FEDERAL PAY GUIDE

GS vs WG Pay Scale

GS and WG are two different federal pay systems. GS primarily covers white-collar positions with 15 grades and 10 steps, while WG covers many trade, craft, and laboring jobs under the Federal Wage System with locally determined hourly rates and five steps.

GS vs. WG Pay Scale: What's the Difference?

The General Schedule (GS) and Wage Grade (WG) systems are two major ways the Federal Government pays civilian employees, but they are designed for different types of work and use different methods to establish pay.

GS primarily covers white-collar federal positions, including professional, administrative, technical and clerical jobs. WG is commonly used for nonsupervisory trade, craft and laboring positions covered by the Federal Wage System (FWS).

The biggest practical difference is that GS uses a nationwide grade-and-step base schedule with geographic locality adjustments for most covered employees, while WG rates are established through local Federal Wage System wage schedules based on prevailing private-sector wages in local wage areas.

GS vs. WG at a Glance

Feature GS WG
Full name General Schedule Wage Grade
Pay system General Schedule Federal Wage System
Typical employees White-collar Trade, craft and laboring
Common pay format Annual salary Hourly wage
Steps 10 5
Geographic adjustment GS locality pay system Local FWS wage areas
Nationwide base schedule Yes No single nationwide WG rate table
Primary pay authority OPM-administered Governmentwide GS system Federal Wage System
Local wage schedules OPM publishes GS locality tables DOD issues FWS wage schedules

What Is the GS Pay Scale?

The General Schedule is the primary classification and pay system for most civilian white-collar Federal employees.

GS jobs include many positions in areas such as:

The General Schedule contains 15 grades, from GS-1 through GS-15. Each grade normally contains 10 steps.

An employee's grade reflects the level of difficulty, responsibility and qualifications associated with the position. The step identifies the employee's rate within that grade.

What Is the WG Pay Scale?

WG is a pay plan used for nonsupervisory positions under the Federal Wage System.

The Federal Wage System covers many federal blue-collar employees performing trade, craft and laboring work.

Examples can include positions involving:

WG rates are generally expressed as hourly wages and vary according to the applicable local Federal Wage System schedule.

GS and WG Are Separate Pay Systems

A common mistake is treating WG as another version of the General Schedule.

It is not.

The Federal Wage System and General Schedule have different occupational coverage, geographic structures, pay ranges, step structures and pay-adjustment processes.

This means that a GS employee and a WG employee working for the same federal agency can be subject to very different rules for determining their regular rate of pay.

GS Has 15 Grades and 10 Steps

The General Schedule runs from GS-1 through GS-15.

Each grade contains 10 regular step rates:

A new GS employee is commonly appointed at Step 1, although a higher starting step may be authorized in certain circumstances.

Employees can progress through the steps by meeting the requirements for within-grade increases.

WG Has Five Regular Steps

The regular Federal Wage System uses five step rates rather than the 10-step GS structure.

WG Step Position Within Grade
Step 1 Beginning rate
Step 2 Full prevailing rate
Step 3 Above prevailing rate
Step 4 Higher rate within the grade
Step 5 Highest regular rate

Under the Federal Wage System, Step 2 represents the full prevailing rate for the grade. Step 5, the highest regular step, is 12 percent above the prevailing rate.

GS Salary vs. WG Hourly Pay

Another visible difference is how rates are normally presented.

GS salary tables are commonly displayed as annual rates. OPM also publishes hourly versions of GS tables, but annual salaries are generally the most familiar way GS compensation is presented.

Federal Wage System schedules generally display WG compensation as an hourly rate.

Therefore, comparing a GS annual salary directly with a WG hourly rate does not provide a useful comparison until both are placed on a comparable basis.

How GS Pay Is Determined

For a typical GS employee, several pieces of information determine the applicable rate:

  1. GS grade
  2. GS step
  3. Official worksite
  4. Applicable locality pay area
  5. Any applicable special salary rate or other pay provision

The nationwide GS base table provides the underlying salary for each grade and step.

Most covered GS employees then receive locality pay based on the locality pay area associated with their official worksite.

How WG Pay Is Determined

WG pay follows a different approach.

The Federal Wage System is designed to relate federal wages for trade, craft and laboring work to prevailing private-sector wage rates for comparable work within a local wage area.

To find a WG employee's regular rate, you generally need to know:

  1. The employee's pay plan
  2. WG grade
  3. WG step
  4. Applicable Federal Wage System wage area
  5. Correct wage schedule
  6. Effective date of that schedule

The employee then finds the hourly rate corresponding to the applicable grade and step on that local schedule.

GS Locality Pay vs. WG Local Wage Areas

Both systems consider geography, but they do so differently.

GS Locality Pay

Most GS employees receive a locality adjustment based on the locality pay area associated with their official worksite.

