2025 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2025 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $53,945 at Step 1 to $69,605 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 2025 GL-9 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-9.
$53,945 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$69,605 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2025 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 table for 2025. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $53,945 | $2,074.81 | $25.85 | - |
| Step 2 | $55,685 | $2,141.73 | $26.68 | - |
| Step 3 | $57,425 | $2,208.65 | $27.52 | - |
| Step 4 | $59,165 | $2,275.58 | $28.35 | - |
| Step 5 | $60,905 | $2,342.50 | $29.18 | - |
| Step 6 | $62,645 | $2,409.42 | $30.02 | - |
| Step 7 | $64,385 | $2,476.35 | $30.85 | - |
| Step 8 | $66,125 | $2,543.27 | $31.68 | - |
| Step 9 | $67,865 | $2,610.19 | $32.52 | - |
| Step 10 | $69,605 | $2,677.12 | $33.35 | - |
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 2025. 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 | 46.34% | $78,943 | $101,860 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $74,417 | $96,020 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $73,619 | $94,990 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $72,826 | $93,967 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $72,254 | $93,229 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $72,135 | $93,076 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $71,520 | $92,282 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $71,402 | $92,129 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $71,251 | $91,934 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $70,975 | $91,579 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $70,592 | $91,085 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $70,409 | $90,848 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $69,999 | $90,319 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $69,654 | $89,874 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $69,584 | $89,783 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $68,845 | $88,830 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $68,650 | $88,579 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $68,041 | $87,793 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $67,253 | $86,777 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $66,779 | $86,164 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $66,056 | $85,231 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $66,039 | $85,210 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $66,034 | $85,203 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $65,964 | $85,113 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $65,942 | $85,085 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $65,937 | $85,078 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $65,926 | $85,064 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $65,894 | $85,023 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $65,775 | $84,869 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $65,764 | $84,855 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $65,592 | $84,633 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $65,500 | $84,514 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $65,290 | $84,243 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $65,149 | $84,062 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $64,923 | $83,770 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $64,815 | $83,630 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $64,750 | $83,547 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $64,556 | $83,296 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $64,502 | $83,227 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $64,437 | $83,143 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $64,427 | $83,129 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $64,346 | $83,025 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $64,178 | $82,809 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $64,157 | $82,781 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $64,087 | $82,691 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $64,076 | $82,677 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $63,833 | $82,364 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $63,785 | $82,301 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $63,779 | $82,294 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $63,736 | $82,238 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $63,660 | $82,141 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $63,617 | $82,085 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $63,590 | $82,050 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $63,477 | $81,904 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $63,466 | $81,890 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $63,456 | $81,876 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $63,396 | $81,800 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $63,148 | $81,480 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $53,945 | $69,605 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2025
GL-3 $32,918
GL-4 $36,957
GL-5 $42,490
GL-6 $44,807
GL-7 $48,371
GL-8 $50,417
GL-9 $53,945
GL-10 $59,405
GL-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2025?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2025 is $53,945 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.