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Des Moines, Iowa General Schedule Payscale
| Location | County | Population | Gov't Employees | GS Locality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | Polk County | 209,220 | 1,314 | Des Moines (DM) |
There are approximately 1,314 federal employees under the General Schedule employed in Des Moines. All federal employees in Des Moines are paid under the adjusted General Schedule pay table for the Des Moines GS Locality, which provides for a 17.68% pay increase above the base GS pay rates. Locality Adjustments are used to account for higher costs of living in Des Moines, and to keep government salaries competitive with comparable private sector jobs.
The yearly base salaries of General Schedule employees in Des Moines can be determined from the 2024 pay chart below, based on their GS Grade and Step. For more details, learn more about the GS Payscale or use our General Schedule salary calculator.
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $25,873 | $26,742 | $27,601 | $28,459 | $29,316 | $29,819 | $30,671 | $31,529 | $31,563 | $32,364 |
| GS-2 | $29,093 | $29,785 | $30,749 | $31,563 | $31,920 | $32,859 | $33,798 | $34,737 | $35,676 | $36,615 |
| GS-3 | $31,744 | $32,802 | $33,860 | $34,918 | $35,976 | $37,034 | $38,092 | $39,150 | $40,208 | $41,266 |
| GS-4 | $35,634 | $36,821 | $38,008 | $39,196 | $40,383 | $41,570 | $42,758 | $43,945 | $45,133 | $46,320 |
| GS-5 | $39,868 | $41,196 | $42,525 | $43,853 | $45,182 | $46,511 | $47,839 | $49,168 | $50,496 | $51,825 |
| GS-6 | $44,442 | $45,923 | $47,405 | $48,887 | $50,368 | $51,850 | $53,331 | $54,813 | $56,295 | $57,776 |
| GS-7 | $49,386 | $51,032 | $52,678 | $54,325 | $55,971 | $57,617 | $59,264 | $60,910 | $62,556 | $64,203 |
| GS-8 | $54,692 | $56,515 | $58,338 | $60,160 | $61,983 | $63,806 | $65,629 | $67,452 | $69,275 | $71,098 |
| GS-9 | $60,407 | $62,421 | $64,435 | $66,448 | $68,462 | $70,475 | $72,489 | $74,502 | $76,516 | $78,529 |
| GS-10 | $66,522 | $68,739 | $70,956 | $73,173 | $75,391 | $77,608 | $79,825 | $82,042 | $84,259 | $86,476 |
| GS-11 | $73,088 | $75,523 | $77,959 | $80,395 | $82,831 | $85,267 | $87,703 | $90,139 | $92,575 | $95,011 |
| GS-12 | $87,602 | $90,522 | $93,441 | $96,361 | $99,281 | $102,200 | $105,120 | $108,040 | $110,959 | $113,879 |
| GS-13 | $104,170 | $107,643 | $111,116 | $114,589 | $118,061 | $121,534 | $125,007 | $128,479 | $131,952 | $135,425 |
| GS-14 | $123,098 | $127,201 | $131,305 | $135,408 | $139,512 | $143,615 | $147,719 | $151,822 | $155,926 | $160,030 |
| GS-15 | $144,795 | $149,621 | $154,447 | $159,273 | $164,099 | $168,925 | $173,751 | $178,577 | $183,403 | $188,229 |
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $24,596 | $25,422 | $26,238 | $27,054 | $27,870 | $28,348 | $29,157 | $29,972 | $30,005 | $30,774 |
| GS-2 | $27,657 | $28,315 | $29,231 | $30,005 | $30,344 | $31,236 | $32,129 | $33,021 | $33,914 | $34,806 |
| GS-3 | $30,177 | $31,184 | $32,190 | $33,196 | $34,202 | $35,208 | $36,214 | $37,220 | $38,227 | $39,233 |
| GS-4 | $33,875 | $35,004 | $36,133 | $37,263 | $38,392 | $39,521 | $40,650 | $41,779 | $42,908 | $44,037 |
| GS-5 | $37,900 | $39,164 | $40,427 | $41,691 | $42,955 | $44,219 | $45,483 | $46,747 | $48,010 | $49,274 |
| GS-6 | $42,249 | $43,657 | $45,065 | $46,472 | $47,880 | $49,288 | $50,696 | $52,104 | $53,512 | $54,920 |
