Salary system of the U.S. federal government
Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. §§ 5311–5318) is the system of salaries given to thehighest-ranked appointed officials in the executive branch of the U.S. government. Thepresident of the United States appoints individuals to these positions, most with the advice and consent of theUnited States Senate. They include members of the president'sCabinet, several top-ranking officials of each executive department, the directors of some of the more prominent departmental and independent agencies, and several members of theExecutive Office of the President.
There are five pay rates within the Executive Schedule, denoted with aRoman numeral with I being the highest level and V the lowest. Federal law lists the positions eligible for the Executive Schedule and the corresponding level. The law also gives the president the ability to grant Executive Schedule IV and V status to no more than 34 employees not listed.[1]
Certain job titles tend to be placed at certain levels of the Executive Schedule. For example, in the executive departments,secretaries are on Level I;deputy secretaries are on Level II;under secretaries are mostly on Level III; andassistant secretaries,general counsels,inspectors general,chief financial officers, andchief information officers are mostly on Level IV. The directors of departmental and independent agencies vary widely in their placement, and are represented in every level from I to V, with their subordinates being placed on levels below them. A few agencies have general counsels, inspectors general, chief financial officers, or chief information officers on Level IV along with their departmental counterparts, although agency officials with these titles may instead be on another pay scale such as theSenior Executive Service.
Calculation of pay rate
[edit](Effective as of January 2025)[2]| Level I | $250,600 |
| Level II | $225,700 |
| Level III | $207,500 |
| Level IV | $195,200 |
| Level V | $183,100 |
Many political appointees have had their pay rate frozen at lower levels.[3] According to5 U.S.C. § 5318, at the beginning of the first pay period for any position under the Executive Schedule, the amount of pay will be adjusted and rounded to the nearest multiple of US$100. If this amount is found to be midway between multiples of $100, then it will be rounded to the next highest multiple of $100.
Section 738 of division E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141, March 23, 2018), continued the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels through January 5, 2019. The failure to enact new appropriations legislation may allow the freeze to expire. However, the officially established and posted pay rates (or pay ranges) for 2018 are in effect and used for determining pay for other employees. For more information, please see Compensation Policy Memorandum 2018-08 athttps://chcoc.gov/content/continued-pay-freeze-certain-senior-political-officials-2.
Executive Schedule rates indirectly affect the rates of pay for other pay scales such as theGeneral Schedule,Senior Executive Service,Senior Level,Senior Foreign Service, and other federal civilian pay systems, as well as the pay of uniformed military personnel, because various federal laws establishing those pay systems normally tie the maximum amount payable to various levels of the Executive Schedule. For example, federal employees paid on the General Schedule may not earn more than the rate for Level IV of the Executive Schedule, after factoring in GS special rates and locality pay.[4] Because of these pay caps and freezes to the Executive Schedule, federal workers at the top of their pay bands are often unable to receive pay increases, resulting in salary compression.[5][6]
5 U.S.C. § 5312 lists the positions that receive pay at Level I of the Executive Schedule. As of January 2025, the annual rate of pay for Level I positions is $250,600.[2] 21 positions exist in this level, which are as follows:
Executive Office of the President
[edit]Independent agencies
[edit]5 U.S.C. § 5313 lists the positions that receive pay at Level II of the Executive Schedule. As of January 2025, the annual rate of pay for Level II positions is $225,700.[2]
Department deputy secretaries
[edit]Other department officials
[edit]Defense
Homeland Security
Justice
Transportation
Executive Office of the President
[edit]Independent agencies
[edit]Intelligence Community
Other independent agencies
5 U.S.C. § 5314 lists the 125 positions that receive pay at Level III of the Executive Schedule. As of January 2025, the annual rate of pay for Level III positions is $207,500.[2]
Department under secretaries
[edit]Other department officials
[edit]Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Justice
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Department of the Treasury
Note: The Director of theOffice of Thrift Supervision was level III before that office was abolished by theDodd-Frank Act of 2010.
Executive Office of the President
[edit]- Three deputy trade representatives within theOffice of the United States Trade Representative, currently:
- Deputy United States Trade Representative for Europe, The Middle East, and Industrial Competitiveness, with the rank of Ambassador, in Washington, D.C.
