HISTORICAL GS PAY SCALE
2016 GS Pay Scale
The 2016 General Schedule pay scale provides the official base salary rates for GS-1 through GS-15 and Steps 1 through 10. OPM's 2016 base schedule incorporated a 1% General Schedule increase and became effective in January 2016. The table below shows the official nationwide base rates before applicable locality pay.
2016 GS Pay Scale
The 2016 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.
OPM's official Salary Table 2016-GS incorporates a 1% General Schedule increase and became effective in January 2016. 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 | $18,343 | $18,956 | $19,566 | $20,173 | $20,783 | $21,140 | $21,743 | $22,351 | $22,375 | $22,941 |
| GS-2 | $20,623 | $21,114 | $21,797 | $22,375 | $22,629 | $23,295 | $23,961 | $24,627 | $25,293 | $25,959 |
| GS-3 | $22,502 | $23,252 | $24,002 | $24,752 | $25,502 | $26,252 | $27,002 | $27,752 | $28,502 | $29,252 |
| GS-4 | $25,261 | $26,103 | $26,945 | $27,787 | $28,629 | $29,471 | $30,313 | $31,155 | $31,997 | $32,839 |
| GS-5 | $28,262 | $29,204 | $30,146 | $31,088 | $32,030 | $32,972 | $33,914 | $34,856 | $35,798 | $36,740 |
| GS-6 | $31,504 | $32,554 | $33,604 | $34,654 | $35,704 | $36,754 | $37,804 | $38,854 | $39,904 | $40,954 |
| GS-7 | $35,009 | $36,176 | $37,343 | $38,510 | $39,677 | $40,844 | $42,011 | $43,178 | $44,345 | $45,512 |
| GS-8 | $38,771 | $40,063 | $41,355 | $42,647 | $43,939 | $45,231 | $46,523 | $47,815 | $49,107 | $50,399 |
| GS-9 | $42,823 | $44,250 | $45,677 | $47,104 | $48,531 | $49,958 | $51,385 | $52,812 | $54,239 | $55,666 |
| GS-10 | $47,158 | $48,730 | $50,302 | $51,874 | $53,446 | $55,018 | $56,590 | $58,162 | $59,734 | $61,306 |
| GS-11 | $51,811 | $53,538 | $55,265 | $56,992 | $58,719 | $60,446 | $62,173 | $63,900 | $65,627 | $67,354 |
| GS-12 | $62,101 | $64,171 | $66,241 | $68,311 | $70,381 | $72,451 | $74,521 | $76,591 | $78,661 | $80,731 |
| GS-13 | $73,846 | $76,308 | $78,770 | $81,232 | $83,694 | $86,156 | $88,618 | $91,080 | $93,542 | $96,004 |
| GS-14 | $87,263 | $90,172 | $93,081 | $95,990 | $98,899 | $101,808 | $104,717 | $107,626 | $110,535 | $113,444 |
| GS-15 | $102,646 | $106,068 | $109,490 | $112,912 | $116,334 | $119,756 | $123,178 | $126,600 | $130,022 | $133,444 |
Official source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Salary Table 2016-GS .
2016 GS Pay Increase
OPM's official Salary Table 2016-GS incorporated a 1% General Schedule increase. The schedule became effective in January 2016.
The 1% increase applies to the nationwide General Schedule base salary schedule. Locality pay was provided separately through locality-specific OPM salary tables.
How to Read the 2016 GS Pay Table
To find a 2016 base salary, locate the employee's GS grade in the first column and then move across the 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 where the grade and step intersect is the employee's annual base rate.
For example, the official 2016 table lists GS-5 Step 1 at $28,262, GS-9 Step 1 at $42,823, GS-11 Step 1 at $51,811, and GS-12 Step 1 at $62,101.
GS Grades in 2016
The General Schedule contained 15 grades, from GS-1 through GS-15. Each grade contained ten step rates and represented a separate range of base pay.