| GS-7 | $46,948 | $48,513 | $50,078 | $51,643 | $53,207 | $54,772 | $56,337 | $57,902 | $59,467 | $61,032 |
| GS-8 | $51,993 | $53,726 | $55,460 | $57,193 | $58,927 | $60,660 | $62,394 | $64,128 | $65,861 | $67,595 |
| GS-9 | $57,426 | $59,340 | $61,254 | $63,168 | $65,082 | $66,996 | $68,910 | $70,824 | $72,738 | $74,652 |
| GS-10 | $63,238 | $65,347 | $67,455 | $69,564 | $71,672 | $73,780 | $75,889 | $77,997 | $80,105 | $82,214 |
| GS-11 | $69,480 | $71,796 | $74,112 | $76,427 | $78,743 | $81,059 | $83,374 | $85,690 | $88,006 | $90,321 |
| GS-12 | $83,278 | $86,054 | $88,830 | $91,606 | $94,382 | $97,158 | $99,934 | $102,710 | $105,486 | $108,262 |
| GS-13 | $99,029 | $102,329 | $105,630 | $108,931 | $112,232 | $115,532 | $118,833 | $122,134 | $125,435 | $128,735 |
| GS-14 | $117,022 | $120,923 | $124,823 | $128,724 | $132,624 | $136,524 | $140,425 | $144,325 | $148,226 | $152,126 |
| GS-15 | $137,649 | $142,237 | $146,825 | $151,413 | $156,001 | $160,589 | $165,177 | $169,765 | $174,353 | $178,941 |
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $23,504 | $24,293 | $25,074 | $25,852 | $26,633 | $27,090 | $27,863 | $28,642 | $28,673 | $29,403 |
| GS-2 | $26,429 | $27,058 | $27,933 | $28,673 | $28,997 | $29,850 | $30,703 | $31,556 | $32,409 | $33,262 |
| GS-3 | $28,838 | $29,799 | $30,760 | $31,721 | $32,683 | $33,644 | $34,605 | $35,567 | $36,528 | $37,489 |
| GS-4 | $32,372 | $33,451 | $34,530 | $35,609 | $36,687 | $37,766 | $38,845 | $39,924 | $41,003 | $42,082 |
| GS-5 | $36,218 | $37,425 | $38,632 | $39,839 | $41,047 | $42,254 | $43,461 | $44,668 | $45,875 | $47,082 |
| GS-6 | $40,373 | $41,719 | $43,065 | $44,410 | $45,756 | $47,102 | $48,448 | $49,794 | $51,139 | $52,485 |
| GS-7 | $44,864 | $46,359 | $47,854 | $49,349 | $50,844 | $52,338 | $53,833 | $55,328 | $56,823 | $58,318 |
| GS-8 | $49,685 | $51,341 | $52,997 | $54,653 | $56,308 | $57,964 | $59,620 | $61,276 | $62,931 | $64,587 |
| GS-9 | $54,877 | $56,707 | $58,536 | $60,366 | $62,195 | $64,024 | $65,854 | $67,683 | $69,512 | $71,342 |
| GS-10 | $60,432 | $62,447 | $64,461 | $66,476 | $68,490 | $70,505 | $72,520 | $74,534 | $76,549 | $78,564 |
| GS-11 | $66,397 | $68,609 | $70,822 | $73,035 | $75,247 | $77,460 | $79,673 | $81,886 | $84,098 | $86,311 |
| GS-12 | $79,582 | $82,235 | $84,888 | $87,541 | $90,195 | $92,848 | $95,501 | $98,154 | $100,807 | $103,460 |
| GS-13 | $94,633 | $97,787 | $100,941 | $104,095 | $107,250 | $110,404 | $113,558 | $116,712 | $119,866 | $123,021 |
| GS-14 | $111,828 | $115,555 | $119,283 | $123,010 | $126,738 | $130,465 | $134,193 | $137,920 | $141,648 | $145,375 |
| GS-15 | $131,539 | $135,924 | $140,309 | $144,693 | $149,078 | $153,463 | $157,847 | $162,232 | $166,617 | $171,001 |
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $22,886 | $23,654 | $24,414 | $25,172 | $25,932 | $26,377 | $27,130 | $27,888 | $27,918 | $28,628 |
| GS-2 | $25,734 | $26,346 | $27,198 | $27,918 | $28,233 | $29,063 | $29,893 | $30,723 | $31,553 | $32,384 |
| GS-3 | $28,078 | $29,014 | $29,950 | $30,886 | $31,821 | $32,757 | $33,693 | $34,628 | $35,564 | $36,500 |
| GS-4 | $31,520 | $32,570 | $33,621 | $34,671 | $35,722 | $36,772 | $37,823 | $38,873 | $39,924 | $40,974 |
| GS-5 | $35,265 | $36,441 | $37,616 | $38,792 | $39,968 | $41,144 | $42,319 | $43,495 | $44,671 | $45,847 |
