U.S. Code > Title 5 Government Organization and Employees > PART III—EMPLOYEES (§§ 2101—10210) > Subpart D—Pay and Allowances (§§ 5101—5949) > CHAPTER 51—CLASSIFICATION (§§ 5101—5115) > § 5104. Basis for grading positions

§ 5104. Basis for grading positions

The General Schedule, the symbol for which is “GS”, is the basic pay schedule for positions to which this chapter applies. The General Schedule is divided into grades of difficulty and responsibility of work, as follows:
(1) Grade GS–1 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are to perform, under immediate supervision, with little or no latitude for the exercise of independent judgment—
(A) the simplest routine work in office, business, or fiscal operations; or
(B) elementary work of a subordinate technical character in a professional, scientific, or technical field.
(2) Grade GS–2 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under immediate supervision, with limited latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, routine work in office, business, or fiscal operations, or comparable subordinate technical work of limited scope in a professional, scientific, or technical field, requiring some training or experience; or
(B) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(3) Grade GS–3 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under immediate or general supervision, somewhat difficult and responsible work in office, business, or fiscal operations, or comparable subordinate technical work of limited scope in a professional, scientific, or technical field, requiring in either case—
(i) some training or experience;
(ii) working knowledge of a special subject matter; or
(iii) to some extent the exercise of independent judgment in accordance with well-established policies, procedures, and techniques; or
(B) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(4) Grade GS–4 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under immediate or general supervision, moderately difficult and responsible work in office, business, or fiscal operations, or comparable subordinate technical work in a professional, scientific, or technical field, requiring in either case—
(i) a moderate amount of training and minor supervisory or other experience;
(ii) good working knowledge of a special subject matter or a limited field of office, laboratory, engineering, scientific, or other procedure and practice; and
(iii) the exercise of independent judgment in accordance with well-established policies, procedures, and techniques; or
(B) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(5) Grade GS–5 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general supervision, difficult and responsible work in office, business, or fiscal administration, or comparable subordinate technical work in a professional, scientific, or technical field, requiring in either case—
(i) considerable training and supervisory or other experience;
(ii) broad working knowledge of a special subject matter or of office, laboratory, engineering, scientific, or other procedure and practice; and
(iii) the exercise of independent judgment in a limited field;
(B) to perform, under immediate supervision, and with little opportunity for the exercise of independent judgment, simple and elementary work requiring professional, scientific, or technical training; or
(C) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(6) Grade GS–6 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general supervision, difficult and responsible work in office, business, or fiscal administration, or comparable subordinate technical work in a professional, scientific, or technical field, requiring in either case—
(i) considerable training and supervisory or other experience;
(ii) broad working knowledge of a special and complex subject matter, procedure, or practice, or of the principles of the profession, art, or science involved; and
(iii) to a considerable extent the exercise of independent judgment; or
(B) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(7) Grade GS–7 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general supervision, work of considerable difficulty and responsibility along special technical or supervisory lines in office, business, or fiscal administration, or comparable subordinate technical work in a professional, scientific, or technical field, requiring in either case—
(i) considerable specialized or supervisory training and experience;
(ii) comprehensive working knowledge of a special and complex subject matter; procedure, or practice, or of the principles of the profession, art, or science involved; and
(iii) to a considerable extent the exercise of independent judgment;
(B) under immediate or general supervision, to perform somewhat difficult work requiring—
(i) professional, scientific, or technical training; and
(ii) to a limited extent, the exercise of independent technical judgment; or
(C) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(8) Grade GS–8 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general supervision, very difficult and responsible work along special technical or supervisory lines in office, business, or fiscal administration, requiring—
(i) considerable specialized or supervisory training and experience;
(ii) comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of a specialized and complex subject matter, procedure, or practice, or of the principles of the profession, art, or science involved; and
(iii) to a considerable extent the exercise of independent judgment; or
(B) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(9) Grade GS–9 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general supervision, very difficult and responsible work along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines in office, business, or fiscal administration, requiring—
(i) somewhat extended specialized training and considerable specialized, supervisory, or administrative experience which has demonstrated capacity for sound independent work;
(ii) thorough and fundamental knowledge of a special and complex subject matter, or of the profession, art, or science involved; and
(iii) considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment;
(B) with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, to perform moderately difficult and responsible work, requiring—
