HISTORICAL GS PAY SCALE
2018 GS Pay Scale
The 2018 General Schedule pay scale provides the official base salary rates for GS-1 through GS-15 and Steps 1 through 10. OPM's 2018 base schedule incorporated a 1.4% General Schedule increase and became effective in January 2018. The table below shows the official nationwide base rates before applicable locality pay.
2018 GS Pay Scale
The 2018 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 2018-GS incorporates a 1.4% General Schedule increase and became effective in January 2018. 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 | $18,785 | $19,414 | $20,039 | $20,660 | $21,285 | $21,650 | $22,267 | $22,891 | $22,915 | $23,502 |
| GS-2 | $21,121 | $21,624 | $22,323 | $22,915 | $23,175 | $23,857 | $24,539 | $25,221 | $25,903 | $26,585 |
| GS-3 | $23,045 | $23,813 | $24,581 | $25,349 | $26,117 | $26,885 | $27,653 | $28,421 | $29,189 | $29,957 |
| GS-4 | $25,871 | $26,733 | $27,595 | $28,457 | $29,319 | $30,181 | $31,043 | $31,905 | $32,767 | $33,629 |
| GS-5 | $28,945 | $29,910 | $30,875 | $31,840 | $32,805 | $33,770 | $34,735 | $35,700 | $36,665 | $37,630 |
| GS-6 | $32,264 | $33,339 | $34,414 | $35,489 | $36,564 | $37,639 | $38,714 | $39,789 | $40,864 | $41,939 |
| GS-7 | $35,854 | $37,049 | $38,244 | $39,439 | $40,634 | $41,829 | $43,024 | $44,219 | $45,414 | $46,609 |
| GS-8 | $39,707 | $41,031 | $42,355 | $43,679 | $45,003 | $46,327 | $47,651 | $48,975 | $50,299 | $51,623 |
| GS-9 | $43,857 | $45,319 | $46,781 | $48,243 | $49,705 | $51,167 | $52,629 | $54,091 | $55,553 | $57,015 |
| GS-10 | $48,297 | $49,907 | $51,517 | $53,127 | $54,737 | $56,347 | $57,957 | $59,567 | $61,177 | $62,787 |
| GS-11 | $53,062 | $54,831 | $56,600 | $58,369 | $60,138 | $61,907 | $63,676 | $65,445 | $67,214 | $68,983 |
| GS-12 | $63,600 | $65,720 | $67,840 | $69,960 | $72,080 | $74,200 | $76,320 | $78,440 | $80,560 | $82,680 |
| GS-13 | $75,628 | $78,149 | $80,670 | $83,191 | $85,712 | $88,233 | $90,754 | $93,275 | $95,796 | $98,317 |
| GS-14 | $89,370 | $92,349 | $95,328 | $98,307 | $101,286 | $104,265 | $107,244 | $110,223 | $113,202 | $116,181 |
| GS-15 | $105,123 | $108,627 | $112,131 | $115,635 | $119,139 | $122,643 | $126,147 | $129,651 | $133,155 | $136,659 |
Official source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Salary Table 2018-GS .
2018 GS Pay Increase
OPM's official Salary Table 2018-GS incorporated a 1.4% General Schedule increase. The schedule became effective in January 2018.
The 1.4% figure applies to the nationwide General Schedule base salary schedule. Locality pay was calculated separately through locality-specific OPM salary tables.
How to Read the 2018 GS Pay Table
To find a 2018 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 where the grade and step intersect is the annual base rate.
For example, OPM's official 2018 table lists GS-5 Step 1 at $28,945, GS-9 Step 1 at $43,857, GS-11 Step 1 at $53,062, and GS-12 Step 1 at $63,600.
GS Grades in 2018
The General Schedule contained 15 grades, from GS-1 through GS-15. Each grade had its own salary range and contained ten step rates.