The employee begins with an underlying GS scheduled rate, and the applicable locality percentage is used to determine the locality-adjusted rate.

WG Local Wage Areas

WG employees are covered by Federal Wage System wage areas. Local wage surveys are used in the process of determining prevailing rates for comparable private-sector work.

The resulting local wage schedule contains the applicable hourly rates.

A GS locality pay area and an FWS wage area are not the same geographic pay system.

Can You Add GS Locality Pay to a WG Rate?

Generally, you should not take a WG hourly rate and simply add the GS locality percentage for the same city.

The Federal Wage System has its own local wage-setting process.

For example, if a GS employee works in a locality with a particular locality percentage, that does not mean a WG employee at the same installation should automatically receive that percentage on top of the WG wage rate.

The WG employee should use the applicable official FWS wage schedule.

Is WG-10 Equivalent to GS-10?

No. A WG grade number should not be assumed to be equivalent to a GS grade carrying the same number.

WG-10 and GS-10 are different classifications under different federal pay systems.

The same principle applies to other grade numbers:

Federal positions are graded according to the classification or job-grading standards applicable to their own pay system.

Which Pays More: GS or WG?

Neither system universally pays more than the other.

The answer depends on the actual positions being compared.

Important factors include:

A highly skilled WG employee in a high-wage labor market can have a substantial hourly rate, while higher-grade GS professional or managerial positions can have much higher annual salaries.

Comparisons should therefore be made using the actual job offers or official pay tables rather than the letters GS and WG alone.

GS vs. WG Step Increases

Both systems provide progression within a grade, but the structures are different.

GS Step Progression

For GS employees with a scheduled tour of duty, normal within-grade waiting periods are:

GS Advancement Required Waiting Period
Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

WG Step Progression

Regular nonsupervisory Federal Wage System employees have a different five-step progression schedule.

WG Advancement Normal Waiting Period
Step 1 → Step 2 26 calendar weeks
Step 2 → Step 3 78 calendar weeks
Step 3 → Step 4 104 calendar weeks
Step 4 → Step 5 104 calendar weeks

Applicable Federal Wage System rules also include performance and equivalent-increase requirements. Employees should use their agency records to determine an official within-grade increase date.

How Long Does It Take to Reach the Highest Step?

The two systems also differ significantly in normal step-progression time.

Under the regular GS schedule, progressing from Step 1 through Step 10 normally takes 18 years if an employee remains in the same grade and meets the requirements for each within-grade increase.

Under the regular nonsupervisory FWS progression schedule, the listed waiting periods from WG Step 1 through Step 5 total 312 calendar weeks, or approximately six years, assuming the employee meets the applicable requirements.

This comparison concerns progression within a grade. It does not mean an employee must remain in the same grade or that promotions occur automatically.

GS Promotions vs. WG Promotions

Promotion pay should also be evaluated under the rules of the employee's applicable pay system.

For covered GS employees, the GS two-step promotion rule generally establishes a minimum promotion rate based on the equivalent of two within-grade increases in the grade from which the employee is promoted.

Federal Wage System employees are subject to FWS promotion and pay-setting provisions instead.

A WG employee should therefore not use the GS two-step promotion formula to independently determine an official WG promotion rate.

GS vs. WG Job Classification

GS and WG jobs are also classified differently.

GS Classification

GS positions are classified under General Schedule classification standards. The grade reflects the difficulty, responsibility and qualifications required by the position.

FWS Job Grading

Federal Wage System positions use job-grading standards designed for trade, craft and laboring occupations.

The different systems reflect the different types of work they were designed to evaluate.

White-Collar vs. Blue-Collar Federal Jobs

A useful general distinction is:

GS → primarily white-collar federal employment

FWS/WG → primarily blue-collar trade, craft and laboring employment

These descriptions are useful for understanding the systems, but the official pay plan assigned to a position is what determines which pay rules apply.

WG, WL and WS Under the Federal Wage System

WG is not the only pay plan commonly encountered under the Federal Wage System.

If a federal vacancy shows WL or WS rather than WG, the position is still associated with the Federal Wage System, but the specific schedule and job-grading rules differ from a standard nonsupervisory WG position.

Example: Comparing a GS Job and WG Job

Suppose a federal installation is hiring both an administrative specialist and an industrial mechanic.

The administrative specialist may be classified under the General Schedule. Its salary would be determined from the employee's GS grade and step together with the applicable locality or special-rate provisions.

The industrial mechanic may be classified under the Federal Wage System as WG. Its hourly rate would be determined from the appropriate local FWS wage schedule.

Even though both employees work for the Federal Government at the same location, their pay is established using different systems.

Can GS and WG Employees Work at the Same Facility?

Yes.

A military installation, maintenance facility, federal hospital, warehouse, national park, depot or other federal workplace can employ workers covered by several different pay systems.

