(219) 

APPENDIX NO. 4 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES FOR 2004 

The information in the body of this report reflects grades or salaries in effect on the first pay 

period on or after January 1, 2004. 

EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE (EX) 

Level I ............................................................................................................................ $175,700 

Level II ........................................................................................................................... 158,100 

Level III ......................................................................................................................... 145,600 

Level IV .......................................................................................................................... 136,900 

Level V ........................................................................................................................... 128,200 

SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE SCHEDULE (ES) 

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108–136, November 

24, 2003) authorized a new performance-based pay system for members of the Senior Executive Service 

(SES). Pay ranges for the SES are established by law. The minimum is 120 percent of the rate 

for GS–15, step 1. For agencies without a certified SES performance appraisal system, SES members’ 

pay may not exceed the pay for level III of the Executive Schedule. For agencies with a certified 

SES performance appraisal system, SES members’ pay may not exceed the pay for level II of the 

Executive Schedule. SES members are no longer entitled to locality-based comparability payments. 

Structure of the SES Pay System Minimum Maximum 

Agencies with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System ...................................................................... $104,927 $158,100 

Agencies without a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System ................................................................. 104,927 145,600 

SENIOR LEVEL (SL) 

Pay for Senior Level positions ranges from 120 percent of basic pay payable for GS–15, step 

1, of the General Schedule to the rate of pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule. In addition 

to the 2004 basic pay rates listed below, the SL employees are entitled to locality-based comparability 

payments for their respective pay area. The employee’s locality rate of pay may not exceed the pay 

for level III of the Executive Schedule. 

Minimum ....................................................................................................................... $104,927 

Maximum ....................................................................................................................... 136,900 

220 FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES

GENERAL SCHEDULE 

Initial appointments to positions under the General Schedule are normally made at the minimum 

rate of the grade, although under certain circumstances, individuals with superior qualifications may 

be appointed at a rate above the minimum rate. 

Step increases are granted General Schedule (GS) employees at the end of 52 weeks of service 

in steps 1, 2, and 3 of each grade; at the end of 104 weeks of service in steps 4, 5, and 6; and 

at the end of 156 weeks of service in steps 7, 8, and 9. An employee’s work must be determined 

to be of an acceptable level of competence before each step increase. In addition to the periodic step 

increase, an employee whose work is outstanding may be advanced to a higher step on this basis 

no more than once every 52 weeks. In addition to the 2004 basic pay rates listed below, GS employees 

are entitled to locality-based comparability payments for their respective pay area. The employee’s 

locality rate of pay may not exceed the pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule. 

GENERAL SCHEDULE

Grade 

2004 Annual Rates and Steps 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

GS–1 ................................... $15,625 $16,146 $16,666 $17,183 $17,703 $18,009 $18,521 $19,039 $19,060 $19,543 

GS–2 ................................... 17,568 17,985 18,567 19,060 19,274 19,841 20,408 20,975 21,542 22,109 

GS–3 ................................... 19,168 19,807 20,446 21,085 21,724 22,363 23,002 23,641 24,280 24,919 

GS–4 ................................... 21,518 22,235 22,952 23,669 24,386 25,103 25,820 26,537 27,254 27,971 

GS–5 ................................... 24,075 24,878 25,681 26,484 27,287 28,090 28,893 29,696 30,499 31,302 

GS–6 ................................... 26,836 27,731 28,626 29,521 30,416 31,311 32,206 33,101 33,996 34,891 

GS–7 ................................... 29,821 30,815 31,809 32,803 33,797 34,791 35,785 36,779 37,773 38,767 

GS–8 ................................... 33,026 34,127 35,228 36,329 37,430 38,531 39,632 40,733 41,834 42,935 

GS–9 ................................... 36,478 37,694 38,910 40,126 41,342 42,558 43,774 44,990 46,206 47,422 

GS–10 ................................. 40,171 41,510 42,849 44,188 45,527 46,866 48,205 49,544 50,883 52,222 

GS–11 ................................. 44,136 45,607 47,078 48,549 50,020 51,491 52,962 54,433 55,904 57,375 

GS–12 ................................. 52,899 54,662 56,425 58,188 59,951 61,714 63,477 65,240 67,003 68,766 

GS–13 ................................. 62,905 65,002 67,099 69,196 71,293 73,390 75,487 77,584 79,681 81,778 

GS–14 ................................. 74,335 76,813 79,291 81,769 84,247 86,725 89,203 91,681 94,159 96,637 

GS–15 ................................. 87,439 90,354 93,269 96,184 99,099 102,014 104,929 107,844 110,759 113,674 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES 221 

