A GS-14 federal job pays between $104,604 and $136,012 in base salary for 2026. But base pay is only part of the picture. Locality adjustments push that number higher in most areas. In Washington, D.C., a GS-14 Step 1 earns $128,717. In San Francisco, it tops $141,908.

If you are a veteran looking at GS-14 positions, you need to know the real numbers. Not just the base table. You need to know what the job actually pays where you plan to live. And you need to know what it takes to qualify.

I spent 1.5 years applying for federal jobs after leaving the Navy with zero callbacks. Once I figured out how the system works, I changed career fields six times and kept moving up. GS-14 is a senior-level position. Getting there takes planning. This guide breaks down every number you need and shows you how to qualify.

What Is the GS-14 Base Pay for 2026?

The General Schedule has 15 grades. Each grade has 10 steps. GS-14 is the second-highest grade. It covers senior specialists, team leads, branch chiefs, and program managers.

Here is the full GS-14 base pay table for 2026. These numbers come from OPM and apply before locality adjustments.

Step increases happen on a set schedule. Steps 1 through 3 come every year. Steps 4 through 6 come every two years. Steps 7 through 10 come every three years. So reaching Step 10 from Step 1 takes 18 years at GS-14.

Many veterans do not realize that base pay is the starting point. Almost every federal employee gets a locality bump on top of this. That bump ranges from 17.95% to over 35% depending on where you work.

How Does Locality Pay Change the GS-14 Salary?

Locality pay is a percentage added to your base salary. OPM sets different rates for different metro areas. If you work in a high-cost city, your total pay is much higher than the base table shows.

Here are the GS-14 Step 1 and Step 10 salaries for some of the most common federal work locations in 2026.

Notice the gap. A GS-14 Step 10 in San Francisco earns $184,548. That same step in San Antonio earns $164,749. That is almost $20,000 difference for the same grade and step.

For a deeper look at the full GS pay structure, check out our federal GS pay scale guide for veterans. It covers every grade from GS-1 through GS-15 with locality tables.

You can also use our GS pay scale calculator to estimate your total salary at any grade, step, and location.

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What Jobs Pay GS-14?

GS-14 is a senior position. You will not find entry-level roles at this grade. These are the people who run programs, lead teams, and manage large projects across federal agencies.

Common GS-14 job titles include:

• Program Manager (GS-0340): Runs multi-million dollar programs across DoD, DHS, and civilian agencies
• Branch Chief: Manages a branch within a division. Usually supervises 8 to 20 people
• Senior Policy Analyst: Writes and reviews policy at the department level
• Supervisory IT Specialist (GS-2210): Leads IT teams for major systems and networks
• Contract Specialist (GS-1102): Manages large acquisition portfolios, often $50M+
• Management Analyst (GS-0343): Senior organizational efficiency roles in major commands
• Senior Engineer (GS-0801/0830): Leads engineering projects for infrastructure and weapons systems
• Budget Analyst (GS-0560): Manages budgets in the hundreds of millions for agencies

Veterans from O-4 (Major/Lieutenant Commander) and O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/Commander) backgrounds often target GS-14 roles. Senior NCOs at E-8 and E-9 with extensive program management experience also compete for these jobs.

If you want to understand how GS-14 lines up with military rank, check our GS-14 equivalent military rank guide.

How Do You Qualify for a GS-14 Position?

GS-14 qualification has two main parts. You need the right experience, and you need to meet time-in-grade rules if you are already a federal employee.

Specialized Experience Requirement

Every GS-14 job posting on USAJOBS will say something like this: "You must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level or equivalent." That word "equivalent" is key for veterans.

You do not need to have held a GS-13 job. You need experience that matches what a GS-13 would do. Military experience counts. Private sector experience counts. The hiring manager looks at what you actually did, not where you did it.

For a GS-14, that usually means you managed programs, led teams, developed policy, or handled budgets at a senior level. Think battalion-level staff work for Army. Department head duties for Navy. Squadron leadership for Air Force.

The key is proving it on your resume. Federal resumes need specific details. Hours per week. Supervisor name and phone number. Exact dates of employment. And the duties section needs to match the language in the job posting.

For a full guide on writing resume bullets that match GS-12 through GS-14 requirements, read our federal resume guide for GS-12 to GS-14 roles.

Time-in-Grade Rules

If you are already a federal employee, you must have spent at least one year at GS-13 before you can apply for GS-14. This is the time-in-grade requirement. It prevents people from jumping multiple grades at once.

There are exceptions. If you are coming from outside the federal government, time-in-grade does not apply to you. Veterans applying from the private sector or military can apply directly for GS-14 if their experience qualifies.

If you are already in federal service and want to understand these rules better, our time-in-grade guide for veterans explains every scenario.

Education vs. Experience

At GS-14, almost no job series allows you to qualify on education alone. You need experience. Period. Some series like engineering (GS-0801) or accounting (GS-0510) require a specific degree as a baseline. But the degree alone will not get you to GS-14. You also need years of progressively responsible work.

For veterans, this is good news. Your military experience counts. An O-4 with 12 years of increasing responsibility has the experience profile that GS-14 positions look for. So does an E-8 who ran a training program for an entire command.

How Does GS-14 Compare to Military Pay?

Military pay and federal civilian pay are structured differently. Military members get base pay plus BAH, BAS, and other allowances. Federal civilians get base pay plus locality. Comparing them directly is tricky.

Here is a rough comparison to help you think about it.

The military O-5 total looks higher. But remember that BAH and BAS are tax-free. Federal locality pay is taxable. And federal employees get TSP matching up to 5%, FEHB health insurance, and pension benefits that add real value.

