GS-3 Pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
$33,006 – $42,912 per year • 19.12% locality adjustment
GS-3 Salary Summary — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Complete GS-3 Pay Table — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $33,006 | $2,751 | $1,269 | $15.82 | $27,708 | +$5,298 |
| Step 2 | $34,106 | $2,842 | $1,312 | $16.34 | $28,632 | +$5,474 |
| Step 3 | $35,207 | $2,934 | $1,354 | $16.87 | $29,556 | +$5,651 |
| Step 4 | $36,308 | $3,026 | $1,396 | $17.40 | $30,480 | +$5,828 |
| Step 5 | $37,408 | $3,117 | $1,439 | $17.92 | $31,404 | +$6,004 |
| Step 6 | $38,509 | $3,209 | $1,481 | $18.45 | $32,328 | +$6,181 |
| Step 7 | $39,610 | $3,301 | $1,523 | $18.98 | $33,252 | +$6,358 |
| Step 8 | $40,710 | $3,393 | $1,566 | $19.51 | $34,176 | +$6,534 |
| Step 9 | $41,811 | $3,484 | $1,608 | $20.03 | $35,100 | +$6,711 |
| Step 10 | $42,912 | $3,576 | $1,650 | $20.56 | $36,024 | +$6,888 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
How does GS-3 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 at Step 5 in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA is a raise of $4,224 per year.
GS-3 Federal Jobs in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Federal employees at GS-3 in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area earn between $33,006 and $42,912 annually in 2026. This includes a 19.12% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-3 base pay of $27,708 to $36,024.
The Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area covers Iowa. At Step 5, a GS-3 employee here earns $646 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
The biweekly pay for a GS-3 Step 1 in this area is $1,269, or approximately $15.82 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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