For example, an organization might employ GS administrative personnel alongside WG mechanics or maintenance workers.

Physical work location alone does not determine the employee's pay system.

Can You Move From WG to GS?

Federal employees can apply for and move between positions covered by different pay systems when they meet the applicable eligibility and qualification requirements.

However, moving from WG to GS does not mean the employee's WG grade simply becomes the same GS grade.

The gaining agency must determine the appropriate GS position, grade and rate of pay under the rules applicable to the personnel action.

Can You Move From GS to WG?

Yes, a GS employee may also move to a Federal Wage System position when eligible and selected.

The employee's new WG grade and rate are determined under applicable FWS classification and pay-setting rules.

Again, the old GS grade number should not simply be converted into an identical WG grade number.

How Annual Pay Adjustments Differ

GS and WG rates are not updated through exactly the same process.

The GS base schedule is generally adjusted through the annual federal pay-adjustment process, and locality rates are determined under the GS locality pay system.

Federal Wage System rates are based on local prevailing wage processes and wage surveys. Legislation can also limit or delay FWS wage adjustments.

Therefore, a percentage increase announced for GS employees should not automatically be assumed to be the percentage increase for every WG employee.

How to Compare a GS Salary With a WG Wage

If you are comparing two federal job offers, do not compare only the grade numbers.

Instead, compare the actual compensation and employment conditions.

Consider:

Converting the WG hourly rate to an estimated annual amount can help with a basic comparison, but premium pay and work schedules can make actual annual earnings different.

Does WG Have Locality Pay Like GS?

Not in the same way.

GS uses defined locality pay areas and locality percentages for most covered employees.

The Federal Wage System instead establishes geographically based wage schedules using local prevailing wage information.

Both systems recognize geographic differences in labor markets, but the mechanisms are different.

Which Pay Table Should You Use?

If your personnel record or vacancy announcement says GS, use the applicable General Schedule salary table, including the correct locality or special-rate table where applicable.

If it says WG, use the applicable Federal Wage System wage schedule for the position's wage area.

Do not substitute one system's table for the other.

Common GS vs. WG Mistakes

Comparing Grade Numbers Directly

GS-10 and WG-10 do not automatically represent equivalent positions or salaries.

Adding GS Locality Pay to WG

WG has its own geographic wage-setting system. A GS locality percentage should not simply be added to an FWS wage rate.

Assuming Both Systems Have 10 Steps

GS has 10 regular steps per grade. The regular FWS structure has five.

Assuming WG Has One National Pay Table

WG rates vary according to Federal Wage System wage areas and schedules.

Assuming a GS Raise Automatically Applies to WG

The two systems use different pay-adjustment mechanisms.

Comparing Annual and Hourly Figures Directly

GS rates are commonly presented annually while WG schedules are generally hourly. Put both figures on a comparable basis before evaluating compensation.

GS vs. WG Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between GS and WG?

GS primarily covers white-collar federal positions and uses a 15-grade, 10-step structure. WG is part of the Federal Wage System for many trade, craft and laboring jobs and normally uses locally determined hourly wage schedules with five steps.

Is WG higher than GS?

Neither system is inherently higher. They classify different kinds of federal work. Actual compensation depends on the position, grade, step, location and applicable pay rules.

Is WG-10 the same as GS-10?

No. Identical grade numbers do not make positions equivalent because GS and WG use separate classification and pay systems.

Does WG get locality pay?

WG pay is geographically adjusted through the Federal Wage System's local wage-setting structure rather than the standard GS locality-pay system.

How many steps does WG have?

The regular Federal Wage System structure has five steps. Step 2 represents the full prevailing rate, while Step 5 is the highest regular step.

How many steps does GS have?

Each regular GS grade contains 10 steps, from Step 1 through Step 10.

Are WG employees paid hourly?

Federal Wage System wage schedules generally express WG rates as hourly wages.

Can a WG employee become a GS employee?

Yes. An employee may move to a GS position when eligible, qualified and selected. The gaining agency determines the employee's GS grade and pay under the applicable personnel and pay-setting rules.

Where do I find GS pay rates?

OPM publishes the official General Schedule base and locality salary tables.

Where do I find WG pay rates?

The Department of Defense's Civilian Personnel Advisory Service maintains Federal Wage System wage schedules. You need the appropriate local wage schedule, grade and step to determine the WG rate.

Official GS and Federal Wage System Information

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management administers Governmentwide General Schedule policy and establishes Governmentwide policies and procedures for the Federal Wage System. The Department of Defense is the lead agency responsible for conducting FWS wage surveys and issuing Federal Wage System wage schedules.

For an actual federal employee or job offer, use the current official pay schedule and personnel information rather than attempting to convert a GS grade directly into a WG grade or vice versa.