GS Pay Scale Calculator
Understanding your salary as a federal employee under the General Schedule (GS) system can be complex. The GS pay system uses grades (GS-1 to GS-15), steps within each grade, locality pay adjustments, and years of service to determine your exact pay.
Our GS Pay Scale Calculator helps you quickly compute your base salary, locality pay, total annual pay, monthly paycheck, biweekly pay, and hourly wage by simply entering your grade, step, locality percentage, and years of service.
How to Use the GS Pay Scale Calculator
- Select Your GS Grade:
Choose the grade level of your federal job from GS-1 through GS-15. - Select Your Step Level:
Choose the step within your grade (Step 1 through Step 10), representing pay increments based on time and performance. - Enter Locality Pay Rate (%):
Provide the percentage of locality pay adjustment applicable to your work location. This reflects cost-of-living differences. - Enter Years of Service:
Input your total years of federal service. (Currently used for informational purposes; pay tables may vary based on service). - Calculate Your Salary:
Click the "Calculate" button to view your:- Base annual salary (without locality)
- Locality pay amount
- Total annual salary (base + locality)
- Monthly salary
- Bi-weekly salary
- Hourly rate (based on 2087 work hours per year)
- Reset:
Use the reset button to clear inputs and start fresh.
Example Calculation
If you are a GS-9 employee at Step 5 working in an area with a 16.5% locality pay adjustment, your pay breakdown might look like this:
- Base Annual Salary (GS-9, Step 5): $58,073
- Locality Pay (16.5%): $58,073 × 0.165 = $9,581
- Total Annual Salary: $58,073 + $9,581 = $67,654
- Monthly Salary: $67,654 ÷ 12 ≈ $5,638
- Biweekly Salary: $67,654 ÷ 26 ≈ $2,602
- Hourly Rate: $67,654 ÷ 2087 ≈ $32.41
This detailed breakdown helps you understand how your federal pay is structured.
Benefits of Using the GS Pay Scale Calculator
- Simplifies complex federal pay calculations.
- Includes locality pay adjustments tailored to your area.
- Breaks down pay into annual, monthly, biweekly, and hourly amounts.
- Helps federal employees plan finances and understand salary changes.
- Ideal for job seekers to evaluate federal salary offers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the GS Pay Scale?
It’s the federal government’s pay scale for white-collar jobs, ranging from GS-1 to GS-15 with 10 steps each.
2. How does locality pay affect my salary?
Locality pay adjusts your salary based on the cost of living in your geographical area.
3. Can I change the locality pay percentage?
Yes, enter the specific locality pay rate for your region.
4. How are GS steps determined?
Steps are based on performance and years in grade, providing incremental pay increases.
5. What does the "Years of Service" field affect?
While this calculator currently does not directly adjust pay based on years of service, it’s important for federal HR and eligibility for step increases or bonuses.
6. How often does the GS pay scale change?
Typically, GS pay rates are adjusted annually by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
7. What if my GS grade or step is not listed?
The GS system officially includes grades 1 through 15 and steps 1 through 10 only.
8. Is the hourly rate accurate?
The hourly rate is calculated based on 2087 work hours annually, the standard for federal employees.
9. Can this calculator be used for jobs outside the U.S.?
Yes, but you should input the appropriate locality pay rate for your overseas location.
10. Does this calculator include bonuses or overtime?
No, it only calculates base salary and locality pay.
11. How do I find my locality pay percentage?
Check the OPM website or your HR department for accurate locality rates.
12. Can I print or save my salary results?
You can copy the results or take screenshots for your records.
13. Does the calculator account for retirement deductions?
No, this calculator focuses on gross salary before deductions.
14. How can I improve my step level?
Steps typically increase with satisfactory performance and time-in-grade requirements.
15. Can I calculate multiple pay scenarios?
Yes, just reset the form and enter new values to see different salary scenarios.
Conclusion
The GS Pay Scale Calculator is a powerful tool designed to simplify the complexities of federal pay. By entering your GS grade, step, locality pay rate, and years of service, you gain instant insights into your compensation, helping you plan your finances confidently.
Try it today to get an accurate estimate of your federal pay—monthly, biweekly, and hourly—tailored to your career and location!