HISTORICAL GS PAY SCALE
2013 GS Pay Scale
The 2013 General Schedule pay scale provides the official base salary rates for GS-1 through GS-15 and Steps 1 through 10. Unlike years with an across-the-board increase, OPM states that 2013 GS rates were frozen at 2010 levels. The schedule was effective in January 2013, and the table below shows the official nationwide base rates before applicable locality pay.
2013 GS Pay Scale
The 2013 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 2013, OPM states that General Schedule rates were frozen at 2010 levels. Salary Table 2013-GS became effective in January 2013. The amounts 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 — 2013-GS Annual Rates by Grade and Step .
Were GS Salaries Increased in 2013?
No across-the-board General Schedule increase was applied to the 2013 base table. OPM specifically labels Salary Table 2013-GS as “Rates Frozen at 2010 Levels.”
This means the nationwide 2013 GS base rates remained at the same levels used during the federal pay freeze rather than receiving a new annual base-pay increase.
How to Read the 2013 GS Pay Table
To find a 2013 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 salary at the intersection of the grade and step is the annual nationwide base rate.
For example, the official 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 2013
The General Schedule contained 15 grades, from GS-1 through GS-15. Each grade contained 10 steps, giving employees a structured range of base rates within their grade.
In the official 2013 base schedule, GS-1 Step 1 was $17,803. At the upper end of the table, 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 2013
Each General Schedule grade contains 10 steps. Steps represent pay progression within the same grade and are subject to federal within-grade increase rules.
OPM's 2013 table also lists the standard within-grade amount for most grades. GS-1 and GS-2 are listed as varying, while GS-3 through GS-15 have specified dollar amounts.
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.
2013 Within-Grade Increase Amounts
| Grade | 2013 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 |
2013 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 salaries shown in Salary Table 2013-GS are nationwide base rates. They do not by themselves represent every employee's final payable salary.
Employees covered by locality pay could receive an adjusted rate based on the locality schedule applicable to their official worksite. Therefore, employees with the same GS grade and step could have different payable salaries in different geographic areas.
Browse Current 2026 GS Locality Pay Areas
These links open the site's current 2026 locality salary pages for comparison. They are not 2013 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 2013 GS Salary
To determine the salary that applied to a particular federal position in 2013:
- 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 2013 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 2013-GS shown above.
2013 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 2013 GS Rates Frozen?
The federal General Schedule was in a period of frozen statutory base rates. As a result, the official 2013-GS table did not contain a new across-the-board increase. OPM continued to publish the applicable annual schedule while identifying the rates as frozen at 2010 levels.
Special Rates and Other 2013 Pay Schedules
The standard GS base schedule did not necessarily determine the final payable rate for every federal employee. Certain occupations, locations or agencies could be covered by special salary rates or other federal pay schedules. 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 historical salary research, verify the employee's grade, step, occupation, official worksite and applicable pay schedule rather than assuming that Salary Table 2013-GS represented the final payable rate.
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
- 2012 GS Pay Scale
- 2011 GS Pay Scale
Related GS Pay Resources
2013 GS Pay Scale Frequently Asked Questions
Did the GS pay scale increase in 2013?
The official OPM 2013-GS schedule did not include a new across-the-board General Schedule increase. OPM states that the rates were frozen at 2010 levels.
When was the 2013 GS pay scale effective?
OPM states that Salary Table 2013-GS was effective January 2013.
How many grades were in the 2013 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 2013?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-5 Step 1 was $27,431.
What was GS-9 Step 1 pay in 2013?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-9 Step 1 was $41,563.
What was GS-11 Step 1 pay in 2013?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-11 Step 1 was $50,287.
What was GS-12 Step 1 pay in 2013?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-12 Step 1 was $60,274.
What was GS-15 Step 10 pay in 2013?
The official nationwide base rate for GS-15 Step 10 was $129,517.
Does the 2013 GS base table include locality pay?
No. Salary Table 2013-GS provides the nationwide General Schedule base rates. Applicable locality or special pay provisions must be checked separately.
Official 2013 OPM Sources
The salary figures on this page are based on the official U.S. Office of Personnel Management 2013 General Schedule data.