GS-2 Pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA

$30,248 โ€“ $38,062 per year • 19.12% locality adjustment

2026 rates • $573 more than Rest of US at Step 5

GS-2 Salary Summary โ€” Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA

Entry (Step 1) $30,248/yr $1,163 biweekly
Mid (Step 5) $33,184/yr $1,276 biweekly
Top (Step 10) $38,062/yr $1,464 biweekly
Locality Adj. +19.12% +$5,326 at Step 5

Complete GS-2 Pay Table โ€” Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA (2026)

Step Annual Monthly Biweekly Hourly Base Pay Locality Add
Step 1 $30,248 $2,521 $1,163 $14.49 $25,393 +$4,855
Step 2 $30,968 $2,581 $1,191 $14.84 $25,997 +$4,971
Step 3 $31,971 $2,664 $1,230 $15.32 $26,839 +$5,132
Step 4 $32,818 $2,735 $1,262 $15.72 $27,550 +$5,268
Step 5 $33,184 $2,765 $1,276 $15.90 $27,858 +$5,326
Step 6 $34,160 $2,847 $1,314 $16.37 $28,677 +$5,483
Step 7 $35,136 $2,928 $1,351 $16.84 $29,496 +$5,640
Step 8 $36,111 $3,009 $1,389 $17.30 $30,315 +$5,796
Step 9 $37,087 $3,091 $1,426 $17.77 $31,134 +$5,953
Step 10 $38,062 $3,172 $1,464 $18.24 $31,953 +$6,109

Compare Nearby Grades in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA

How does GS-2 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?

GS-1
$30,482
GS-2
$33,184
GS-3
$37,408

Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 at Step 5 in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA is a raise of $2,702 per year.

GS-2 Federal Jobs in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA

Federal employees at GS-2 in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area earn between $30,248 and $38,062 annually in 2026. This includes a 19.12% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-2 base pay of $25,393 to $31,953.

The Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area covers Iowa. At Step 5, a GS-2 employee here earns $573 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).

The biweekly pay for a GS-2 Step 1 in this area is $1,163, or approximately $14.49 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance โ€” it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.

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