Compensation, Performance & Leave

Federal employees are compensated through structured pay plans that align with the duties and responsibilities of their positions, such as the General Schedule (GS) pay plan. Central to this is the position classification system, which assigns a pay grade to specific positions using factors like complexity, scope, and required qualifications.

Pay levels can vary widely depending on occupation, agency, geographic location, and specialized skills. The largest share of employees work in mid-level graded positions (GS 9-12). In these positions, employees are typically experienced professionals who use their specialized knowledge to work independently and lead projects and teams.

Federal workforce by pay plan and grade

What is the average federal employee salary?

Federal employee salaries are determined by the pay grade of the position which reflect the complexity, scope, and qualifications required for the job. Jobs with greater responsibility and specialized expertise are typically classified at higher grades, resulting in higher pay. The average salary is reflective of the distribution of pay grades across government, where a majority of roles are in higher grades that require significant experience and advanced qualifications.

The Medical Officer occupational series is one of the most highly compensated occupations in the federal government. These roles often require advanced medical degrees, board certifications, and years of clinical experience, and are critical to agencies like the Veterans Health Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

In addition to occupation, duty location plays a significant role in salary differences. Employees working in areas such as Washington, DC, San Francisco, or New York receive higher locality pay adjustments to account for the higher cost of labor in those areas.

Salary distribution by agency and series

Performance rating systems vary by agency – ranging from pass/fail systems to five-point rating patterns that run from Outstanding to Unacceptable levels. These ratings can influence decisions related to promotions, awards, training opportunities, and, in some cases, pay adjustments or performance-based bonuses.

Traditionally, performance ratings have been inflated, with a disproportionate number of employees receiving the highest ratings. Agencies are now working towards normalizing performance ratings to more effectively distinguish between employees who meet expectations and those who displayed truly exceptional performance.

Performance ratings distribution

Administrative leave in the federal government is a form of paid, non-duty status granted at the discretion of agency leadership. Historically, agencies reported administrative leave under a single broad category that encompassed multiple scenarios. The Administrative Leave Act of 2016 established standards to reform and standardize the use and reporting of administrative leave. The Act authorized new EHRI data elements to capture specific types of leave, including administrative leave (general) and administrative leave (investigative), as well as other categories previously grouped under administrative leave—such as investigative leave, notice leave, weather and safety leave, and other paid time in non-duty status. Agencies were required to implement these new data elements beginning in September 2025.

Administrative leave and other paid, non-duty leave was used across government in 2025 to support workforce reshaping efforts. Through initiatives like the Deferred Resignation Program, employees were placed on leave prior to separation.

Use of administrative leave