2023 GL-6 Pay Scale
The 2023 base salary range for GL-6 runs from $42,080 at Step 1 to $52,898 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 2023 GL-6 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-6.
$42,080 GL-6 Step 1 base salary
$52,898 GL-6 Step 10 base salary
Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2023 GL-6 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-6 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 | $42,080 | $1,618.46 | $20.16 | - |
| Step 2 | $43,282 | $1,664.69 | $20.74 | - |
| Step 3 | $44,484 | $1,710.92 | $21.31 | - |
| Step 4 | $45,686 | $1,757.15 | $21.89 | - |
| Step 5 | $46,888 | $1,803.38 | $22.47 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,090 | $1,849.62 | $23.04 | - |
| Step 7 | $49,292 | $1,895.85 | $23.62 | - |
| Step 8 | $50,494 | $1,942.08 | $24.19 | - |
| Step 9 | $51,696 | $1,988.31 | $24.77 | - |
| Step 10 | $52,898 | $2,034.54 | $25.35 | - |
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 2023. 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 | 44.15% | $60,658 | $76,252 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $57,296 | $72,026 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $56,762 | $71,354 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $56,585 | $71,132 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $55,752 | $70,085 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $55,550 | $69,831 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $55,259 | $69,466 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $55,146 | $69,323 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $55,087 | $69,249 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $54,616 | $68,656 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $54,523 | $68,540 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $54,304 | $68,265 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $54,018 | $67,905 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $53,989 | $67,868 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $53,795 | $67,625 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $53,185 | $66,858 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $53,176 | $66,847 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $52,592 | $66,112 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $52,238 | $65,668 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $51,767 | $65,075 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $51,228 | $64,398 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $51,207 | $64,372 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $51,102 | $64,239 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $51,077 | $64,208 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $51,072 | $64,202 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $51,064 | $64,192 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $51,064 | $64,192 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $51,030 | $64,149 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $50,988 | $64,097 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $50,900 | $63,985 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $50,765 | $63,816 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $50,744 | $63,790 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $50,652 | $63,673 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $50,265 | $63,187 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $50,244 | $63,160 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $50,121 | $63,007 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $50,117 | $63,002 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $49,974 | $62,822 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $49,920 | $62,753 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $49,903 | $62,732 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $49,823 | $62,631 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $49,785 | $62,584 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $49,743 | $62,531 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $49,730 | $62,515 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $49,654 | $62,420 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $49,629 | $62,388 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $49,499 | $62,224 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $49,473 | $62,192 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $49,452 | $62,166 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $49,406 | $62,108 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $49,360 | $62,049 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $49,288 | $61,959 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $49,276 | $61,944 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $49,023 | $61,626 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $42,080 | $52,898 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-6
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-6 questions
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What is the starting salary for GL-6 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GL-6 in 2023 is $42,080 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.