LOCALITY PAY AREAS WITH RESPECTIVE RATES 

Atlanta, GA 12.61% 

*Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT-RI 16.99% 

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI 18.26% 

Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN 15.07% 

Cleveland-Akron, OH 13.14% 

Columbus, OH 13.14% 

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX 13.85% 

Dayton-Springfield, OH 12.03% 

Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO 16.66% 

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI 18.32% 

*Hartford, CT 17.87% 

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX 23.14% 

Huntsville, AL 11.49% 

Indianapolis, IN 11.11% 

Kansas City, MO-KS 11.54% 

*Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA 20.05% 

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL 15.54% 

Milwaukee-Racine, WI 12.64% 

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI 14.75% 

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA 19.29% 

Orlando, FL 10.93% 

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD 15.32% 

Pittsburgh,PA 11.92% 

Portland-Salem, OR-WA 14.69% 

Richmond-Petersburg, VA 12.13% 

Sacramento-Yolo, CA 15.18% 

St. Louis, MO-IL 11.27% 

San Diego, CA 16.16% 

*San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA 24.21% 

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA 15.12% 

*Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 14.63% 

Rest of United States (in the contiguous 48 states) 10.90% 

*The locality pay area boundaries generally correspond to established Metropolitan Statistical Areas. However, the Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT-RI, locality pay 

area includes the State of Rhode Island and all of Bristol County, MA; the Los AngelesRiverside-Orange County, CA, locality pay area includes Santa Barbara County and Edwards Air Force Base, CA; the Hartford locality pay area includes all of New London 

County, CT; the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose locality pay area includes Monterey 

County, CA; and the Washington-Baltimore DC-MD-VA-WV locality pay area includes St. 

Mary’s County, MD. 

222 FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES

WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE, DC-MD-VA-WV LOCALITY PAY SCHEDULE 

The following salary tables reflect the locality pay rates for the Washington-Baltimore, DC-MDVA-WV locality pay area in 2004. The tables incorporate a locality payment of 14.63 percent. 

GENERAL SCHEDULE

Grade 

2004 Annual Rates and Steps 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

GS–1 ................................... $17,911 $18,508 $19,104 $19,697 $20,293 $20,644 $21,231 $21,824 $21,848 $22,402 

GS–2 ................................... 20,138 20,616 21,283 21,848 22,094 22,744 23,394 24,044 24,694 25,344 

GS–3 ................................... 21,972 22,705 23,437 24,170 24,902 25,635 26,367 27,100 27,832 28,565 

GS–4 ................................... 24,666 25,488 26,310 27,132 27,954 28,776 29,597 30,419 31,241 32,063 

GS–5 ................................... 27,597 28,518 29,438 30,359 31,279 32,200 33,120 34,041 34,961 35,881 

GS–6 ................................... 30,762 31,788 32,814 33,840 34,866 35,892 36,918 37,944 38,970 39,996 

GS–7 ................................... 34,184 35,323 36,463 37,602 38,742 39,881 41,020 42,160 43,299 44,439 

GS–8 ................................... 37,858 39,120 40,382 41,644 42,906 44,168 45,430 46,692 47,954 49,216 

GS–9 ................................... 41,815 43,209 44,603 45,996 47,390 48,784 50,178 51,572 52,966 54,360 

GS–10 ................................. 46,048 47,583 49,118 50,653 52,188 53,722 55,257 56,792 58,327 59,862 

GS–11 ................................. 50,593 52,279 53,966 55,652 57,338 59,024 60,710 62,397 64,083 65,769 

GS–12 ................................. 60,638 62,659 64,680 66,701 68,722 70,743 72,764 74,785 76,806 78,826 

GS–13 ................................. 72,108 74,512 76,916 79,319 81,723 84,127 86,531 88,935 91,338 93,742 

GS–14 ................................. 85,210 88,051 90,891 93,732 96,572 99,413 102,253 105,094 107,934 110,775 

GS–15 ................................. 100,231 103,573 106,914 110,256 113,597 116,939 120,280 123,622 126,963 130,305 

SENIOR-LEVEL (SL) 

