2023 GL-5 Pay Scale
The 2023 base salary range for GL-5 runs from $39,910 at Step 1 to $49,621 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-5 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2023 GL-5 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-5.
$39,910 GL-5 Step 1 base salary
$49,621 GL-5 Step 10 base salary
Specialist Approximate military comparison
2023 GL-5 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-5 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 | $39,910 | $1,535.00 | $19.12 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,989 | $1,576.50 | $19.64 | - |
| Step 3 | $42,068 | $1,618.00 | $20.16 | - |
| Step 4 | $43,147 | $1,659.50 | $20.67 | - |
| Step 5 | $44,226 | $1,701.00 | $21.19 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,305 | $1,742.50 | $21.71 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,384 | $1,784.00 | $22.23 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,463 | $1,825.50 | $22.74 | - |
| Step 9 | $48,542 | $1,867.00 | $23.26 | - |
| Step 10 | $49,621 | $1,908.50 | $23.78 | - |
What kind of role is GL-5?
Typical role. Qualified law enforcement officers, investigators and agents handling assigned duties with limited supervision.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-4 level.
Career progression. Career ladders often move to GL-7 after one year of creditable experience.
Step progression for GL-5
GL-5 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-5 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-5 Step 1 | GL-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 44.15% | $57,530 | $71,529 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $54,341 | $67,564 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $53,835 | $66,934 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $53,667 | $66,725 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $52,877 | $65,743 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $52,685 | $65,505 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $52,410 | $65,162 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $52,302 | $65,028 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $52,246 | $64,959 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $51,799 | $64,403 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $51,711 | $64,294 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $51,504 | $64,036 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $51,232 | $63,698 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $51,205 | $63,664 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $51,021 | $63,435 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $50,442 | $62,716 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $50,434 | $62,706 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $49,880 | $62,016 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $49,544 | $61,600 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $49,097 | $61,044 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $48,586 | $60,409 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $48,566 | $60,384 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $48,467 | $60,260 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $48,443 | $60,230 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $48,439 | $60,225 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $48,431 | $60,215 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $48,431 | $60,215 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $48,399 | $60,175 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $48,359 | $60,126 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $48,275 | $60,022 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $48,147 | $59,863 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $48,127 | $59,838 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $48,040 | $59,729 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $47,672 | $59,272 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $47,653 | $59,247 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $47,537 | $59,104 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $47,533 | $59,099 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $47,397 | $58,930 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $47,345 | $58,865 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $47,329 | $58,846 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $47,253 | $58,751 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $47,218 | $58,707 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $47,178 | $58,657 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $47,166 | $58,642 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $47,094 | $58,553 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $47,070 | $58,523 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $46,946 | $58,369 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $46,922 | $58,339 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $46,902 | $58,315 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $46,858 | $58,260 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $46,814 | $58,205 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $46,747 | $58,121 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $46,735 | $58,106 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $46,495 | $57,808 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $39,910 | $49,621 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-5
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-5 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-5 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GL-5 in 2023 is $39,910 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-5 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-5 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-5 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.