Get What You’re Worth

Not only does an IRS career come with a competitive salary, you’ll also receive Locality Pay, according to your geographic location. The amounts are based on the President’s and Congress’s annual determination to raise government-wide pay across-the-board. So, you can count on your salary reflecting the relative cost of labor across the country.

The General Schedule (GS) Pay System

The General Schedule (GS) classification and pay system covers the majority of civilian white-collar Federal employees (about 1.5 million worldwide) in professional, technical, administrative, and clerical positions. The General Schedule has 15 grades, with GS-1 being the lowest, and GS-15 being the highest. Agencies establish (classify) the grade of each job based on the level of difficulty, responsibility, and qualifications required. Individuals with a high school diploma and no additional experience typically qualify for GS-2 positions; those with a Bachelor’s degree for GS-5 positions; and those with a Master’s degree for GS-9 positions. Each grade has 10 step rates (steps 1-10) that are each worth approximately 3 percent of the employee’s salary. Within-grade step increases are based on an acceptable level of performance and longevity. The GS Salary and locality tables can be found here: Office Of Personnel Management Site

Salary Tables for Internal Revenue (IR) Managers

The IRS Payband System is different from the General Schedule (GS) pay system. Paybands have a range of rates and do not have steps like the GS pay system. The range of rates for each payband correspond to Step 1 (minimum) and Step 10 (maximum ) of a GS grade - see chart in "Understanding Paybands." As a manager, pay increases are based on performance. Each January, managers are eligible for a performance based increase (PBI) which replaces the GS increase, within grade step and quality step increases.

Commonly known as performance-based pay or pay for performance, this is the pay system for IRS managers (excluding Executives). Each year managers can receive both a performance-based increase (PBI) and a performance bonus (often referred to as an award), based on their performance rating. Managers also receive locality pay applicable for their post of duty. 

Each January, managers are eligible for a performance-based increase (PBI) which replaces the GS increase, within grade step and quality step increases. The IRS Payband System has 3 levels of manager positions covered by the following paybands:

• The Senior Manager (SM) - This payband covers second-level managerial positions formerly classified at GS-14 or 15, or first-level managerial positions formerly classified at GS-14 or 15 that report directly to a member of the Senior Executive Service
• The Department Manager (DM) - This payband covers second-level managerial positions, formerly classified as GS-11, 12, or 13 grade levels, located at a Campus
• The Frontline Manager (FM) - This payband covers supervisory/managerial positions, formerly classified at the GS-5 through 15 grade levels, that are not covered under the SM or DM paybands.

IR Manager Payband Salary Tables are listed by locality and effective the first day of the first pay period beginning on or after January 1'st. The IR Salary and locality tables can can be found here: 2023 IR Salary Tables. 

The More You Work, the More You’ll Get

In addition to paying time-and-a-half for working more than 8 hours in a day, or 40 hours in a week, we’ll also pay you the following premium rates:

• Night (10% premium)
• Sunday (25% premium)
• Holiday (100% premium)
• Availability Pay (25% premium) for cetain Law Enforcement positions