GS-1 Pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
$26,902 – $33,649 per year • 19.12% locality adjustment
GS-1 Salary Summary — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Complete GS-1 Pay Table — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $26,902 | $2,242 | $1,035 | $12.89 | $22,584 | +$4,318 |
| Step 2 | $27,804 | $2,317 | $1,069 | $13.32 | $23,341 | +$4,463 |
| Step 3 | $28,698 | $2,392 | $1,104 | $13.75 | $24,092 | +$4,606 |
| Step 4 | $29,589 | $2,466 | $1,138 | $14.18 | $24,840 | +$4,749 |
| Step 5 | $30,482 | $2,540 | $1,172 | $14.61 | $25,589 | +$4,893 |
| Step 6 | $31,005 | $2,584 | $1,193 | $14.86 | $26,028 | +$4,977 |
| Step 7 | $31,890 | $2,658 | $1,227 | $15.28 | $26,771 | +$5,119 |
| Step 8 | $32,781 | $2,732 | $1,261 | $15.71 | $27,519 | +$5,262 |
| Step 9 | $32,818 | $2,735 | $1,262 | $15.72 | $27,550 | +$5,268 |
| Step 10 | $33,649 | $2,804 | $1,294 | $16.12 | $28,248 | +$5,401 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
How does GS-1 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
GS-1 Federal Jobs in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Federal employees at GS-1 in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area earn between $26,902 and $33,649 annually in 2026. This includes a 19.12% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-1 base pay of $22,584 to $28,248.
The Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area covers Iowa. At Step 5, a GS-1 employee here earns $528 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
The biweekly pay for a GS-1 Step 1 in this area is $1,035, or approximately $12.89 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance — it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.
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