The GS System Is a Barrier to Effective Governance

The 2020 General Schedule

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1 $19,543 $20,198 $20,848 $21,494 $22,144 $22,524 $23,166 $23,814 $23,840 $24,448
GS-2 $21,974 $22,497 $23,225 $23,840 $24,108 $24,817 $25,526 $26,235 $26,944 $27,653
GS-3 $23,976 $24,775 $25,574 $26,373 $27,172 $27,971 $28,770 $29,569 $30,368 $31,167
GS-4 $26,915 $27,812 $28,709 $29,606 $30,503 $31,400 $32,297 $33,194 $34,091 $34,988
GS-5 $30,113 $31,117 $32,121 $33,125 $34,129 $35,133 $36,137 $37,141 $38,145 $39,149
GS-6 $33,567 $34,686 $35,805 $36,924 $38,043 $39,162 $40,281 $41,400 $42,519 $43,638
GS-7 $37,301 $38,544 $39,787 $41,030 $42,273 $43,516 $44,759 $46,002 $47,245 $48,488
GS-8 $41,310 $42,687 $44,064 $45,441 $46,818 $48,195 $49,572 $50,949 $52,326 $53,703
GS-9 $45,627 $47,148 $48,669 $50,190 $51,711 $53,232 $54,753 $56,274 $57,795 $59,316
GS-10 $50,246 $51,921 $53,596 $55,271 $56,946 $58,621 $60,296 $61,971 $63,646 $65,321
GS-11 $55,204 $57,044 $58,884 $60,724 $62,564 $64,404 $66,244 $68,084 $69,924 $71,764
GS-12 $66,167 $68,373 $70,579 $72,785 $74,991 $77,197 $79,403 $81,609 $83,815 $86,021
GS-13 $78,681 $81,304 $83,927 $86,550 $89,173 $91,796 $94,419 $97,042 $99,665 $102,288
GS-14 $92,977 $96,076 $99,175 $102,274 $105,373 $108,472 $111,571 $114,670 $117,769 $120,868
GS-15 $109,366 $113,012 $116,658 $120,304 $123,950 $127,596 $131,242 $134,888 $138,534 $142,180

I agree with the article that we need thoughtful reform to the pathetically outdated General Schedule, which governs pay for about 1.5 million white collar workers in the United States Civil Service, the vast majority of the Civil Service.

We need a much more flexible, dynamic system that is capable of providing a pay structure that can be competitive with private industry and allow the Civil Service access to more qualified workers who have been passing it up due to the poor pay prospects under the General Schedule.

The linked article details the current issues with the General Schedule.

Do you really think the federal government is capable of "thoughtful reform "? Agree it’s a dinosaur, but how does one avoid political/personal favoritism without some kind of objective structure?

I would add that in many places, the pay is quite a bit higher than what you show due to location pay - for example, in DC the top four steps of GS-15 are capped at $170,800 because of the hard stop at the executive schedule.

Question:

Does location pay factor into retirement or is that based on base pay?

I know when I transferred to the Fleet Reserve from active Navy my military retainer is/was base pay only. My flight pay, housing allowance, food allowance, and location pay didn’t factor in.

(Not complaining, as a retired Chief my military retirement check isn’t something I’d want to live on but it covers the house payment with a little left over every month. So it really contributes to putting away other resources into retirement planning and I’m thankful for that.
.
.
.
.WW, PSHS

1 Like

At least there is an administration coming in that is not openly hostile to the Civil Service, so there is somewhat of a window for doing this.

I am aware both of locality pay and of pay compression. Pay compression is a separate issue that needs to be dealt with in overall Civil Service reform. Locality pay is helpful, but doesn’t solve the greater problem.

I envision a system where each Department and Agency would have tailored career progression systems, that would give managers more leeway in both promotion and pay raises. A pay system where an Agency like the National Park Service would have a structure tailored to its needs for its mid level bureaucrats like Park Rangers, while science oriented agencies would have a system tailored to the needs of very high level bureaucrats.

We just can’t get that out of the one size fits all GS system.

Scientific or Professional (ST) Positions

This unique category of Federal jobs covers non-executive positions classified above the GS-15 level, and involves performance of high-level research and development in the physical, biological, medical, or engineering sciences, or a closely-related field. Many of the Federal Government’s most renowned scientists and engineers serve in ST positions.

I am aware of the ST positions, SES service and other non-competitive categories.

Right now, I am concentrating on those individuals currently covered by the General Schedule, which would include research assistants and other such positions. And many Ph.D. positions currently fall in the GS, not the ST.

It’s always been interesting to me that the low-level easily replaceable roles in the Federal government pay well above market, but senior, tough-to-replace roles pay well below market.

Good way to get the best janitors and a motley collection of mid-senior managers…

Retirement pay is based on your “High-3” salary (wherever you are) x a multiple x years of service. For some people who take partial retirement (i.e., work part time before full retirement), your high-3 might be based on other than your most recent salary. Civilians don’t have allowances other than salary.