2024 GL-5 Pay Scale
The 2024 base salary range for GL-5 runs from $41,781 at Step 1 to $51,942 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 2024 GL-5 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-5.
$41,781 GL-5 Step 1 base salary
$51,942 GL-5 Step 10 base salary
Specialist Approximate military comparison
2024 GL-5 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-5 table for 2024. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $41,781 | $1,606.96 | $20.02 | - |
| Step 2 | $42,910 | $1,650.38 | $20.56 | - |
| Step 3 | $44,039 | $1,693.81 | $21.10 | - |
| Step 4 | $45,168 | $1,737.23 | $21.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $46,297 | $1,780.65 | $22.18 | - |
| Step 6 | $47,426 | $1,824.08 | $22.72 | - |
| Step 7 | $48,555 | $1,867.50 | $23.27 | - |
| Step 8 | $49,684 | $1,910.92 | $23.81 | - |
| Step 9 | $50,813 | $1,954.35 | $24.35 | - |
| Step 10 | $51,942 | $1,997.77 | $24.89 | - |
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 2024. 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 | 45.41% | $60,754 | $75,529 |
| New York-Newark | 37.24% | $57,340 | $71,285 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 35.84% | $56,755 | $70,558 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.72% | $56,287 | $69,976 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.26% | $55,677 | $69,218 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.05% | $55,590 | $69,109 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.97% | $55,138 | $68,548 |
| State of Alaska | 31.96% | $55,134 | $68,543 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 31.62% | $54,992 | $68,366 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 30.81% | $54,654 | $67,945 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.41% | $54,487 | $67,738 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.88% | $54,265 | $67,462 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.16% | $53,964 | $67,088 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.82% | $53,822 | $66,912 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.55% | $53,709 | $66,771 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.15% | $53,125 | $66,044 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.91% | $53,024 | $65,920 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 25.66% | $52,502 | $65,270 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.42% | $51,984 | $64,626 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.45% | $51,579 | $64,122 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.15% | $51,035 | $63,447 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.02% | $50,981 | $63,380 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.01% | $50,977 | $63,374 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.99% | $50,969 | $63,364 |
| Richmond | 21.91% | $50,935 | $63,322 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.90% | $50,931 | $63,317 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.80% | $50,889 | $63,265 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.79% | $50,885 | $63,260 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.69% | $50,843 | $63,208 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.48% | $50,756 | $63,099 |
| Laredo | 21.33% | $50,693 | $63,021 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.14% | $50,614 | $62,923 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.78% | $50,463 | $62,736 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.25% | $50,242 | $62,460 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.99% | $50,133 | $62,325 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.73% | $50,024 | $62,190 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.63% | $49,983 | $62,138 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.26% | $49,828 | $61,946 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.23% | $49,815 | $61,930 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.10% | $49,761 | $61,863 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.97% | $49,707 | $61,795 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.92% | $49,686 | $61,769 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.66% | $49,577 | $61,634 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.65% | $49,573 | $61,629 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.49% | $49,506 | $61,546 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.46% | $49,494 | $61,530 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.05% | $49,322 | $61,318 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.94% | $49,277 | $61,260 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.91% | $49,264 | $61,245 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.89% | $49,256 | $61,234 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.68% | $49,168 | $61,125 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.60% | $49,134 | $61,084 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.40% | $49,051 | $60,980 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.35% | $49,030 | $60,954 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.18% | $48,959 | $60,866 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.15% | $48,946 | $60,850 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.11% | $48,930 | $60,829 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.82% | $48,809 | $60,679 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $41,781 | $51,942 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-5
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2024
GL-3 $32,369
GL-4 $36,334
GL-5 $41,781
GL-6 $44,060
GL-7 $47,562
GL-8 $49,573
GL-9 $53,043
GL-10 $58,412
GL-5 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-5 in 2024?
The base starting salary for GL-5 in 2024 is $41,781 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.