federal pay grade

[mark025]

Hello,
I have a question regarding the pay rate for the federal gov't . I am a senior in college and my grade point is a 2.9. Do most agencies let you skip g4 grade and go to g7? I know some agencies allow you do do it.(secret service,bp. Does anyone know if bureau of prisons do this?

[kc12]

A four year degree is qualifying for GS-5 (but so is one year of responsible work experience). Your GPA is nothing special so it won't give you a bump for superior academic achievement. As far as which agencies give you a bump simply for having the four year degree, none that I know of.

[Ali G]

It really depends on the position. If the job tops out at a GS 8, you might see GS 6, then GS 7, finishing with 8.

Most jobs I have seen go 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, etc.

However, you have to read the vacancy announcement. If the job says the promotion potential is say, GS 12, you would probably go GS 5, 7, 9, 11, 12. The agency determines how long it takes you to go from one grade to the next, but the norm is usually a year between each.

What you come in as will be completely dependant on your ability to articulate your experience as it applies to the position.

Advice: Get a spot with ANY federal agency as a college intern. Honestly, a bachelors isn't that big of deal (no offense). Most federal jobs will have hundreds of applicants with a degree AND experience. So, get that experience. This is done most readily through an internship (unless you have been doing the same type of job while you were in college). Even if you did do a similar job, you will make a lot of connections through the intern program.

[LS1]

Hello,
I have a question regarding the pay rate for the federal gov't . I am a senior in college and my grade point is a 2.9. Do most agencies let you skip g4 grade and go to g7? I know some agencies allow you do do it.(secret service,bp. Does anyone know if bureau of prisons do this?

The BOP doesn't allow this, at least not for correctional officers. I know for a fact that case managers, teachers, and Information Technologists go 5/7/9/11. However, we lowly line staff go 5/6/7. We must compete for 8/9/11/12/13+. To make it worse for CO's, they don't recognize "Superior Academic Achievement", so no starting at GL-7. All other positions that I mentioned are eligible for SAA (Yeah, they really do hate us).

Most other agencies, however, let you skip up to two grades until you get to 12. Then you can only go 12/13/14/15. Things are about to change in March, however. The time-in-grade rule has been abolished.

[irishlad2nv]

Just to chime in, there are no "15 point" vets, it's either 5 or 10.

As far as what pay grade you will go in depends on the specific job. Usually the 0083 series they can play with the steps on teh pay grade hey hire you as, however the 1811 and 1801 series, unless you have already been a FLEO, you will come in as the announcement states, and that is either a GS/GL 5/7. And so on.