GS-14 grade level is the second-highest pay level for federal employees whose salaries are determined by the General Schedule (GS). There are 10 steps in salary increases for each grade level. The base salary range for a GS-14 is $89,370 to $116,181 per year.
What Are Federal Pay Scales?
All federal employees are paid according to government-regulated civil service pay scales, or grade pay, and the salaries are determined by a prescribed set of factors. Individuals do not negotiate salary upon hire as they would when applying for a job with a private company.
There are several different federal pay scales, including the following:
- Federal Wage System (FWS): This pay plan is for blue-collar workers, who are typically paid on an hourly basis. The FWS is meant to ensure that pay for laborers aligns with that of comparable jobs in the private sector.
- Foreign Service: This pay plan is for Foreign Service Officers in the Departments of State, Agriculture and Commerce. There are nine pay grades, designated FS-09 (the lowest level) to FS-01 (the highest level). Within each grade, there are 14 salary steps.
- Senior Executive Service: This performance-based pay system has no grade designations. Basic pay ranges from $120,000 to $165,000, with no cost-of-living adjustments.
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Federal Reserve: These agencies and others have their own unique pay plans. Typically, base salaries are set according to a schedule, with increases dependent upon performance and length of service. Roughly 40 government agencies create their own pay schedules.
The General Schedule
About 70 percent of federal employees are paid according to the General Schedule, which covers most professional, technical, administrative and clerical positions. There are 15 levels of grade pay, from GS-1 (the lowest) to GS-15 (the highest). There are 10 pay steps within each of the grades. Every job title is assigned a pay grade, which determines how much an employee earns.
Special Rates in the General Schedule: Special rates are used to calculate salaries on certain civil service pay scales, especially those in the scientific, technical and medical fields. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are examples of agencies that pay employees according to a schedule of special rates. The government uses the special rates to be competitive with private industry in the recruitment and retention of top talent.
In early 2019, a pay freeze was put in effect for General Schedule employees. Civil service pay scales for GS employees in 2019 are the same as in 2018.
- GS-1: $18,785 to $23,502
- GS-2: $21,121 to $26,585
- GS-3: $23,045 to $29,957
- GS-4: $25,871 to $33,629
- GS-5: $28,945 to $37,630
- GS-6: $32,264 to $41,939
- GS-7: $34,854 to $46,609
- GS-8: $39,707 to $51,623
- GS-9: $43,857 to $57,015
- GS-10: $48,297 to $62,787
- GS-11: $53,062 to $68,983
- GS-12: $63,600 to $82,680
- GS-13: $75,628 to $98,317
- GS-14: $89,370 to $116,181
- GS-15: $105,123 to $136,659
Locality Pay Adjustment Percentage
The cost of living varies according to geographic location. In the U.S., metropolitan areas such as New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Francisco have a high cost of living. Wages are higher because basic expenses cost more, from housing to transportation and dining out. Employees paid on the General Schedule may receive a bump in pay based on the locality pay adjustment percentage. Without such an adjustment, it would be difficult for the government to hire workers in areas that have a high cost of living.
Of the 53 General Schedule Locality Areas, six were added for 2019. In 2018, adjustment percentages ranged from 15.76 percent in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Las Vegas, Nevada, to 39.28 percent in San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland, California.
Pay rates outside the continental U.S. are typically 10 to 15 percent higher. The government offers certain employees who work in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories a cost of living allowance (COLA).
Step Increases
There are 10 step increases within each pay grade. Employees typically start at Step 1 and advance one step at a time as they gain experience in their positions. In most cases, employees can move one step per year. If you take a job at a higher pay grade, you keep your current step as you accumulate experience (also called time-in-grade) toward the next step at your new pay grade.
General Schedule Job Series
In the GS system, jobs are categorized by Job Series, each of which is identified by a numerical code. For each series, there are starting and maximum pay grades, which set the lower and upper salary limits of every position. Jobs such as cargo scheduler, clerk-typist and medical technician, for example, start at GS-1 and can go as high as GS-9.
GS-14 Job Series
GS-14 is a high-level position for individuals who have excelled in their field. This pay grade is usually used for supervisors, high-level technical specialists, and those who've earned advanced degrees. The science, engineering and research positions at this level are roughly equivalent to a university professorship. Base salaries for GS-14 jobs range from $89,370 to $116,181. Each step at this level represents an increase in pay of $2,979 per year.
Career Ladder Positions
Agencies can create and fill jobs at whatever grade level they deem appropriate. Some jobs are identified as career ladder positions, meaning that you are eligible for promotion to a higher grade without applying for a new position. With career ladder positions, you can advance more rapidly than through step increases alone.
Career ladder positions in which it is possible to reach GS-14 level include jobs in fields as diverse as financial administration, fish and wildlife administration, government information, horticulture and photographic technology.
To qualify for a position at the GS-14 level, you must have a minimum of one year of experience at the GS-13 level. Depending on the position, candidates may be able to substitute education for some of the required experience.
Job titles for GS-14 employees include the following:
- Administrative officer
- Chief architect
- Health system specialist
- Human resources officer
- Quality management scientist
- Physician
- Program analyst
- Research aerospaceengineer
- Safety engineer
- Supervisory meteorologist
- Supervisory security specialist
What You Should Know About Working for the Government
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reminds employees and prospective employees of a few things they should know about working for the government:
- Rules and procedures change. Never make assumptions and know who you can go to with questions.
- Save all paperwork relating to your employment. You should receive a standard form, an SF-50, for every personnel action taken, including pay increases, promotions and any disciplinary actions.
- All official government papers associated with your employment are kept in your Official Personnel Folder (OPF). The OPF is a permanent record that transfers with you to other federal agencies or to the Federal Records Center when you leave federal service, either to retire totake a job in the private sector.
- If you're a prospective employee, expect to undergo a background check.
Federal Employees Retirement System
Besides the opportunity to serve their country, federal employees benefit from a government-backed retirement plan. The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) provides benefits from three different sources, including a basic benefits plan, Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). A portion of your pay is deducted for plan contributions every pay period. Upon retirement, you receive a monthly amount for the rest of your life.
