OPM Pay Scale 2022 Tables – GS Pay Scale 2022 – In the case of government employment it is important to consider compensation as an factor to be considered. But, while government compensation may not be equivalent to what some private sector employers could offer, a lot of government positions offer competitive salary with the potential of fast advancement, in addition to benefits.
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Pay scales set by the federal government decide the amount federal employees are paid. Although more than 70% of all federal employees are paid on the most popular pay scale, the General Schedule (GS), there are also a variety of other pay schedules.
What is the GS Pay Scale?
Professional, technical, administrative, and clerical jobs have the most pay as part of the General Schedule (GS), which is the most common pay scale for federal workers. The system is divided into 15 levels. It starts with GS-1 the lowest grade and moving up to GS-15 the highest grade. For each class, there is a total of ten steps. The salary level for an occupation depends on the grade level attributable to the position.
Grade Levels
- GS-3 or GS-4: These post are often internships, or student posts.
- GS-5 to GS-7: These posts are usually in the vast majority of entry level jobs.
- GS-8 to GS-12: These positions are often in the mid-management level
- GS-13 to GS-15: These jobs are typically supervisory posts at the highest level.
- Above the GS-15 are considered to be individuals belonging to the Senior Executive Service.
The agencies are free to post advertisements and fill positions at the grade they feel is needed. Even if you have never worked for the government before, you can leverage your previous job as well as your education background, to be eligible to be a better student. When you make progress through the steps and grades after being employed, you will earn a rise. Employees in the federal government often advance one step every year.
There are many occupations that are referred to be ‘career ladder’ roles. In this way, the employee is eligible for advancement to a better grade without having to apply for new jobs. For example, a GS-5/7/9 career ladder allows a recent graduate to move from a GS-5 to a GS-7 , and finally a GS-9 without changing employment within as little as three years from the time of graduation! Go through the summary portion of an employment announcement for more information about the advancement and grade possibilities of a specific position before applying.
Pay and Cost of Living Allowance
Under the GS system the salary is broken down into two parts: the base pay and the local pay adjustment. In the General Schedule base pay is altered to reflect variations in the cost of living in various geographical areas. This means that a bioscientist at the entry level working for a GS-7 wage at San Francisco earns more money than a biochemist at entry-level making a living in Atlanta since the cost of living in San Francisco is greater than that of Atlanta.
Furthermore, wages outside those in continental United States are typically 10 to 25 percent more than the ones in the United States. This is due to the fact that the government also provides certain employees with a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA). People who reside and work within Alaska, Hawaii, or the United States territories will get a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to help reduce the price of living in these regions.
Special Rates
The General Schedule (GS) Pay Scale is utilized in the vast majority of federal agencies; however, more than 40 agencies or agency subcomponents have their own pay scales.
In within the GS system, many agencies use unique pricing. To attract and keep the best talent for jobs that are difficult to fill such as those in the scientific, technological medical, and scientific sectors the federal government has higher base pay rates as well as special rates for selected employment. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are just a few examples of companies that offer discounted prices (IRS).