| GS-6 | $39,311 | $40,621 | $41,931 | $43,241 | $44,551 | $45,862 | $47,172 | $48,482 | $49,792 | $51,103 |
| GS-7 | $43,683 | $45,139 | $46,596 | $48,052 | $49,508 | $50,965 | $52,421 | $53,877 | $55,334 | $56,790 |
| GS-8 | $48,378 | $49,991 | $51,604 | $53,216 | $54,829 | $56,442 | $58,055 | $59,668 | $61,281 | $62,894 |
| GS-9 | $53,433 | $55,214 | $56,995 | $58,776 | $60,557 | $62,338 | $64,119 | $65,900 | $67,681 | $69,462 |
| GS-10 | $58,842 | $60,804 | $62,766 | $64,728 | $66,690 | $68,652 | $70,614 | $72,575 | $74,537 | $76,499 |
| GS-11 | $64,649 | $66,805 | $68,960 | $71,116 | $73,271 | $75,427 | $77,582 | $79,738 | $81,893 | $84,049 |
| GS-12 | $77,488 | $80,072 | $82,655 | $85,238 | $87,822 | $90,405 | $92,988 | $95,572 | $98,155 | $100,739 |
| GS-13 | $92,143 | $95,215 | $98,286 | $101,358 | $104,429 | $107,501 | $110,572 | $113,644 | $116,715 | $119,787 |
| GS-14 | $108,885 | $112,514 | $116,144 | $119,773 | $123,402 | $127,031 | $130,661 | $134,290 | $137,919 | $141,548 |
| GS-15 | $128,078 | $132,348 | $136,617 | $140,886 | $145,155 | $149,425 | $153,694 | $157,963 | $162,233 | $166,502 |
* The 2024 General Schedule payscale is capped at a maximum salary of $191,900 per year, which is Level 4 of the Senior Executive Service payscale.
Des Moines Federal Employment Statistics
This section provides statistics on Federal government employees in Des Moines, including most common occupations, agencies with the most local employees, and the average paygrade and salary rates of general schedule employees in the area. All data in this section is derived from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)'s most recent available listings of federal employees in Des Moines.
Common Occupations in Des Moines
| Occupation | Number Employed | Avg. Salary | Avg. Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans Claims Examining | 109 | $76,874.00 | $0.00 |
This table lists the top one occupations held by the approximately 109 federal employees working in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as average yearly compensation for Des Moines based federal employees of that occupation.
Federal Agencies in Des Moines
| Agency | Des Moines Employees | Avg. Salary | Avg. Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans Benefits Administration | 109 | $76,874.00 | $0.00 |
There are one Federal agency with a significant workforce in Des Moines. General Schedule employees at all of the agencies listed below will be paid according to the locality-adjusted GS payscale listed on this page.
There are approximately 109 federal employees on the General Schedule payscale located within Des Moines. The average federal employee in Des Moines earns $76,874 per year, and the average yearly bonus is $0.
Based on data provided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the most common job title for federal employees based in Des Moines is Veterans Claims Examining. The Federal agency with the largest number of employees in Des Moines is the Veterans Benefits Administration, which has total of 109 employees in the area.
The bar graph to the left shows the distribution of employees in Des Moines by paygrade, from GS-1 to GS-15. To learn more about how paygrades are determined and how they affect a federal employee's salary, see how to calculate GS Pay.