GS-2 Pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
$30,248 – $38,062 per year • 19.12% locality adjustment
GS-2 Salary Summary — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Complete GS-2 Pay Table — 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?
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 — it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.
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