Federal Pay Scale 2021 – GS Pay Scale 2021
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
| GS-1 | $19,738 | $20,400 | $21,056 | $21,709 | $22,365 | $22,749 | $23,398 | $24,052 | $24,078 | $24,690 |
| GS-2 | $22,194 | $22,722 | $23,457 | $24,078 | $24,349 | $25,065 | $25,781 | $26,497 | $27,213 | $27,929 |
| GS-3 | $24,216 | $25,023 | $25,830 | $26,637 | $27,444 | $28,251 | $29,058 | $29,865 | $30,672 | $31,479 |
| GS-4 | $27,184 | $28,090 | $28,996 | $29,902 | $30,808 | $31,714 | $32,620 | $33,526 | $34,432 | $35,338 |
| GS-5 | $30,414 | $31,428 | $32,442 | $33,456 | $34,470 | $35,484 | $36,498 | $37,512 | $38,526 | $39,540 |
| GS-6 | $33,903 | $35,033 | $36,163 | $37,293 | $38,423 | $39,553 | $40,683 | $41,813 | $42,943 | $44,073 |
| GS-7 | $37,674 | $38,930 | $40,186 | $41,442 | $42,698 | $43,954 | $45,210 | $46,466 | $47,722 | $48,978 |
| GS-8 | $41,723 | $43,114 | $44,505 | $45,896 | $47,287 | $48,678 | $50,069 | $51,460 | $52,851 | $54,242 |
| GS-9 | $46,083 | $47,619 | $49,155 | $50,691 | $52,227 | $53,763 | $55,299 | $56,835 | $58,371 | $59,907 |
| GS-10 | $50,748 | $52,440 | $54,132 | $55,824 | $57,516 | $59,208 | $60,900 | $62,592 | $64,284 | $65,976 |
| GS-11 | $55,756 | $57,615 | $59,474 | $61,333 | $63,192 | $65,051 | $66,910 | $68,769 | $70,628 | $72,487 |
| GS-12 | $66,829 | $69,057 | $71,285 | $73,513 | $75,741 | $77,969 | $80,197 | $82,425 | $84,653 | $86,881 |
| GS-13 | $79,468 | $82,117 | $84,766 | $87,415 | $90,064 | $92,713 | $95,362 | $98,011 | $100,660 | $103,309 |
| GS-14 | $93,907 | $97,037 | $100,167 | $103,297 | $106,427 | $109,557 | $112,687 | $115,817 | $118,947 | $122,077 |
| GS-15 | $110,460 | $114,142 | $117,824 | $121,506 | $125,188 | $128,870 | $132,552 | $136,234 | $139,916 | $143,598 |
Federal Pay Scale 2022 – GS Pay Scale 2022
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
| GS-1 | $20,251 | $20,930 | $21,603 | $22,273 | $22,946 | $23,340 | $24,006 | $24,677 | $24,704 | $25,332 |
| GS-2 | $22,771 | $23,313 | $24,067 | $24,704 | $24,982 | $25,717 | $26,451 | $27,186 | $27,921 | $28,655 |
| GS-3 | $24,846 | $25,674 | $26,502 | $27,330 | $28,158 | $28,986 | $29,814 | $30,641 | $31,469 | $32,297 |
| GS-4 | $27,891 | $28,820 | $29,750 | $30,679 | $31,609 | $32,539 | $33,468 | $34,398 | $35,327 | $36,257 |
| GS-5 | $31,205 | $32,245 | $33,285 | $34,326 | $35,366 | $36,407 | $37,447 | $38,487 | $39,528 | $40,568 |
| GS-6 | $34,784 | $35,944 | $37,103 | $38,263 | $39,422 | $40,581 | $41,741 | $42,900 | $44,060 | $45,219 |
| GS-7 | $38,654 | $39,942 | $41,231 | $42,519 | $43,808 | $45,097 | $46,385 | $47,674 | $48,963 | $50,251 |
| GS-8 | $42,808 | $44,235 | $45,662 | $47,089 | $48,516 | $49,944 | $51,371 | $52,798 | $54,225 | $55,652 |
| GS-9 | $47,281 | $48,857 | $50,433 | $52,009 | $53,585 | $55,161 | $56,737 | $58,313 | $59,889 | $61,465 |
| GS-10 | $52,067 | $53,803 | $55,539 | $57,275 | $59,011 | $60,747 | $62,483 | $64,219 | $65,955 | $67,691 |
| GS-11 | $57,206 | $59,113 | $61,020 | $62,928 | $64,835 | $66,742 | $68,650 | $70,557 | $72,464 | $74,372 |
| GS-12 | $68,567 | $70,852 | $73,138 | $75,424 | $77,710 | $79,996 | $82,282 | $84,568 | $86,854 | $89,140 |
| GS-13 | $81,534 | $84,252 | $86,970 | $89,688 | $92,406 | $95,124 | $97,841 | $100,559 | $103,277 | $105,995 |
| GS-14 | $96,349 | $99,560 | $102,771 | $105,983 | $109,194 | $112,405 | $115,617 | $118,828 | $122,040 | $125,251 |
| GS-15 | $113,332 | $117,110 | $120,887 | $124,665 | $128,443 | $132,221 | $135,998 | $139,776 | $143,554 | $147,332 |