- Deputy United States Trade Representative for Investment, Services, Labor, Environment, Africa, China, and the Western Hemisphere, with the rank of Ambassador, in Washington, D.C.
- Deputy United States Trade Representative and Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland
- Chief Agricultural Negotiator, with the rank of Ambassador, Office of the United States Trade Representative
- Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator, with the rank of Ambassador, Office of the United States Trade Representative
- Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy
- Administrator,Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget
- Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government and Federal Chief Information Officer of the United States
- Controller of theOffice of Federal Financial Management, Office of Management and Budget
- Deputy Director for Demand Reduction,Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Deputy Director for Supply Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Deputy Director for State, Local, and Tribal Affairs, Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Executive Secretary,National Space Council
Independent agencies
[edit]Directors
Deputy directors
Boards and commissions
[edit]- Chairman,Merit Systems Protection Board
- Chairwoman,Federal Communications Commission
- Chairman,Board of Directors,Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Chairman,Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Chairman,Federal Trade Commission
- Chairman,Surface Transportation Board
- Chairman,National Labor Relations Board
- Chairman,Securities and Exchange Commission
- Chairman,National Mediation Board
- Chairman,Railroad Retirement Board
- Chairman,Federal Maritime Commission
- Chairman,National Transportation Safety Board
- Chairman,National Endowment for the Arts
- Chairman,National Endowment for the Humanities
- Chairman,Postal Regulatory Commission
- Chairman,Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
- Chairman,Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Chairman,Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Chairman,Commodity Futures Trading Commission
- Chairman,United States International Trade Commission
- Chairman,Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
- Chairman,National Credit Union Administration Board
- Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board - (1) Chairman; (2) Vice Chairman; (3) Member; (4) Member; (5) Member
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Four Commissioners
5 U.S.C. § 5315 lists 346 non-obsolete positions that receive pay at Level IV of the Executive Schedule. As of January 2025, the annual rate of pay for Level IV positions is $195,200.[2] Annual pay forGeneral Schedule employees, including locality pay and special rates, may not exceed this level.[4]
Department assistant secretaries
[edit]Chief financial officers
[edit]- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Agriculture
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Commerce
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Education
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Energy
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Health and Human Services
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Homeland Security
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of the Interior
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Justice
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Labor
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of State
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Transportation
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of the Treasury
- Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Chief Financial Officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Chief Financial Officer,United States Environmental Protection Agency
Chief information officers
[edit]- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Agriculture
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Commerce
- Chief Information Officer,Department of Defense (unless the official designated is listed under section 5312, 5313, or 5314 of this title)
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Education
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Energy
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Health and Human Services
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Homeland Security
- Chief Information Officer, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of the Interior
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Justice
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Labor
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of State
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Transportation
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of the Treasury
- Chief Information Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Chief Information Officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Chief Information Officer of the United States Agency for International Development
- Chief Information Officer,United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Chief Information Officer,General Services Administration
- Chief Information Officer,National Science Foundation
- Chief Information Officer,Nuclear Regulatory Agency
- Chief Information Officer,Office of Personnel Management
- Chief Information Officer,Small Business Administration
Other department officials
[edit]Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
- Director of theBureau of the Census
- Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Department of Defense
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Other independent agency officials
[edit]United States Agency for International Development
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Global Health
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Management
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Asia
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for the Middle East
Other independent agencies
- Director of Selective Service
- President,National Consumer Cooperative Bank
- Director of theInstitute of Museum and Library Services
- Commissioner,Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation
- Director of theInternational Broadcasting Bureau
- Deputy Administrator of General Services
- Deputy Administrator,Small Business Administration
- Deputy Director of the Peace Corps
- First Vice President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States[10]
- Assistant Secretary for Science,Smithsonian Institution
- Assistant Secretary for History and Art,Smithsonian Institution
