Government salaries may not always rise to the level that some companies offer, but many federal positions DO offer a competitive salary, good benefits and the potential for rapid promotion. Then there are the X factors: the chance to make a difference in the world, and the pride you get from serving your country.
Now, the facts: Pay is based on government-regulated pay scales, and more than 70% of federal employees are paid according to the General Schedule (GS). Positions beyond GS-15 are part of the Senior Executive Service. Members of the SES lead the federal workforce and serve in the key positions just below the top presidential appointees.
The General Schedule
The General Schedule is the predominant federal pay scale, particularly for employees in professional, technical, administrative or clerical positions. The system has 15 grades, starting at GS-1 and going up to GS-15. And there are 10 steps within each grade.
Grade Levels
- GS-3 or GS-4: typically internships, student jobs or lower level administrative work.
- GS-5 to GS-7: mostly entry-level and administrative positions.
- GS-8 to GS-12: mostly mid-level technical and first level supervisory positions.
- GS-13 to GS-15: Top-level technical and supervisory positions.
As a federal employee, you are eligible for increases in pay based on your time in service and you may qualify for promotions. In positions designated as “career ladder,” you would be eligible for more rapid promotion. For example, a GS-5/7/9 career ladder enables a recent graduate to move from a GS-5 to a GS-7 to a GS-9 in as little as three years.
You can find the grade and promotion potential of a position in the overview section of a job announcement on USAJOBS.
Pay and Cost of Living Allowance
Salaries under the GS system have two parts: base pay and a locality pay adjustment. The GS base pay is adjusted to accommodate the cost of living in more expensive geographical locations. So, if you were a GS-7 biologist in San Francisco you would make more money than a GS-7 biologist in Atlanta, because the cost of living is higher in Atlanta.
You may receive additional pay called a locality pay adjustment, depending on where you work in the United States. In some areas, such as Alaska, Hawaii and California, locality pay can be 10-25% higher than in other locations.
Special Rates
The government pays a higher base rate for some jobs, so agencies can recruit and retain top talent. Often, the base pay is higher for positions that are harder to fill, particularly in the scientific, technical and medical fields. Agencies with special rates include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Internal Revenue Service.
Alternative Pay Schedules
More than 40 agencies or agency subcomponents use different pay schedules from the GS schedule.
- The Federal Wage System is the pay plan for people who are usually paid by the hour. It ensures that wages align with those of similar private sector jobs. Jobs that pay hourly include work such as carpentry or printing plant worker.
- Foreign service officers work for the departments of State, Commerce or Agriculture. They are federal employees who live in another country for a few years at a time before moving on to another assignment elsewhere, and they represent the government’s interests overseas. They’re paid under the Foreign Service pay plan, which has nine pay grades—from FS-09, the lowest level, to FS-01, the highest level. Each grade has 14 steps.
- Salary in the Senior Executive Service is based on performance. Basic pay ranges from $120,000 to $165,000 and locality pay is not available.
Some agencies have their own pay plans, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. And some agencies use “bands”—or salary ranges—instead of pay grades. Rather than 15 grades, those agencies have a smaller number of pay bands with broader salary ranges.
FAQs
The General Schedule is the predominant federal pay scale, particularly for employees in professional, technical, administrative or clerical positions. The system has 15 grades, starting at GS-1 and going up to GS-15.
What is a General Schedule position? ›
The General Schedule (GS) classification and pay system covers the majority of civilian white-collar Federal employees (about 1.5 million worldwide) in professional, technical, administrative, and clerical positions.
What is the difference between wage grade and General Schedule? ›
The General Schedule is applied to salaried employees in professional, technical, administrative, and clerical positions. Meanwhile, the Wage Grade applies to hourly workers in trade, craft, or manual labor positions.
What does the General Schedule refer to? ›
The General Schedule (GS) is a worldwide pay system that covers more than 1.5 million employees. The GS pay schedule has 15 grades and 10 steps in each grade covering more than 400 occupations. Pay varies by geographic location.
