GS-15 Pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
$150,556 – $195,722 per year • 19.12% locality adjustment
GS-15 Salary Summary — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Complete GS-15 Pay Table — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $150,556 | $12,546 | $5,791 | $72.14 | $126,390 | +$24,166 |
| Step 2 | $155,574 | $12,965 | $5,984 | $74.54 | $130,603 | +$24,971 |
| Step 3 | $160,593 | $13,383 | $6,177 | $76.95 | $134,816 | +$25,777 |
| Step 4 | $165,611 | $13,801 | $6,370 | $79.35 | $139,029 | +$26,582 |
| Step 5 | $170,630 | $14,219 | $6,563 | $81.76 | $143,242 | +$27,388 |
| Step 6 | $175,648 | $14,637 | $6,756 | $84.16 | $147,455 | +$28,193 |
| Step 7 | $180,667 | $15,056 | $6,949 | $86.57 | $151,668 | +$28,999 |
| Step 8 | $185,685 | $15,474 | $7,142 | $88.97 | $155,881 | +$29,804 |
| Step 9 | $190,704 | $15,892 | $7,335 | $91.38 | $160,094 | +$30,610 |
| Step 10 | $195,722 | $16,310 | $7,528 | $93.78 | $164,307 | +$31,415 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
How does GS-15 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-14 to GS-15 at Step 5 in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA is a raise of $25,578 per year.
GS-15 Federal Jobs in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Federal employees at GS-15 in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area earn between $150,556 and $195,722 annually in 2026. This includes a 19.12% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-15 base pay of $126,390 to $164,307.
The Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area covers Iowa. At Step 5, a GS-15 employee here earns $2,951 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
The biweekly pay for a GS-15 Step 1 in this area is $5,791, or approximately $72.14 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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