GSA Payscale: What Is the Salary Range of a GS13 Employee?

A GS13 government employee has a critical job in the United States government. These employees work in many different departments, and their salaries can vary depending on their position. A GS13 is a midlevel employee in the United States government. The military pay grades go from E-1 to O-10, with E-1 being the lowest rank and O-10 being the highest rank. A grade step is an increase in pay after a certain period has passed since the last promotion or increase.

A GS13 employee has a lot of responsibility. They often work in high-level positions in the government and are responsible for many vital tasks. A GS13 employee might work as a lawyer in a specific government agency. They may be a doctor on a military base or they could be an engineer working in computer science. They might also work in the military, intelligence community or diplomatic service.

GS13 refers to the pay grade that the employee is currently at, as set by the general schedule. The general schedule, or GS, is the pay scale within the U.S. civil workforce. This pay scale encompasses the majority of white-collar personnel positions. General schedule pay is the federal salary requirement set by the government regulators at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

There are several education requirements to reach the GS13 pay scale. The GS13 scale is the level that most doctors, lawyers and engineers fall into. These professions require advanced degrees, and for most GS13 positions, applicants must have their master's degree or a Ph.D. This position is often a supervisory role.

These stringent requirements ensure that the government hires only the best of the best. Some positions may be exceptions in cases where experience outweighs education. Years of service may be substituted for education in long-term tenure situations. The higher-grade positions, however, will absolutely require advanced degrees.

The military is a billion-dollar industry, employing millions of Americans across the globe. There are almost 500 military bases in the U.S. alone. The OPM is the federal government's human resources and oversees hiring employees at the GS13 level. The Department of Defense is the government agency that oversees the OPM.

The GS13 employee will be someone who holds an advanced degree, has additional experience, and can successfully be granted security clearance. The GS level, or grade step level, will determine the pay of these employees. There are 10 steps within each grade step, and with only 15 levels of grade steps, GS13 is a high-ranking position.

Pay increases come as a result of moving up steps over the years. Pay adjustments are made as the years of experience progress. Individuals may qualify for Title 10 benefits after retirement if this position falls under the military category.

It takes years of experience to reach the GS13 level. However, that doesn't necessarily mean years of experience in the government; these years could apply to the countless years of medical school and other advanced training. Federal employees at this level can expect a base pay rate of ​$79,468 to $103,309​ per year. Several things factor into that pay rate, such as the step increases of the employee. As they advance through the steps, the federal pay will increase.

While various steps increase wages, the total increase will be consistent regardless of that step. The cost of living greatly influences pay rates, and locality pay needs to be considered. This locality pay takes geographic areas into account when applying special rates. For instance, pay in Washington, D.C. will be greater than for a smaller base or town. The OPM will make locality adjustments when employees transfer or move positions.

Since the employee's salary is based on the GS pay scale, it's easy to find what you would make at each GS grade. There are salary calculators by the OPM as well as locality pay tables and salary tables that you can access.

The government is a well-oiled machine, and it takes many parts to keep it running smoothly. As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts it, the armed forces' goal is to maintain a sufficient force, and the nation is expected to maintain adequate personnel across all branches. There will never be a shortage of federal employees, including GS13 employees.

The white-collar workers in the military ensure that the machine keeps running. These doctors, lawyers and engineers are necessary for all branches and departments. One benefit of being an official military employee is that your pay scale will remain pretty clear. Remember that there are pay calculators available should you have further questions.