2023 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2023 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $50,662 at Step 1 to $65,368 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 2023 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$50,662 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$65,368 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2023 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $50,662 | $1,948.54 | $24.28 | - |
| Step 2 | $52,296 | $2,011.38 | $25.06 | - |
| Step 3 | $53,930 | $2,074.23 | $25.84 | - |
| Step 4 | $55,564 | $2,137.08 | $26.62 | - |
| Step 5 | $57,198 | $2,199.92 | $27.41 | - |
| Step 6 | $58,832 | $2,262.77 | $28.19 | - |
| Step 7 | $60,466 | $2,325.62 | $28.97 | - |
| Step 8 | $62,100 | $2,388.46 | $29.76 | - |
| Step 9 | $63,734 | $2,451.31 | $30.54 | - |
| Step 10 | $65,368 | $2,514.15 | $31.32 | - |
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 2023. 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 | 44.15% | $73,029 | $94,228 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $68,981 | $89,005 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $68,338 | $88,175 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $68,125 | $87,900 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $67,122 | $86,606 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $66,879 | $86,292 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $66,529 | $85,841 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $66,393 | $85,665 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $66,322 | $85,573 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $65,754 | $84,841 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $65,643 | $84,697 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $65,379 | $84,357 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $65,035 | $83,913 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $64,999 | $83,867 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $64,766 | $83,566 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $64,032 | $82,619 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $64,022 | $82,606 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $63,317 | $81,697 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $62,892 | $81,148 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $62,324 | $80,416 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $61,676 | $79,579 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $61,651 | $79,546 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $61,524 | $79,383 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $61,494 | $79,344 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $61,488 | $79,337 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $61,478 | $79,324 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $61,478 | $79,324 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $61,438 | $79,272 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $61,387 | $79,206 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $61,281 | $79,069 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $61,119 | $78,860 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $61,093 | $78,827 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $60,982 | $78,683 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $60,516 | $78,082 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $60,490 | $78,049 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $60,344 | $77,860 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $60,338 | $77,853 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $60,166 | $77,631 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $60,100 | $77,546 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $60,080 | $77,520 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $59,984 | $77,396 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $59,938 | $77,337 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $59,888 | $77,272 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $59,872 | $77,252 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $59,781 | $77,134 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $59,751 | $77,095 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $59,594 | $76,892 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $59,563 | $76,853 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $59,538 | $76,820 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $59,482 | $76,749 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $59,427 | $76,677 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $59,340 | $76,566 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $59,325 | $76,546 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $59,021 | $76,154 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $50,662 | $65,368 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2023 is $50,662 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.