2026 GL-7 Pay Scale
The 2026 base salary range for GL-7 runs from $48,854 at Step 1 to $61,787 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-7 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
$48,854 GL-7 Step 1 base salary
$61,787 GL-7 Step 10 base salary
Staff Sergeant Approximate military comparison
2026 GL-7 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-7 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 | $48,854 | $1,879.00 | $23.41 | - |
| Step 2 | $50,291 | $1,934.27 | $24.10 | - |
| Step 3 | $51,728 | $1,989.54 | $24.79 | - |
| Step 4 | $53,165 | $2,044.81 | $25.47 | - |
| Step 5 | $54,602 | $2,100.08 | $26.16 | - |
| Step 6 | $56,039 | $2,155.35 | $26.85 | - |
| Step 7 | $57,476 | $2,210.62 | $27.54 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,913 | $2,265.88 | $28.23 | - |
| Step 9 | $60,350 | $2,321.15 | $28.92 | - |
| Step 10 | $61,787 | $2,376.42 | $29.61 | - |
What kind of role is GL-7?
Typical role. Advanced journeyman roles, senior investigators and officers with broader case work or field duties.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-6 level.
Career progression. Promotion to GL-8 or GL-9 generally requires competitive selection and a higher-grade vacancy.
Step progression for GL-7
GL-7 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-7 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-7 Step 1 | GL-7 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $71,493 | $90,419 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $67,394 | $85,235 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $66,671 | $84,321 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $65,953 | $83,412 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $65,435 | $82,758 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $65,328 | $82,622 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $64,771 | $81,917 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $64,663 | $81,781 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $64,526 | $81,608 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $64,277 | $81,293 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $63,930 | $80,854 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $63,764 | $80,644 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $63,393 | $80,175 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $63,080 | $79,779 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $63,017 | $79,699 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $62,347 | $78,853 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $62,172 | $78,630 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $61,620 | $77,932 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $60,906 | $77,030 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $60,476 | $76,486 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $59,822 | $75,658 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $59,807 | $75,640 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $59,802 | $75,633 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $59,739 | $75,553 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $59,719 | $75,528 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $59,714 | $75,522 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $59,704 | $75,510 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $59,675 | $75,473 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $59,568 | $75,337 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $59,558 | $75,325 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $59,402 | $75,127 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $59,319 | $75,022 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $59,128 | $74,781 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $59,001 | $74,620 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $58,796 | $74,361 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $58,698 | $74,237 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $58,639 | $74,163 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $58,464 | $73,941 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $58,415 | $73,879 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $58,356 | $73,805 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $58,346 | $73,792 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $58,273 | $73,700 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $58,122 | $73,508 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $58,102 | $73,483 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $58,039 | $73,403 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $58,029 | $73,391 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $57,809 | $73,113 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $57,765 | $73,057 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $57,760 | $73,051 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $57,721 | $73,001 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $57,653 | $72,915 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $57,614 | $72,865 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $57,589 | $72,835 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $57,487 | $72,705 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $57,477 | $72,692 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $57,467 | $72,680 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $57,413 | $72,612 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $57,188 | $72,328 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $48,854 | $61,787 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-7
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-7 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-7 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GL-7 in 2026 is $48,854 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-7 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-7 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-7 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.