HISTORICAL GS PAY SCALE
2012 GS Pay Scale
The 2012 General Schedule pay scale provides the official base salary rates for GS-1 through GS-15 and Steps 1 through 10. OPM states that 2012 GS rates were frozen at 2010 levels, so there was no new across-the-board increase to the base schedule. The table below shows the official nationwide base rates effective January 2012 before applicable locality pay.
2012 GS Pay Scale
The 2012 General Schedule (GS) pay scale is the nationwide base salary schedule for federal employees covered by the General Schedule. The official U.S. Office of Personnel Management schedule contains 15 grades, GS-1 through GS-15, with 10 steps within each grade.
For 2012, OPM identifies Salary Table 2012-GS as “Rates Frozen at 2010 Levels.” The schedule was effective in January 2012. The figures below are annual GS base rates and do not include locality pay.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $17,803 | $18,398 | $18,990 | $19,579 | $20,171 | $20,519 | $21,104 | $21,694 | $21,717 | $22,269 |
| GS-2 | $20,017 | $20,493 | $21,155 | $21,717 | $21,961 | $22,607 | $23,253 | $23,899 | $24,545 | $25,191 |
| GS-3 | $21,840 | $22,568 | $23,296 | $24,024 | $24,752 | $25,480 | $26,208 | $26,936 | $27,664 | $28,392 |
| GS-4 | $24,518 | $25,335 | $26,152 | $26,969 | $27,786 | $28,603 | $29,420 | $30,237 | $31,054 | $31,871 |
| GS-5 | $27,431 | $28,345 | $29,259 | $30,173 | $31,087 | $32,001 | $32,915 | $33,829 | $34,743 | $35,657 |
| GS-6 | $30,577 | $31,596 | $32,615 | $33,634 | $34,653 | $35,672 | $36,691 | $37,710 | $38,729 | $39,748 |
| GS-7 | $33,979 | $35,112 | $36,245 | $37,378 | $38,511 | $39,644 | $40,777 | $41,910 | $43,043 | $44,176 |
| GS-8 | $37,631 | $38,885 | $40,139 | $41,393 | $42,647 | $43,901 | $45,155 | $46,409 | $47,663 | $48,917 |
| GS-9 | $41,563 | $42,948 | $44,333 | $45,718 | $47,103 | $48,488 | $49,873 | $51,258 | $52,643 | $54,028 |
| GS-10 | $45,771 | $47,297 | $48,823 | $50,349 | $51,875 | $53,401 | $54,927 | $56,453 | $57,979 | $59,505 |
| GS-11 | $50,287 | $51,963 | $53,639 | $55,315 | $56,991 | $58,667 | $60,343 | $62,019 | $63,695 | $65,371 |
| GS-12 | $60,274 | $62,283 | $64,292 | $66,301 | $68,310 | $70,319 | $72,328 | $74,337 | $76,346 | $78,355 |
| GS-13 | $71,674 | $74,063 | $76,452 | $78,841 | $81,230 | $83,619 | $86,008 | $88,397 | $90,786 | $93,175 |
| GS-14 | $84,697 | $87,520 | $90,343 | $93,166 | $95,989 | $98,812 | $101,635 | $104,458 | $107,281 | $110,104 |
| GS-15 | $99,628 | $102,949 | $106,270 | $109,591 | $112,912 | $116,233 | $119,554 | $122,875 | $126,196 | $129,517 |
Official source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Salary Table 2012-GS .
Were GS Salaries Increased in 2012?
The 2012 national GS base schedule did not receive a new across-the-board increase. OPM's official Salary Table 2012-GS states that the rates were frozen at 2010 levels.
This means the statutory base rates used in 2012 remained at the same levels established in 2010 rather than being increased for the new calendar year.
How to Read the 2012 GS Pay Table
To find a 2012 base salary, locate the employee's GS grade in the first column and then move across that row to the appropriate step from Step 1 through Step 10. For current rates, see the 2026 GS Pay Scale; for current step progression information, see GS Step Increases. The amount at the intersection of the grade and step is the annual nationwide base rate.