For a side-by-side look at how GS grades line up with officer and enlisted ranks, our GS-15 equivalent military rank guide covers the next level up.

Can You Negotiate a Higher Step at GS-14?

Yes. Federal agencies can offer you a higher step when they hire you. This is called a superior qualifications appointment or a special needs pay-setting request.

Here is how it works. You apply for a GS-14 job. The posting says GS-14 Step 1. You get selected. Before you accept, you ask for a higher step based on your experience, current salary, or hard-to-fill skills.

The agency is not required to say yes. But many do, especially for GS-14 positions where they compete with the private sector for talent. I have seen veterans come in at Step 5 or Step 7 because they had in-demand skills like cybersecurity, acquisition, or engineering.

To negotiate, you need to show one of two things:

• Superior qualifications: Your experience or education is far above what the job requires
• Matching current salary: Your current pay (military or private sector) justifies a higher step

Put your request in writing. Include your current salary, comparable private sector offers if you have them, and specific qualifications that exceed the minimum. The HR office sends it up the chain for approval.

The difference matters. GS-14 Step 1 in D.C. pays $128,717. Step 7 pays $154,521. That is $25,804 more per year just from negotiating your starting step. Our full guide on how to negotiate your GS level covers the exact steps, including what documentation to provide and when to make the request.

How Does GS-14 Pay Compare to GS-13 and GS-15?

Understanding where GS-14 sits in the overall pay structure helps you plan your career. Here is how the three senior GS grades compare at Step 1 and Step 10, using D.C. locality.

The jump from GS-13 Step 10 to GS-14 Step 1 is notable. You go from $140,713 to $128,717 if you start at Step 1. That looks like a pay cut. But agencies can set your GS-14 step to match your GS-13 pay. This is called the "two-step promotion rule." It bumps you to whatever GS-14 step puts you above your old salary plus two step increases.

In practice, a GS-13 Step 10 promoted to GS-14 would land around Step 4 or Step 5. Your pay goes up, not down.

If you are eyeing GS-15 after GS-14, the qualification requirements follow the same pattern. You will need one year of specialized experience at the GS-14 level or equivalent.

What Benefits Come with a GS-14 Federal Job?

Salary is just one part of total compensation. Federal benefits at GS-14 add significant value on top of your paycheck.

• FERS Pension: You earn 1% of your high-3 average salary for each year of service. With 20 years of federal service, that is 20% of your salary as a pension. Military time can count toward this if you buy it back
• TSP Matching: The government matches your TSP contributions up to 5%. At GS-14 Step 5 in D.C. ($145,930), that is $7,296 per year in free money
• FEHB Health Insurance: Federal employees pick from dozens of health plans. The government pays 72-75% of premiums
• Annual Leave: Veterans with military service get credit toward leave. Many start with 6 hours per pay period (19.5 days per year) right away
• Sick Leave: 4 hours per pay period (13 days per year). It carries over forever and counts toward your FERS pension calculation

When you add the pension, TSP match, health insurance subsidy, and paid leave together, federal benefits are worth roughly 30-40% on top of your salary. A GS-14 Step 5 in D.C. earning $145,930 has a total compensation package closer to $190,000 to $200,000.

How to Land a GS-14 Job as a Veteran

Getting hired at GS-14 takes more than just having the experience. You need to present that experience the right way. Here is what I have seen work for veterans who land at this level.

Target the Right Job Series

Not every job series has GS-14 positions. Focus on series that commonly hire at this level. Program management (0340), IT (2210), contracting (1102), management analysis (0343), engineering (0801/0830), and budget analysis (0560) are all strong options.

Use our guide on proving specialized experience to match your military background to the right series.

Write Your Federal Resume for GS-14 Level Work

A GS-14 resume needs to show leadership, program oversight, and results at scale. You managed budgets in the millions. You supervised teams. You developed policy or processes that affected hundreds of people.

Federal resumes are different from civilian ones. They need more detail. Hours per week. Supervisor contact info. Specific duties that match the job posting language. But keep it to 2 pages. OPM changed the rules in late 2025. The old 4-6 page format is gone.

BMR's federal resume builder handles the formatting and keyword matching for you. Paste the USAJOBS posting and it builds a resume tailored to that specific job.

Use Your Veterans Preference

If you have a service-connected disability rating or served during certain periods, you may qualify for veterans preference. This gives your application extra points during the ranking process.

At GS-14, competition is fierce. Those extra points matter. Make sure your USAJOBS profile has your preference claim set up and your supporting documents uploaded.

Apply to Multiple Agencies

GS-14 positions exist across dozens of agencies. DoD, VA, DHS, DOJ, DOE, NASA, EPA, and more. Do not limit yourself to one agency. The same GS-14 Program Manager role at the Army Corps of Engineers pays the same base as one at the Department of Energy. But one might have better locality pay or faster hiring.

Search USAJOBS with grade filter set to GS-14. Then narrow by your job series and location. Apply to every one you qualify for.

What to Do Next

You know the numbers now. GS-14 base pay runs from $104,604 to $136,012. With locality, that jumps to $123,378 at the low end and over $184,000 in high-cost areas. Benefits push total compensation even higher.

If you are targeting GS-14, start with your resume. Make sure it shows GS-13 equivalent experience with real numbers, real results, and real scope. Use the language from the job posting. Keep it to 2 pages.

BMR's federal resume builder was built for exactly this. Paste a USAJOBS posting, and it creates a tailored federal resume that matches the job requirements. It is free for your first two resumes. Built by a veteran who has been on both sides of the federal hiring desk.

If you want to explore what GS grade your military rank translates to, check our GS-14 equivalent military rank guide. And if you want to see the full pay picture across all grades, our complete GS pay scale guide has every number.