[DarkSavant]

You forgot to add in the pay adjustments based on location, which adds a significant amount to the base pay. Being located in Washington DC adds over twenty percent to the pay scales you listed.

http://www.fedjobs.com/pay/pay.html

[GreyFriar]

I mentioned that there were pay adjustments based upon location, but I only posted the base pay because it was simpler and took up less space than listing base and then locality pays for a couple of dozen areas.

I wonder if there are more federal workers in the DC area than the rest of the country? I know that most places in the south, exculding hi-cost of living Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Tampa are at the base pay level.

Having spent time in DC while in the Army, the COLA is needed by lower GS families/folks unless you are “dual income no kids.”