For example, the official 2012 table lists GS-5 Step 1 at $27,431, GS-9 Step 1 at $41,563, GS-11 Step 1 at $50,287, and GS-12 Step 1 at $60,274.
GS Grades in 2012
The General Schedule contained 15 grades, from GS-1 through GS-15. Each grade contained ten steps and represented a separate range of federal base salaries.
In the official 2012 base schedule, GS-1 Step 1 was $17,803. At the upper end of the schedule, GS-15 Step 10 was $129,517.
Browse Current GS Pay by Grade
- GS-1 Pay Scale
- GS-2 Pay Scale
- GS-3 Pay Scale
- GS-4 Pay Scale
- GS-5 Pay Scale
- GS-6 Pay Scale
- GS-7 Pay Scale
- GS-8 Pay Scale
- GS-9 Pay Scale
- GS-10 Pay Scale
- GS-11 Pay Scale
- GS-12 Pay Scale
- GS-13 Pay Scale
- GS-14 Pay Scale
- GS-15 Pay Scale
GS Steps in 2012
Each General Schedule grade contains 10 steps. These steps provide a structure for salary progression within the same grade, subject to the eligibility requirements for federal within-grade increases.
OPM's 2012 table lists a specific within-grade amount for GS-3 through GS-15. For GS-1 and GS-2, OPM lists the amount as varying.
Browse Current GS Pay by Step
- GS Step 1
- GS Step 2
- GS Step 3
- GS Step 4
- GS Step 5
- GS Step 6
- GS Step 7
- GS Step 8
- GS Step 9
- GS Step 10
For current rules governing progression between steps, see the Within-Grade Increase Guide and GS Step Increases.
2012 Within-Grade Increase Amounts
| Grade | 2012 WGI Amount |
|---|---|
| GS-1 | Varies |
| GS-2 | Varies |
| GS-3 | $728 |
| GS-4 | $817 |
| GS-5 | $914 |
| GS-6 | $1,019 |
| GS-7 | $1,133 |
| GS-8 | $1,254 |
| GS-9 | $1,385 |
| GS-10 | $1,526 |
| GS-11 | $1,676 |
| GS-12 | $2,009 |
| GS-13 | $2,389 |
| GS-14 | $2,823 |
| GS-15 | $3,321 |
2012 Base Pay vs. Locality Pay
For current guidance on the difference between these pay components, see GS Base Pay vs. Locality Pay. For current geographic salary tables, browse the 2026 GS Locality Pay directory.
The figures in Salary Table 2012-GS are nationwide base rates. They do not include locality pay.
Federal employees covered by locality pay could have a higher payable salary based on the locality schedule applicable to their official worksite.
Therefore, two employees with the same grade and step could have different payable salaries if their official worksites were covered by different locality pay areas.
Browse Current 2026 GS Locality Pay Areas
These links open the site's current 2026 locality salary pages for comparison. They are not 2012 locality salary tables.
- Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA
- Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM
- Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL
- Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
- Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL
- Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT
- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY
- Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, VT
- Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC
- Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
- Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN
- Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH
- Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK
- Davenport-Moline, IA-IL
- Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH
- Denver-Aurora, CO
- Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
- Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI
- Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA
- Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA
- Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA
- Houston-The Woodlands, TX
- Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN
- Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS
- Laredo, TX
- Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ
- Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
- Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI
- New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA
- Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
- Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV
- Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA
- Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC
- Reno-Fernley, NV
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY
- Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV
- San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
- Seattle-Tacoma, WA
- Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d’Alene, WA-ID
- St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL
- Tucson-Nogales, AZ
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC
- Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA
- Rest of United States
- State of Alaska
- State of Hawaii
How to Find Your Actual 2012 GS Salary
To determine the salary that applied to a particular federal position in 2012:
- Identify the employee's GS grade.