In the official 2016 national base schedule, GS-1 Step 1 was $18,343. At the upper end of the base table, GS-15 Step 10 was $133,444.
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 2016
Each General Schedule grade contains 10 steps. Steps represent pay progression within the same grade and are governed by federal within-grade increase rules.
OPM's 2016-GS table lists regular WGI amounts for most grades. The amounts range from $750 at GS-3 to $3,422 at GS-15. OPM lists the WGI amount as varying for GS-1 and GS-2.
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.
2016 Within-Grade Increase Amounts
| Grade | 2016 WGI Amount |
|---|---|
| GS-1 | Varies |
| GS-2 | Varies |
| GS-3 | $750 |
| GS-4 | $842 |
| GS-5 | $942 |
| GS-6 | $1,050 |
| GS-7 | $1,167 |
| GS-8 | $1,292 |
| GS-9 | $1,427 |
| GS-10 | $1,572 |
| GS-11 | $1,727 |
| GS-12 | $2,070 |
| GS-13 | $2,462 |
| GS-14 | $2,909 |
| GS-15 | $3,422 |
2016 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 in Salary Table 2016-GS are nationwide base rates. They do not include a locality payment.
OPM published separate locality salary tables for covered employees. Those tables applied the applicable locality payment to the GS rates for employees whose official worksites were located within each locality pay area.
Therefore, two employees at the same grade and step could have had different payable salaries if their official worksites were in 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 2016 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 2016 GS Salary
To determine the salary that applied to a particular federal position in 2016:
- Identify the employee's GS grade.
- Identify the employee's step.
- Determine the locality pay area applicable to the official worksite.
- Use the corresponding official 2016 OPM salary table.
- Check whether a special rate or another applicable pay schedule applied.
If you need only the nationwide salary before locality adjustments, use Salary Table 2016-GS shown above.
2016 GS Base Pay Examples
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 5 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $28,262 | $32,030 | $36,740 |
| GS-7 | $35,009 | $39,677 | $45,512 |
| GS-9 | $42,823 | $48,531 | $55,666 |
| GS-11 | $51,811 | $58,719 | $67,354 |
| GS-12 | $62,101 | $70,381 | $80,731 |
| GS-13 | $73,846 | $83,694 | $96,004 |
| GS-14 | $87,263 | $98,899 | $113,444 |
| GS-15 | $102,646 | $116,334 | $133,444 |
Special Rates and Other 2016 Pay Schedules
The standard 2016-GS base schedule did not necessarily represent the final payable salary for every federal employee. Certain occupations and locations 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.
When researching historical federal compensation, verify the employee's grade, step, occupation, official worksite and applicable pay schedule rather than assuming that the nationwide GS base rate was the final payable salary.
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
- 2015 GS Pay Scale
- 2014 GS Pay Scale
- 2013 GS Pay Scale
- 2012 GS Pay Scale
- 2011 GS Pay Scale
Related GS Pay Resources
2016 GS Pay Scale Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 2016 GS base pay increase?
OPM's official Salary Table 2016-GS incorporated a 1% General Schedule increase.
When did the 2016 GS pay scale become effective?
OPM states that Salary Table 2016-GS was effective January 2016.
How many grades were in the 2016 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 2016?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-5 Step 1 was $28,262.
What was GS-9 Step 1 pay in 2016?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-9 Step 1 was $42,823.
What was GS-11 Step 1 pay in 2016?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-11 Step 1 was $51,811.
What was GS-12 Step 1 pay in 2016?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-12 Step 1 was $62,101.
What was GS-15 Step 10 pay in 2016?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-15 Step 10 was $133,444.
Does the 2016 GS base table include locality pay?
No. Salary Table 2016-GS contains nationwide base rates. Locality-adjusted salaries were provided through separate OPM locality salary tables.
Official 2016 OPM Source
The salary figures on this page are based on the official U.S. Office of Personnel Management Salary Table 2016-GS.