Minimum ....................................................................................................................... $120,278 

Maximum ....................................................................................................................... 145,600 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES 223 

SPECIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (LEO) PAY SCHEDULES 

The salary tables for LEOs are computed based on the annual rates of basic pay of the 2004 

General Schedule, including special salary rates for LEOs at grades GS–3 through GS–10 established 

under section 403 of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA). In addition, 

LEOs are entitled to the greater of the applicable locality payment or special geographic adjustment 

for LEOs under section 404 of FEPCA. The locality pay area definitions and pay percentages are 

the same as those used for regular General Schedule employees. 

SPECIAL SALARY RATES FOR LEOS

Grade 

2004 Annual Rates and Steps 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

GS–3 ................................... $23,002 $23,641 $24,280 $24,919 $25,558 $26,197 $26,836 $27,475 $28,114 $28,753 

GS–4 ................................... 25,820 26,537 27,254 27,971 28,688 29,405 30,122 30,839 31,556 32,273 

GS–5 ................................... 29,696 30,499 31,302 32,105 32,908 33,711 34,514 35,317 36,120 36,923 

GS–6 ................................... 31,311 32,206 33,101 33,996 34,891 35,786 36,681 37,576 38,471 39,366 

GS–7 ................................... 33,797 34,791 35,785 36,779 37,773 38,767 39,761 40,755 41,749 42,743 

GS–8 ................................... 35,228 36,329 37,430 38,531 39,632 40,733 41,834 42,935 44,036 45,137 

GS–9 ................................... 37,694 38,910 40,126 41,342 42,558 43,774 44,990 46,206 47,422 48,638 

GS–10 ................................. 41,510 42,849 44,188 45,527 46,866 48,205 49,544 50,883 52,222 53,561 

NOTE: These special salary rates for law enforcement officers (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 5541(3) and 5 CFR 550.103) are authorized

by section 403 of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990. By law, these rates must be the basis for computing locality and other geographic adjusted rates of pay. (See section 404 of FEPCA and 5 CFR part 531, subparts C and F.) 

224 FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES

THE FOREIGN SERVICE SCHEDULE 

Class 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Step 1 .................................................. $87,439 $70,851 $57,410 $46,519 $37,694 $33,697 $30,124 $26,930 $24,075 

Step 2 .................................................. 90,062 72,977 59,132 47,915 38,825 34,708 31,028 27,738 24,797 

Step 3 .................................................. 92,764 75,166 60,906 49,352 39,990 35,749 31,959 28,570 25,541 

Step 4 .................................................. 95,547 77,421 62,733 50,833 41,189 36,822 32,917 29,427 26,307 

Step 5 .................................................. 98,413 79,743 64,615 52,358 42,425 37,926 33,905 30,310 27,097 

Step 6 .................................................. 101,366 82,136 66,554 53,928 43,698 39,064 34,922 31,219 27,910 

Step 7 .................................................. 104,407 84,600 68,551 55,546 45,009 40,236 35,970 32,156 28,747 

Step 8 .................................................. 107,539 87,138 70,607 57,213 46,359 41,443 37,049 33,121 29,609 

Step 9 .................................................. 110,765 89,752 72,725 58,929 47,750 42,686 38,160 34,114 30,497 

Step 10 ................................................ 113,674 92,444 74,907 60,697 49,182 43,967 39,305 35,138 31,412 

Step 11 ................................................ 113,674 95,218 77,154 62,518 50,658 45,286 40,484 36,192 32,355 

Step 12 ................................................ 113,674 98,074 79,469 64,393 52,177 46,645 41,699 37,277 33,325 

Step 13 ................................................ 113,674 101,017 81,853 66,325 53,743 48,044 42,950 38,396 34,325 

Step 14 ................................................ 113,674 104,047 84,309 68,315 55,355 49,485 44,238 39,548 35,355 

SENIOR FOREIGN SERVICE SCHEDULE 

The National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2004 (Public Law 108–136, November 24, 2003) 

abolished the six-level Senior Executive Service (SES) pay system upon which the Senior Foreign 

Service (SFS) was based. Consequetly, the SFS pay system has been replaced by an open-range, performance-based pay system that is linked to the new SES pay system. SFS members, like SES members, 

are no longer entitled to automatic across-the-board increases and locality-based comparability payments. 

