The General Schedule (GS) pay scale is a system used by the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to determine the salaries of federal civilian employees. It is a standardized pay scale that is based on the employee’s job title, grade level, and step within that grade level. The GS pay scale is divided into 15 grades, with each grade level having 10 steps. The higher the grade level and step, the higher the salary.
The GS pay scale is important because it ensures that federal civilian employees are paid fairly and consistently for their work. It also helps to ensure that the government can attract and retain qualified employees. The GS pay scale is reviewed and updated regularly to keep pace with changes in the economy and the labor market.