In the official 2018 base schedule, GS-1 Step 1 was $18,785. At the upper end of the national base table, GS-15 Step 10 was $136,659.
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 2018
Each General Schedule grade contains 10 steps. Steps provide salary progression within the same grade, subject to the federal requirements governing within-grade increases.
OPM's 2018 base table lists standard within-grade amounts of $768 for GS-3, $965 for GS-5, $1,769 for GS-11, $2,120 for GS-12, and $3,504 for GS-15. For GS-1 and GS-2, OPM lists the WGI 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.
2018 Within-Grade Increase Amounts
| Grade | 2018 WGI Amount |
|---|---|
| GS-1 | Varies |
| GS-2 | Varies |
| GS-3 | $768 |
| GS-4 | $862 |
| GS-5 | $965 |
| GS-6 | $1,075 |
| GS-7 | $1,195 |
| GS-8 | $1,324 |
| GS-9 | $1,462 |
| GS-10 | $1,610 |
| GS-11 | $1,769 |
| GS-12 | $2,120 |
| GS-13 | $2,521 |
| GS-14 | $2,979 |
| GS-15 | $3,504 |
2018 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 2018-GS are nationwide base rates. They do not include a locality payment.
OPM published separate 2018 locality salary tables for employees covered by locality pay. Those schedules combined the applicable GS base rate with the locality payment for the employee's locality pay area.
Because locality percentages differed by geographic area, two employees at the same GS grade and step could have had different payable salaries depending on their official worksites.
Browse Current 2026 GS Locality Pay Areas
These links open the site's current 2026 locality salary pages for comparison. They are not 2018 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 2018 GS Salary
To identify the salary that applied to a federal position in 2018:
- Identify the employee's GS grade.
- Identify the employee's step.
- Determine the locality pay area for the official worksite.
- Use the corresponding official 2018 OPM salary table.
- Check whether a special rate or another pay provision applied.
If you only need the nationwide rate before locality adjustments, use Salary Table 2018-GS shown above.
2018 GS Base Pay Examples
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 5 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $28,945 | $32,805 | $37,630 |
| GS-7 | $35,854 | $40,634 | $46,609 |
| GS-9 | $43,857 | $49,705 | $57,015 |
| GS-11 | $53,062 | $60,138 | $68,983 |
| GS-12 | $63,600 | $72,080 | $82,680 |
| GS-13 | $75,628 | $85,712 | $98,317 |
| GS-14 | $89,370 | $101,286 | $116,181 |
| GS-15 | $105,123 | $119,139 | $136,659 |
Special Rates and Other 2018 Pay Schedules
The standard 2018-GS base schedule did not necessarily determine the final payable salary for every federal employee. Certain occupations or locations could be covered by special salary rates or other federal pay authorities. 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 a historical federal salary, verify the employee's grade, step, official worksite and applicable pay schedule rather than assuming that the national GS base table represented 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
- 2017 GS Pay Scale
- 2016 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
2018 GS Pay Scale Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 2018 GS base pay increase?
OPM's official Salary Table 2018-GS incorporated a 1.4% General Schedule increase.
When did the 2018 GS pay scale become effective?
OPM states that Salary Table 2018-GS was effective January 2018.
How many grades were in the 2018 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 2018?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-5 Step 1 was $28,945.
What was GS-9 Step 1 pay in 2018?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-9 Step 1 was $43,857.
What was GS-11 Step 1 pay in 2018?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-11 Step 1 was $53,062.
What was GS-12 Step 1 pay in 2018?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-12 Step 1 was $63,600.
What was GS-15 Step 10 pay in 2018?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-15 Step 10 was $136,659.
Does the 2018 GS base table include locality pay?
No. Salary Table 2018-GS contains nationwide base rates. Locality-adjusted salaries were published through separate OPM locality salary tables.
Official 2018 OPM Sources
The salary figures on this page are based on the official U.S. Office of Personnel Management 2018 General Schedule data.