.46 | $18.11 | - |
| Step 10 | $38,649 | $1,486.50 | $18.52 | - |
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 2023. 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 | 44.15% | $44,568 | $55,713 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $42,098 | $52,624 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $41,705 | $52,134 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $41,575 | $51,971 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $40,963 | $51,206 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $40,815 | $51,021 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $40,602 | $50,754 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $40,518 | $50,650 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $40,475 | $50,595 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $40,128 | $50,163 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $40,060 | $50,078 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $39,900 | $49,877 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $39,689 | $49,614 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $39,668 | $49,587 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $39,526 | $49,409 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $39,077 | $48,848 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $39,071 | $48,841 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $38,641 | $48,304 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $38,382 | $47,979 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $38,035 | $47,546 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $37,640 | $47,051 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $37,624 | $47,032 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $37,547 | $46,935 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $37,528 | $46,912 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $37,525 | $46,908 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $37,519 | $46,901 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $37,519 | $46,901 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $37,494 | $46,870 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $37,463 | $46,831 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $37,398 | $46,750 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $37,299 | $46,626 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $37,284 | $46,607 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $37,216 | $46,522 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $36,932 | $46,166 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $36,916 | $46,147 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $36,826 | $46,035 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $36,823 | $46,031 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $36,718 | $45,900 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $36,678 | $45,849 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $36,666 | $45,834 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $36,607 | $45,760 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $36,579 | $45,726 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $36,548 | $45,687 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $36,539 | $45,675 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $36,483 | $45,606 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $36,465 | $45,583 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $36,369 | $45,463 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $36,350 | $45,440 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $36,335 | $45,420 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $36,301 | $45,378 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $36,267 | $45,335 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $36,214 | $45,270 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $36,205 | $45,258 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $36,019 | $45,026 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $30,918 | $38,649 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-3
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2023
GL-3 $30,918
GL-4 $34,705
GL-5 $39,910
GL-6 $42,080
GL-7 $45,426
GL-8 $47,349
GL-9 $50,662
GL-10 $55,790
GL-3 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-3 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GL-3 in 2023 is $30,918 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.