2026 GL-5 Pay Scale
The 2026 base salary range for GL-5 runs from $42,919 at Step 1 to $53,359 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.
$42,919 GL-5 Step 1 base salary
$53,359 GL-5 Step 10 base salary
Specialist Approximate military comparison
2026 GL-5 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-5 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 | $42,919 | $1,650.73 | $20.56 | - |
| Step 2 | $44,079 | $1,695.35 | $21.12 | - |
| Step 3 | $45,239 | $1,739.96 | $21.68 | - |
| Step 4 | $46,399 | $1,784.58 | $22.23 | - |
| Step 5 | $47,559 | $1,829.19 | $22.79 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,719 | $1,873.81 | $23.34 | - |
| Step 7 | $49,879 | $1,918.42 | $23.90 | - |
| Step 8 | $51,039 | $1,963.04 | $24.46 | - |
| Step 9 | $52,199 | $2,007.65 | $25.01 | - |
| Step 10 | $53,359 | $2,052.27 | $25.57 | - |
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 2026. 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 | 46.34% | $62,808 | $78,086 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $59,207 | $73,609 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $58,572 | $72,819 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $57,941 | $72,035 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $57,486 | $71,469 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $57,391 | $71,352 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $56,902 | $70,743 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $56,808 | $70,626 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $56,687 | $70,477 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $56,469 | $70,204 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $56,164 | $69,826 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $56,018 | $69,644 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $55,692 | $69,239 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $55,417 | $68,897 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $55,361 | $68,828 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $54,773 | $68,097 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $54,619 | $67,905 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $54,134 | $67,302 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $53,507 | $66,523 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $53,129 | $66,053 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $52,554 | $65,338 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $52,541 | $65,322 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $52,537 | $65,317 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $52,481 | $65,247 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $52,464 | $65,226 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $52,460 | $65,221 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $52,451 | $65,210 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $52,426 | $65,178 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $52,331 | $65,061 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $52,323 | $65,050 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $52,185 | $64,879 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $52,112 | $64,788 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $51,945 | $64,580 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $51,833 | $64,442 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $51,653 | $64,218 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $51,567 | $64,111 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $51,516 | $64,047 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $51,361 | $63,855 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $51,318 | $63,801 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $51,267 | $63,737 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $51,258 | $63,727 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $51,194 | $63,647 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $51,061 | $63,481 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $51,044 | $63,460 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $50,988 | $63,390 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $50,979 | $63,380 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $50,786 | $63,140 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $50,747 | $63,092 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $50,743 | $63,086 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $50,709 | $63,044 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $50,649 | $62,969 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $50,614 | $62,926 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $50,593 | $62,900 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $50,503 | $62,788 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $50,494 | $62,777 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $50,486 | $62,766 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $50,438 | $62,707 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $50,241 | $62,462 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $42,919 | $53,359 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-5
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-5 questions
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What is the starting salary for GL-5 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GL-5 in 2026 is $42,919 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.