2026 GL-3 Pay Scale
The 2026 base salary range for GL-3 runs from $33,252 at Step 1 to $41,568 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-3 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
$33,252 GL-3 Step 1 base salary
$41,568 GL-3 Step 10 base salary
Private Approximate military comparison
2026 GL-3 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-3 table for 2026. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $33,252 | $1,278.92 | $15.93 | - |
| Step 2 | $34,176 | $1,314.46 | $16.38 | - |
| Step 3 | $35,100 | $1,350.00 | $16.82 | - |
| Step 4 | $36,024 | $1,385.54 | $17.26 | - |
| Step 5 | $36,948 | $1,421.08 | $17.70 | - |
| Step 6 | $37,872 | $1,456.62 | $18.15 | - |
| Step 7 | $38,796 | $1,492.15 | $18.59 | - |
| Step 8 | $39,720 | $1,527.69 | $19.03 | - |
| Step 9 | $40,644 | $1,563.23 | $19.47 | - |
| Step 10 | $41,568 | $1,598.77 | $19.92 | - |
What kind of role is GL-3?
Typical role. Entry-level federal law enforcement roles with basic field duties. This is the starting grade for many criminal investigator and officer ladders.
Typical qualification path. Entry-level experience, academy training, or the minimum qualification standard for the job series.
Career progression. Progression usually moves to GL-4 after one year of satisfactory service.
Step progression for GL-3
GL-3 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-3 Step 1 and Step 10 across all published locality pay areas for 2026. Use it to see how much location changes federal law enforcement salary.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GL-3 Step 1 | GL-3 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $48,661 | $60,831 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $45,871 | $57,343 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $45,379 | $56,728 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $44,890 | $56,117 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $44,538 | $55,676 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $44,465 | $55,585 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $44,086 | $55,111 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $44,012 | $55,019 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $43,919 | $54,903 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $43,750 | $54,691 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $43,514 | $54,396 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $43,401 | $54,255 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $43,148 | $53,939 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $42,935 | $53,673 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $42,892 | $53,619 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $42,436 | $53,049 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $42,316 | $52,899 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $41,941 | $52,430 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $41,455 | $51,823 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $41,163 | $51,457 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $40,717 | $50,900 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $40,707 | $50,888 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $40,704 | $50,883 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $40,661 | $50,829 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $40,647 | $50,813 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $40,644 | $50,809 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $40,637 | $50,800 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $40,617 | $50,775 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $40,544 | $50,684 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $40,538 | $50,676 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $40,431 | $50,543 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $40,375 | $50,472 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $40,245 | $50,310 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $40,158 | $50,202 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $40,019 | $50,027 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $39,952 | $49,944 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $39,912 | $49,894 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $39,793 | $49,744 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $39,759 | $49,703 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $39,720 | $49,653 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $39,713 | $49,645 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $39,663 | $49,582 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $39,560 | $49,453 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $39,547 | $49,437 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $39,503 | $49,383 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $39,497 | $49,374 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $39,347 | $49,187 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $39,317 | $49,150 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $39,314 | $49,146 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $39,287 | $49,113 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $39,241 | $49,054 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $39,214 | $49,021 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $39,197 | $49,000 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $39,128 | $48,913 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $39,121 | $48,905 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $39,114 | $48,896 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $39,078 | $48,851 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $38,925 | $48,660 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $33,252 | $41,568 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-3
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2026
GL-3 $33,252
GL-4 $37,325
GL-5 $42,919
GL-6 $45,256
GL-7 $48,854
GL-8 $50,920
GL-9 $54,485
GL-10 $59,999
GL-3 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-3 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GL-3 in 2026 is $33,252 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-3 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-3 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-3 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.