How does the US government pay scale work?

[Travis_0004]

I applied for a job with the US government. The pay is listed as 27k-37k, which is quite a big range. The job is a GS-4. If I was hired for this job, how is starting pay determined? As a new employee, am I automatically at the bottom? Or is it based on my experience?

I applied for another job as a GS-5, and my was given a rating of A, so i was considered very qualified, and would have been in the first round of interviews. (I didn't realize at the time it was only a temp job, so I declined the interview).

If I have the qualifications of a GS5, does that mean I could request (and possibly get), the higher end of the pay scale for a GS4, at around 37k? I just applied recently so I have been assigned a rating yet, but I have to imagine it will be an A.

[Nye Bevan]

1. Try this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Schedule_%28US_civil_service_pay_scale%29

[Travis_0004]

3. i have read that.

It makes it sound like with no prior government experience I would be hired in as a GS4 step 1 which is the 27 k salay.

Im not sure if due to qualifying as a GS 5 I can start as a GS4 step 5 (or higher) and start off at 33-37k.

[Duckhunter935]

4. it is by the position

if you are hired for the GS 4 position I do not think you will get more than step 1. The only thing I can think of we hired GS 5-7-9 positions and the starting pay was tied to experience. If you meet all of the requirements then you are able to start GS-9. It has to be listed like that in the job announcement.

[Duckhunter935]

2. it depends

most of the time you will start at step one and get an annual raise for the first 4 years. You are base step one plus whatever locality pay is included.

base 24,518 + what locality pay is. 4 hours of annual leave and 4 hours of sick leave per pay period (two weeks)

Link to pay scale....

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2013/general-schedule/saltbl.pdf

[left is right]

5. the range is based on steps

there are 10 steps to each wage grade. As a new employee with no other time is grade, you as a grade 4 you will be at step 1, at the 27k range in a year, you will get a step promotion and a raise. The next step will come in 18 months. The same will be true if you are offered the grade 5. Qualifying as a 5 only counts if you are offered a grade 5 position. But once you are in the system, you can bid on a higher grade. There are other factors that can affect your starting step: Time in military, schooling. Being higher qualified will work to your advantage in obtaining a position but usually won’t affect the step process.

[Duckhunter935]

6. I think

step 2 is after 12 months. I agree even if you think the pay is a bit low. Get in the GS system and it is much easier to find other positions. I started five and a half years ago as a GS-9 and now am a GS-12. This is my third position. Went from 9 to 11 to 12 when we moved to Fort Sill with the last BRAC. Lot of the old guys just retired and did not want to move. Government sold my house and paid for the move and I received incentive pay.

[left is right]

8. you may be right about the time to make it to step 3

it has been a long time since I was a step 1

[TheDebbieDee]

7. Take any federal job you can get, even if it is temporary.......

Once you get your foot in the door you will find that there may be many other jobs with that same agency that you can only apply for if you are already employed by that agency. Once you get that first job - the ANCHOR job - you can immediately begin applying for permanent positions of the same grade (a lateral move) or the next two higher grades (which would be a promotion).

In federal employment there is sometimes a lot of chess-like strategy and patience involved in getting the job you really want, but NOTHING can happen until you get your foot in the door by taking the job you DON'T want......

Good luck.

[Travis_0004]

10. Its certainly something to think about

If I was starting at GS4 step 1, I would take a pay cut, and my rent would go up. From my current place to the new job, would be a 1 hour 45 minute drive, so I would have to move. I currently live with a roommate in his house, so its month to month, but I'm not sure if I could take a pay cut and see my housing cost rise at the same time.

[left is right]

9. Here’s a tip

when bidding for any position, use as many of the exact same phrases to describe your qualifications as the job posting’s list of duties.

[madville]

11. Here is how I understand GS pay

Go to google and type "GS pay chart". Look at the link to OPM's website. There is base GS pay and then you have to factor in the locality pay.

Every GS position gets at least 14% locality pay on top of the base rate, some higher in more expensive areas.

It is possible to start at a higher step but you have to show you are coming from a higher paying job, not counting overtime, just the base pay rate. They are probably much tighter with the starting pay steps since the labor pool is saturated.

I'm a WG-11 though, it only has 5 steps and you max out after 6 years, in my position it's around $23-27 an hour on the scale.