2026 GL-9 Pay Scale
The 2026 base salary range for GL-9 runs from $54,485 at Step 1 to $70,307 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.
$54,485 GL-9 Step 1 base salary
$70,307 GL-9 Step 10 base salary
Captain Approximate military comparison
2026 GL-9 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-9 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 | $54,485 | $2,095.58 | $26.11 | - |
| Step 2 | $56,243 | $2,163.19 | $26.95 | - |
| Step 3 | $58,001 | $2,230.81 | $27.79 | - |
| Step 4 | $59,759 | $2,298.42 | $28.63 | - |
| Step 5 | $61,517 | $2,366.04 | $29.48 | - |
| Step 6 | $63,275 | $2,433.65 | $30.32 | - |
| Step 7 | $65,033 | $2,501.27 | $31.16 | - |
| Step 8 | $66,791 | $2,568.88 | $32.00 | - |
| Step 9 | $68,549 | $2,636.50 | $32.85 | - |
| Step 10 | $70,307 | $2,704.12 | $33.69 | - |
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 2026. 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% | $79,733 | $102,887 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $75,162 | $96,989 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $74,356 | $95,948 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $73,555 | $94,914 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $72,977 | $94,169 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $72,857 | $94,015 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $72,236 | $93,213 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $72,116 | $93,058 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $71,964 | $92,861 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $71,686 | $92,503 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $71,299 | $92,004 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $71,114 | $91,765 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $70,700 | $91,230 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $70,351 | $90,780 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $70,280 | $90,689 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $69,534 | $89,726 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $69,338 | $89,473 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $68,722 | $88,678 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $67,926 | $87,652 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $67,447 | $87,033 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $66,717 | $86,091 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $66,701 | $86,070 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $66,695 | $86,063 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $66,624 | $85,971 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $66,602 | $85,943 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $66,597 | $85,936 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $66,586 | $85,922 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $66,553 | $85,880 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $66,434 | $85,725 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $66,423 | $85,711 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $66,248 | $85,486 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $66,156 | $85,367 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $65,943 | $85,093 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $65,802 | $84,910 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $65,573 | $84,614 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $65,464 | $84,474 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $65,398 | $84,389 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $65,202 | $84,136 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $65,148 | $84,066 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $65,082 | $83,982 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $65,071 | $83,968 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $64,990 | $83,862 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $64,821 | $83,644 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $64,799 | $83,616 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $64,728 | $83,525 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $64,717 | $83,511 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $64,472 | $83,194 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $64,423 | $83,131 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $64,418 | $83,124 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $64,374 | $83,068 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $64,298 | $82,969 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $64,254 | $82,913 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $64,227 | $82,878 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $64,112 | $82,730 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $64,102 | $82,716 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $64,091 | $82,702 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $64,031 | $82,625 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $63,780 | $82,301 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $54,485 | $70,307 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-9
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-9 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-9 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GL-9 in 2026 is $54,485 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.