About EPA Salaries
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How EPA Salaries Are Determined
Like other government agencies, our basic salaries are set by Congress and most are paid under the General Schedule, which spans Grades 1 to 15 (i.e. ‘GS-1’ to ‘GS-15’). The grade level at which an individual enters a job depends on the specific position and the individual's qualifications. The General Schedule has 15 grades -- GS-1 (lowest) to GS-15 (highest). Agencies establish (classify) the grade of each job based on the level of difficulty, responsibility, and qualifications required:
- Individuals with a high school diploma and no additional experience typically qualify for GS-2 positions.
- Those with a Bachelor’s degree typically qualify for GS-5 positions.
- Those with a Master’s degree typically qualify for GS-9 positions.
- Those with a Ph.D. or equivalent, or with a J.D. degree, typically qualify for GS-11 positions.
Special Circumstances for Additional Pay
In special circumstances, agencies may authorize a higher step rate for a newly-appointed federal employee based on a special need of the agency or superior qualifications of the prospective employee.
Your basic pay may also include Locality Pay — determined by your geographic location — that reflects the relative cost of labor across the country.
See more information on OPM's General Schedule Qualification page.
How Salary Increases Happen
Each grade has 10 step rates (steps 1-10) that are each worth approximately 3 percent of the employee’s salary. Most employees start at step 1 of their GS grade. Within-grade step increases are based on an acceptable level of performance. These increases are available after:
- One year of service if you are in step 1, 2 or 3.
- Two years of service if you are in step 4, 5 or 6.
- Three years of service if you are in step 7, 8 or 9.
Each year, the president and Congress consider whether or not to raise government-wide pay across the board to account for rising cost of living expenses. In the event of a pay freeze, the freeze applies only to these annual cost of living adjustments, so it won’t prevent you from being promoted to a higher grade level or increasing a step within a grade.
Incentives and Employee Recognition
EPA celebrates superior performance through various awards. Recognition may be additional pay, special salary increases, medals, etc.