HISTORICAL GS PAY SCALE
2021 GS Pay Scale
The 2021 General Schedule pay scale provides the official base salary rates for GS-1 through GS-15 and Steps 1 through 10. OPM's 2021 base schedule incorporated a 1% General Schedule increase and became effective in January 2021. The table below shows the official nationwide base rates before applicable locality pay.
2021 GS Pay Scale
The 2021 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 2021-GS incorporates a 1% General Schedule increase and became effective in January 2021. 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 | $19,738 | $20,400 | $21,056 | $21,709 | $22,365 | $22,749 | $23,398 | $24,052 | $24,078 | $24,690 |
| GS-2 | $22,194 | $22,722 | $23,457 | $24,078 | $24,349 | $25,065 | $25,781 | $26,497 | $27,213 | $27,929 |
| GS-3 | $24,216 | $25,023 | $25,830 | $26,637 | $27,444 | $28,251 | $29,058 | $29,865 | $30,672 | $31,479 |
| GS-4 | $27,184 | $28,090 | $28,996 | $29,902 | $30,808 | $31,714 | $32,620 | $33,526 | $34,432 | $35,338 |
| GS-5 | $30,414 | $31,428 | $32,442 | $33,456 | $34,470 | $35,484 | $36,498 | $37,512 | $38,526 | $39,540 |
| GS-6 | $33,903 | $35,033 | $36,163 | $37,293 | $38,423 | $39,553 | $40,683 | $41,813 | $42,943 | $44,073 |
| GS-7 | $37,674 | $38,930 | $40,186 | $41,442 | $42,698 | $43,954 | $45,210 | $46,466 | $47,722 | $48,978 |
| GS-8 | $41,723 | $43,114 | $44,505 | $45,896 | $47,287 | $48,678 | $50,069 | $51,460 | $52,851 | $54,242 |
| GS-9 | $46,083 | $47,619 | $49,155 | $50,691 | $52,227 | $53,763 | $55,299 | $56,835 | $58,371 | $59,907 |
| GS-10 | $50,748 | $52,440 | $54,132 | $55,824 | $57,516 | $59,208 | $60,900 | $62,592 | $64,284 | $65,976 |
| GS-11 | $55,756 | $57,615 | $59,474 | $61,333 | $63,192 | $65,051 | $66,910 | $68,769 | $70,628 | $72,487 |
| GS-12 | $66,829 | $69,057 | $71,285 | $73,513 | $75,741 | $77,969 | $80,197 | $82,425 | $84,653 | $86,881 |
| GS-13 | $79,468 | $82,117 | $84,766 | $87,415 | $90,064 | $92,713 | $95,362 | $98,011 | $100,660 | $103,309 |
| GS-14 | $93,907 | $97,037 | $100,167 | $103,297 | $106,427 | $109,557 | $112,687 | $115,817 | $118,947 | $122,077 |
| GS-15 | $110,460 | $114,142 | $117,824 | $121,506 | $125,188 | $128,870 | $132,552 | $136,234 | $139,916 | $143,598 |
Official source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Salary Table 2021-GS .
2021 GS Pay Increase
OPM's official Salary Table 2021-GS states that the schedule incorporates a 1% General Schedule increase. The schedule became effective in January 2021.
The 1% figure refers to the nationwide General Schedule base salary schedule. Locality pay is handled separately through locality-specific OPM salary tables.
How to Read the 2021 GS Pay Table
To find an employee's 2021 base salary, locate the GS grade in the first column and then move across the row to the appropriate step from Step 1 through Step 10. The amount where the grade and step intersect is the annual base rate.
For example, OPM's official 2021 table lists GS-5 Step 1 at $30,414, GS-9 Step 1 at $46,083, GS-11 Step 1 at $55,756, and GS-12 Step 1 at $66,829.
GS Grades in 2021
The General Schedule contains 15 grades, beginning with GS-1 and ending with GS-15. Each grade has its own salary range and contains ten step rates.
In the official 2021 base schedule, GS-1 Step 1 was $19,738. At the upper end of the standard base table, GS-15 Step 10 was $143,598.
GS Steps in 2021
Each General Schedule grade contains 10 steps. Steps provide salary progression within the same grade, subject to the federal rules governing within-grade increases.
The official 2021-GS table lists a standard WGI amount for most grades. OPM shows $807 for GS-3, $1,014 for GS-5, $1,859 for GS-11, $2,228 for GS-12, and $3,682 for GS-15. For GS-1 and GS-2, OPM marks the WGI amount as varying.
2021 Base Pay vs. Locality Pay
The salaries shown in Salary Table 2021-GS are national base rates. They do not include locality pay.
OPM publishes separate General Schedule salary tables for locality pay areas. Employees covered by locality pay should use the applicable 2021 locality table for their official worksite when determining their locality-adjusted salary.
This distinction is important because two employees at the same grade and step could have different payable salaries if their official worksites were in different locality pay areas.
How to Find Your Actual 2021 GS Salary
To identify the salary that applied to a federal position in 2021:
- Identify the GS grade.
- Identify the step.
- Determine the locality pay area for the official worksite.
- Use the appropriate 2021 OPM salary table.
- Check whether a special rate or other pay provision applied.
If you only need the nationwide rate before locality pay, use the 2021-GS base table shown above.
2021 GS Base Pay Examples
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 5 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $30,414 | $34,470 | $39,540 |
| GS-7 | $37,674 | $42,698 | $48,978 |
| GS-9 | $46,083 | $52,227 | $59,907 |
| GS-11 | $55,756 | $63,192 | $72,487 |
| GS-12 | $66,829 | $75,741 | $86,881 |
| GS-13 | $79,468 | $90,064 | $103,309 |
| GS-14 | $93,907 | $106,427 | $122,077 |
| GS-15 | $110,460 | $125,188 | $143,598 |
Special Rates and Other 2021 Pay Schedules
The standard 2021-GS base schedule does not necessarily show the final payable salary for every federal employee. Certain positions may have been covered by a special rate schedule or another federal pay authority.
When researching historical federal compensation, check the employee's occupation, geographic location, agency and applicable pay schedule rather than assuming the standard GS base table was the final salary.
2021 GS Pay Scale Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 2021 GS base pay increase?
OPM's official Salary Table 2021-GS incorporated a 1% General Schedule increase.
When did the 2021 GS pay scale become effective?
OPM states that Salary Table 2021-GS was effective January 2021.
How many grades were in the 2021 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 2021?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-5 Step 1 was $30,414.
What was GS-9 Step 1 pay in 2021?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-9 Step 1 was $46,083.
What was GS-11 Step 1 pay in 2021?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-11 Step 1 was $55,756.
What was GS-12 Step 1 pay in 2021?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-12 Step 1 was $66,829.
What was GS-15 Step 10 pay in 2021?
The official OPM national base rate for GS-15 Step 10 was $143,598.
Does the 2021 GS base table include locality pay?
No. Salary Table 2021-GS contains nationwide base rates. Locality-adjusted salaries are published in separate OPM locality salary tables.
Official 2021 OPM Source
The salary figures on this page are based on the official U.S. Office of Personnel Management Salary Table 2021-GS.