What General Schedule grade has the highest pay range? ›
GS-15 is the highest pay grade in the General Schedule. It is generally for top-level positions, including supervisors, high-level technical specialists, and professionals with advanced degrees. After reaching GS-15, the pay can only increase through the following ways: Step increases.
What are General Schedule steps? ›
Each GS grade level contains a series of 10 steps. New employees are usually hired at Step 1 of a GS grade. However, in special circ*mstances, agencies may authorize a higher step rate for a newly-appointed federal employee based on a special need of the agency or superior qualifications of the prospective employee.
What are the General Schedule ranks? ›
The GS-1 through GS-7 range generally marks entry-level positions, while mid-level positions are in the GS-8 to GS-12 range and top-level positions (senior managers, high-level technical specialists, or physicians) are in the GS-13 to GS-15 range.
Is GS-13 a high position? ›
GS-3 or GS-4: typically internships, student jobs or lower level administrative work. GS-5 to GS-7: mostly entry-level and administrative positions. GS-8 to GS-12: mostly mid-level technical and first level supervisory positions. GS-13 to GS-15: Top-level technical and supervisory positions.
What happens if you take a lower GS position? ›
For example, if an employee in a General Schedule (GS) position is placed in a lower-graded Federal Wage System position as a result of a reduction in force and retains the grade of the GS position, the agency must treat the employee as a GS employee for almost all purposes.
What is the 2 step rule for GS promotion? ›
The two-step promotion rule states that a GS employee promoted to a position in a higher grade is entitled to basic pay at the lowest rate of the higher grade that exceeds his or her existing rate of basic pay by not less than two step increases of the grade from which promoted.
GS-13 is typically a team lead position with around 10 people directly below them. Starting salary for a GS-13 employee is $88,520.00 per year at Step 1, with a maximum possible base pay of $115,079.00 per year at Step 10. The hourly base pay of a Step 1 GS-13 employee is $42.41 per hour1.
What is a set schedule for work? ›
A standard business schedule is one where employees work set days (usually Monday through Friday) and set hours (usually 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). This is often referred to as a “9-to-5 work schedule.”
What is a Schedule B federal employee? ›
Schedule B appointments are a special type of hiring authority that allows an agency to hire individuals without using ordinarily applicable competitive hiring procedures.
Can you be a GS-13 without a degree? ›
In order to qualify for positions at grades GS-13 and above, you must possess a bachelor's degree AND at least 24 semester hours of coursework in certain business-related fields. The 24 hours may be included in, or in addition to, coursework taken to complete the degree program.
Can I negotiate my GS step? ›
Under the government pay system, it can be difficult to negotiate a higher GS level—as the pay grades are called under the government's General Schedule—than the one listed in the job description. But each grade has 10 steps that come with a higher salary and career advancement, and those step levels are more flexible.
What are the benefits of being a GS employee? ›
Federal Health, Retirement and Other Benefits
- Health Insurance. ...
- Flexible Spending Accounts. ...
- Basic Benefit Plan. ...
- Thrift Savings Plan. ...
- Social Security. ...
- Life Insurance. ...
- Employee Assistance Programs. ...
- Child and Dependent Care.
GS and military rank
For enlisted service members, rank E-1 through E-4 is equivalent to GS-1 through GS-4. Moving up in rank, a GS-5 position would equate to E-5 or E-6, depending on the position. GS-6 then compares to E-7, GS-7 aligns to E-8, and GS-8 corresponds to E-9.
What is a schedule a position? ›
Schedule A is an excepted service hiring authority used to non-competitively hire an individual with: intellectual disabilities. severe physical disabilities; or. psychiatric disabilities.
How do I determine my GS level? ›
A General Schedule (GS) pay scale is one of many pay systems in the Federal Government.
- GS 2 = High school graduation or equivalent.
- GS 3 = One academic year above high school.
- GS 4 = Two or three academic years above high school OR an Associate's degree.