(i) professional, scientific, or technical training equivalent to that represented by graduation from a college or university of recognized standing; and
(ii) considerable additional professional, scientific, or technical training or experience which has demonstrated capacity for sound independent work; or
(C) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(10) Grade GS–10 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general supervision, highly difficult and responsible work along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines in office, business, or fiscal administration, requiring—
(i) somewhat extended specialized, supervisory, or administrative training and experience which has demonstrated capacity for sound independent work;
(ii) thorough and fundamental knowledge of a specialized and complex subject matter, or of the profession, art, or science involved; and
(iii) considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment; or
(B) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(11) Grade GS–11 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general administrative supervision and with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of marked difficulty and responsibility along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines in office, business, or fiscal administration, requiring—
(i) extended specialized, supervisory, or administrative training and experience which has demonstrated important attainments and marked capacity for sound independent action or decision; and
(ii) intimate grasp of a specialized and complex subject matter, or of the profession, art, or science involved, or of administrative work of marked difficulty;
(B) with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, to perform responsible work of considerable difficulty requiring somewhat extended professional, scientific, or technical training and experience which has demonstrated important attainments and marked capacity for independent work; or
(C) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(12) Grade GS–12 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general administrative supervision, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of a very high order of difficulty and responsibility along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines in office, business, or fiscal administration, requiring—
(i) extended specialized, supervisory, or administrative training and experience which has demonstrated leadership and attainments of a high order in specialized or administrative work; and
(ii) intimate grasp of a specialized and complex subject matter or of the profession, art, or science involved;
(B) under general administrative supervision, and with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, to perform professional, scientific, or technical work of marked difficulty and responsibility requiring extended professional, scientific, or technical training and experience which has demonstrated leadership and attainments of a high order in professional, scientific, or technical research, practice, or administration; or
(C) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(13) Grade GS–13 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under administrative direction, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of unusual difficulty and responsibility along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines, requiring extended specialized, supervisory, or administrative training and experience which has demonstrated leadership and marked attainments;
(B) to serve as assistant head of a major organization involving work of comparable level within a bureau;
(C) to perform, under administrative direction, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of unusual difficulty and responsibility requiring extended professional, scientific, or technical training and experience which has demonstrated leadership and marked attainments in professional, scientific, or technical research, practice, or administration; or
(D) to perform other work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(14) Grade GS–14 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general administrative direction, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of exceptional difficulty and responsibility along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines which has demonstrated leadership and unusual attainments;
(B) to serve as head of a major organization within a bureau involving work of comparable level;
(C) to plan and direct or to plan and execute major professional, scientific, technical, administrative, fiscal, or other specialized programs, requiring extended training and experience which has demonstrated leadership and unusual attainments in professional, scientific, or technical research, practice, or administration, or in administrative, fiscal, or other specialized activities; or
(D) to perform consulting or other professional, scientific, technical, administrative, fiscal, or other specialized work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.
(15) Grade GS–15 includes those classes of positions the duties of which are—
(A) to perform, under general administrative direction, with very wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of outstanding difficulty and responsibility along special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines which has demonstrated leadership and exceptional attainments;
(B) to serve as head of a major organization within a bureau involving work of comparable level;
(C) to plan and direct or to plan and execute specialized programs of marked difficulty, responsibility, and national significance, along professional, scientific, technical, administrative, fiscal, or other lines, requiring extended training and experience which has demonstrated leadership and unusual attainments in professional, scientific, or technical research, practice, or administration, or in administrative, fiscal, or other specialized activities; or
(D) to perform consulting or other professional, scientific, technical, administrative, fiscal, or other specialized work of equal importance, difficulty, and responsibility, and requiring comparable qualifications.