- Identify the employee's step.
- Determine the locality pay area applicable to the official worksite.
- Use the appropriate official 2012 OPM salary schedule.
- Check whether a special rate or another federal pay schedule applied.
If you only need nationwide base pay before locality adjustments, use Salary Table 2012-GS shown above.
2012 GS Base Pay Examples
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 5 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $27,431 | $31,087 | $35,657 |
| GS-7 | $33,979 | $38,511 | $44,176 |
| GS-9 | $41,563 | $47,103 | $54,028 |
| GS-11 | $50,287 | $56,991 | $65,371 |
| GS-12 | $60,274 | $68,310 | $78,355 |
| GS-13 | $71,674 | $81,230 | $93,175 |
| GS-14 | $84,697 | $95,989 | $110,104 |
| GS-15 | $99,628 | $112,912 | $129,517 |
Why Were 2012 GS Rates Frozen?
The 2012 General Schedule was part of the federal pay-freeze period. OPM therefore continued to publish the applicable annual GS schedule while identifying the statutory base rates as frozen at 2010 levels.
The lack of a new across-the-board base increase did not mean that every federal employee's individual pay necessarily remained unchanged. A person's actual pay could also be affected by factors such as step progression, promotion, locality coverage, special rates or other applicable pay rules.
Special Rates and Other 2012 Pay Schedules
Salary Table 2012-GS did not necessarily represent the final payable rate for every federal employee. Certain positions could be covered by special salary rates or another federal pay schedule. For current guidance, see the Federal Special Rate Tables guide. Federal law-enforcement employees can also review the Law Enforcement GS Pay Scale guide.
For accurate historical salary research, verify the employee's grade, step, occupation, official worksite and applicable pay schedule instead of relying only on the nationwide GS base table.
Compare Historical GS Pay Scales
Use these pages to compare national General Schedule base salary tables across years.
- 2026 GS Pay Scale
- 2025 GS Pay Scale
- 2024 GS Pay Scale
- 2023 GS Pay Scale
- 2022 GS Pay Scale
- 2021 GS Pay Scale
- 2020 GS Pay Scale
- 2019 GS Pay Scale
- 2018 GS Pay Scale
- 2017 GS Pay Scale
- 2016 GS Pay Scale
- 2015 GS Pay Scale
- 2014 GS Pay Scale
- 2013 GS Pay Scale
- 2011 GS Pay Scale
Related GS Pay Resources
2012 GS Pay Scale Frequently Asked Questions
Did the GS pay scale increase in 2012?
No new across-the-board increase was applied to the 2012 national GS base schedule. OPM states that the rates were frozen at 2010 levels.
When was the 2012 GS pay scale effective?
OPM's Salary Table 2012-GS was effective January 2012.
Were the 2012 and 2013 GS base rates the same?
Yes. OPM identifies both the 2012 and 2013 GS base schedules as rates frozen at 2010 levels, so the nationwide grade-and-step base amounts remained unchanged.
How many grades were in the 2012 GS pay scale?
The General Schedule contained 15 grades, GS-1 through GS-15.
How many steps were in each GS grade?
Each General Schedule grade contained 10 steps, Step 1 through Step 10.
What was GS-5 Step 1 pay in 2012?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-5 Step 1 was $27,431.
What was GS-9 Step 1 pay in 2012?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-9 Step 1 was $41,563.
What was GS-11 Step 1 pay in 2012?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-11 Step 1 was $50,287.
What was GS-12 Step 1 pay in 2012?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-12 Step 1 was $60,274.
What was GS-15 Step 10 pay in 2012?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-15 Step 10 was $129,517.
Does the 2012 GS base table include locality pay?
No. Salary Table 2012-GS shows nationwide General Schedule base rates. Applicable locality pay and special-rate provisions must be checked separately.
Official 2012 OPM Source
The salary figures on this page are based on the official U.S. Office of Personnel Management Salary Table 2012-GS.