Instead, pay adjustments are based on a member’s individual performance and/or contribution to the 

agency’s performance. 

The Executive order prescribes three SFS salary classes that are linked to the SES as follows: 

(1) Career Minister (CM), with a range from 94 percent of the rate payable to level III of 

the Executive Schedule to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive 

Schedule (Note: Career Ambassador (CA) SFS members are also paid within the CM rate 

range); 

(2) Minister-Counselor (MC), with a range from 90 percent of the rate payable to level III 

of the Executive Schedule to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive 

Schedule; and 

(3) Counselor (OC), with a range from 120 percent of the rate payable to GS–15, step 1, 

to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule. 

The 2004 pay ranges for SFS classes are: 

SFS Class Minimum Maximum 

OC ......................................................................................................... $104,927 $145,600* 

MC ......................................................................................................... $131,040 $145,600* 

CM, CA ................................................................................................. $136,864 $145,600* 

*Linked to the rate of pay for level III of the Executive Schedule. If/when an agency’s performance appraisal system is certified by OPM and OMB as making ‘‘meaningful distinctions 

based on relative performance,’’ this cap will rise to level II of the Executive Schedule 

($158,100). 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES 225 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES EFFECTIVE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST 

APPLICABLE PAY PERIOD BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2004 

SCHEDULE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH

(38 U.S.C. 7306)* 

Minimum Maximum 

Deputy Under Secretary for Health ........................................................................................................... ........................ $148,495 ** 

Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Health .......................................................................................... ........................ 142,230*** 

Assistant Under Secretaries for Health .................................................................................................... ........................ 138,037*** 

Medical Directors ......................................................................................................................................... $117,774 $133,481*** 

Service Directors .......................................................................................................................................... 102,549 127,359

Director, National Center for Preventive Health ...................................................................................... 87,439 127,359

Physician and Dentist Schedule 

Director Grade ............................................................................................................................................. $102,549 $127,359

Executive Grade ........................................................................................................................................... 94,694 120,684

Chief Grade .................................................................................................................................................. 87,439 113,674

Senior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 74,355 96,637

Intermediate Grade ..................................................................................................................................... 62,905 81,778

Full Grade .................................................................................................................................................... 52,899 68,766

Associate Grade ........................................................................................................................................... 44,136 57,375

Clinical Podiatrist and Optometrist Schedule 

Chief Grade .................................................................................................................................................. $87,439 $113,674

Senior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 74,335 96,637

Intermediate Grade ..................................................................................................................................... 62,905 81,778

Full Grade .................................................................................................................................................... 52,899 68,766

Associate Grade ........................................................................................................................................... 44,136 57,375

Physician Assistant and Expanded-Function 

Dental Auxiliary Schedule**** 

Director Grade ............................................................................................................................................. $87,439 $113,674

Assistant Director Grade ............................................................................................................................ 74,335 96,637

Chief Grade .................................................................................................................................................. 62,905 81,778

Senior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 52,899 68,766

Intermediate Grade ..................................................................................................................................... 44,136 57,375

Full Grade .................................................................................................................................................... 36,478 47,422

Associate Grade ........................................................................................................................................... 31,390 40,804

Junior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 26,836 34,891

*This schedule does not apply to the Assistant Under Secretary for Nursing Programs or the Director of Nursing Services. Pay for 

these positions is set by the Under Secretary for Health under 38 U.S.C. 7451. 

**Pursuant to section 7404(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, the rate of basic pay payable to this employee is limited to the 

rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule, which is $136,900. 

***Pursuant to section 7404(d)(2) of title 38, United States Code, the rate of basic pay payable to these employees is limited to the 

rate for level V of the Executive Schedule, which is $128,200. 

****Pursuant to section 301(a) of Public Law 102–40, these positions are paid according to the Nurse Schedule in 38 U.S.C. 

4107(b) as in effect on August 14, 1990, with subsequent adjustments.