Gs14 vs Gs15

[Anonymous]

Is it worth it to move from a 14 to a 15? In the long run, is there that much of a difference financially?

[Anonymous]

Maybe once you retire

[Anonymous]

Not in my line of work. I’m a very happy gs 14. GS 15s and SES work nonstop and have no quality of life.

[Anonymous]

I'm very happy as a remote GS-14 and not going to rock my boat. Might try for a 15 for my final three years but only if remote and I'm already at MRA in case I hate it.

[Anonymous]

In my field, there's a big difference in responsibilities between the two. I am still able to do program work as a GS14, which I enjoy very much. GS15s don't have time for that and have more direct reports and more meetings.

GS15s take the heat on everything. However, GS14 is usually middle management and isn't not always a great place to be. There's typically only a 10k difference in pay, whereas SES make 180k-246k plus very nice bonuses.

[Anonymous]

Depends on your circumstances tbh. In DC you're talking about a $10k difference between GS14-10 and GS15-10 right now. After taxes this comes out to MAYBE an extra $250 hitting your bank account each pay period. If the GS15 role is likely to be significantly higher stress or otherwise bad apart from the slightly higher pay, not worth it.

However, if Congress ever decides to address growing pay compression in HCOL areas by increasing level IV of the Executive Schedule, that $10k gap between GS14-10 and GS15-10 could widen. Without compression, GS15-10 should be more like 18% (~$30k) more than GS 14-10.

[Anonymous]

How likely is Congress to address the pay compression in HCOL areas? Thinking of moving from a 14 to non-supervisory 15. I am wondering as well if the 15 will make me more marketable to the private sector and to other agencies, should I choose to move in a few years. I am also at a point in my career where I should have achieved the15. For various reasons, it hasn't and most likely won't happen at my agency.

[Anonymous]

Long run, not much of a difference since the top of the GS-15 pay band runs into the overall GS pay cap, hence pay compression at the top (in other words, GS-15 steps 10, 9, 8… and so on depending on locality all make the same money). So the top of the GS-14 isn’t that much less than GS-15 and pay compression is expected to only get worse over time.

One thing in favor of GS-15 in the long run is that most SES positions (maybe all of them, I actually don’t know) requires experience as a GS-15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How likely is Congress to address the pay compression in HCOL areas? Thinking of moving from a 14 to non-supervisory 15. I am wondering as well if the 15 will make me more marketable to the private sector and to other agencies, should I choose to move in a few years. I am also at a point in my career where I should have achieved the15. For various reasons, it hasn't and most likely won't happen at my agency.

I have no idea but the compression seems to keep getting worse. I'm honestly not sure why anyone would choose to be a fed employee living in NYC or SF, even at GS-15.

[Anonymous]

as PP stated it depends...if it's a GS-15 workaholic office then no, not worth it. Now, GS-15 non-sup is less stressful without the "managing people" component.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How likely is Congress to address the pay compression in HCOL areas? Thinking of moving from a 14 to non-supervisory 15. I am wondering as well if the 15 will make me more marketable to the private sector and to other agencies, should I choose to move in a few years. I am also at a point in my career where I should have achieved the15. For various reasons, it hasn't and most likely won't happen at my agency.

It's politically untenable to raise the salaries of federal workers making $192k/year. That's not a ton for the DMV region but it's far beyond what most Americans make, especially in swing states. I wouldn't be shocked if compression persists until it hits GS-13s in DC, which is decades away.

[Anonymous]

With 30% inflation the last few years and small colas to keep up, the top end of the gs scale needs to be increased.

[Anonymous]

Pay compression means not a major difference in compensation. But, there is usually a significant difference in responsibility, authority, and prestige, which can translate to much greater job satisfaction unless you have no ambition and prefer flying under the radar to being in a more visible and impactful role.

Consider too that a 15 is a prerequisite to the SES, which also won't be massively better paid but which kicks things up a notch in terms of greater job satisfaction, for the resons noted above.

Beyond that, 15s and SES roles can position you for highly compensated post-government private sector roles in ways a 14 will not. Again, that may be irrelevant if you have no ambition, but if you do, the path to the most well paid private sector positions is through the higher levels of government service, not the mid-management roles occupied by 14s.

[Anonymous]

The above is helpful--thank you. Yes, I am not content to just call it in and in my current role go above and beyond which is why I'm considering a move to a nonsupervisory 15. Like anything, a little nervous at the prospect of change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The above is helpful--thank you. Yes, I am not content to just call it in and in my current role go above and beyond which is why I'm considering a move to a nonsupervisory 15. Like anything, a little nervous at the prospect of change.

Yep it totally depends on your field and what jobs are available and what they look like. I hate the work the GS15s do in my field (legal and policy work that makes no impact, plus work with politicals. Constant arguing with different managers across our massive agency). GS 14s are all supervisory, but more like team leads with almost complete autonomy. GS 14s get all the work done, plus it's nice within our teams. High quality of life, less stress and the work is meaningful. If I felt like the GS15 work was meaningful I could deal with the rest of it, but it's not in my field. All of my fellow GS14s feel that way and aren't interested at all in moving up. Plus, it's only a 10k difference.