- Executive Vice President,Overseas Private Investment Corporation
- Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation,Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards,Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Director of Nuclear Regulatory Research,Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Executive Director for Operations,Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Deputy Director,Institute for Scientific and Technological Cooperation
- Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances,United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Assistant Administrator,Office of Solid Waste,United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Assistant Administrators,United States Environmental Protection Agency (8)
- Associate Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Executive Office of the President
[edit]Boards and commissions
[edit]- Chairman,Federal Labor Relations Authority
- Chairman,Board of Veterans' Appeals
- Chairman,United States Parole Commission
- Members,United States International Trade Commission (5)
- Members, Board of Directors of theExport-Import Bank of the United States[10]
- Members,Federal Communications Commission
- Member, Board of Directors of theFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Directors,Federal Housing Finance Board
- Members,Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Members,Federal Trade Commission
- Members,Surface Transportation Board
- Members,National Labor Relations Board
- Members,Securities and Exchange Commission
- Members,Merit Systems Protection Board
- Members,Federal Maritime Commission
- Members,National Mediation Board
- Members,Railroad Retirement Board
- Members,Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (4)
- Members,National Transportation Safety Board
- Members,National Credit Union Administration Board (2)
- Members,Postal Regulatory Commission (4)
- Members,Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
- Members,Consumer Product Safety Commission (4)
- Members,Commodity Futures Trading Commission
- Members,Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
5 U.S.C. § 5316 lists 143 positions that receive pay at Level V of the Executive Schedule. As of January 2025, the annual rate of pay for Level V positions is $183,100.[2]
- Director,United States Travel Service (defunct),Department of Commerce
- National Export Expansion Coordinator,Department of Commerce
- Director,Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,Department of Defense
- Administrator,Bonneville Power Administration, Department of Energy
- Chairman,Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States,Department of Justice
- Commissioner of Vocational Rehabilitation,Department of Health and Human Services
- Commissioner of Welfare,Department of Health and Human Services
- Commissioner,Administration for Children and Families
- Director,Indian Health Service,Department of Health and Human Services
- Director,United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
- Director,United States Bureau of Mines,Department of the Interior
- Director,United States Geological Survey,Department of the Interior
- Commissioner of Reclamation,Department of the Interior
- Commissioner of Indian Affairs,Department of the Interior
- Director,Bureau of Land Management,Department of the Interior
- Director,National Park Service,Department of the Interior
- Director,Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (defunct),Department of Justice[11]
- Administrator,Wage and Hour and Public Contracts Division,Department of Labor
- Administrator,National Capital Transportation Agency (defunct)
- Chairman of theFederal Renegotiation Board
- Chairman of theSubversive Activities Control Board (defunct)
- Commissioner,Federal Supply Service,General Services Administration
- Commissioner,Public Buildings Service,General Services Administration
- Commissioners,Indian Claims Commission (5)
- Staff Director,Commission on Civil Rights
- Director,United States National Museum,Smithsonian Institution
- Director,Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory,Smithsonian Institution
- Administrator,Environmental Science Services Administration
- Executive Director,Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
- Commissioners,United States Parole Commission (4)
- Associate Administrators,Small Business Administration (4)
- Associate Administrators,National Aeronautics and Space Administration (7)
- Associate Deputy Administrator,National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Deputy Associate Administrator,National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Assistant Attorney General for Administration
- Assistant and Science Adviser to theSecretary of the Interior
- Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear & Chemical & Biological Defense Programs,Department of Defense
- Chief Counsel for theInternal Revenue Service,Department of the Treasury
- Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue,Department of the Treasury
- Deputy General Counsel,Department of Defense
- Associate Director of theFederal Mediation and Conciliation Service
- Associate Director for Volunteers,Peace Corps
- Associate Director for Program Development and Operations,Peace Corps
- Assistants to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,Department of Justice (2)
- Assistant Directors,Office of Emergency Planning (3)
- Fiscal Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
- General Counsel of theAgency for International Development
- General Counsel of theNuclear Regulatory Commission
- General Counsel of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Manpower Administrator,Department of Labor
- Members,Federal Renegotiation Board
- Members,Subversive Activities Control Board (defunct)
- Deputy UnderSecretaries of Defense for Research and Engineering,Department of Defense (4)
- Assistant Administrator of General Services
- Assistant Director (Program Planning, Analysis and Research),Office of Economic Opportunity
- Deputy Director,National Security Agency
- Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense
- Assistant Secretary for Administration,Department of Transportation
- Associate Directors,Office of Personnel Management (5)
- Assistant Federal Highway Administrator
- Deputy Administrator,National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Deputy Administrator,Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Assistant Administrator,Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Vice Presidents,Overseas Private Investment Corporation (defunct) (3)
- Deputy Administrator,Federal Transit Administration,Department of Transportation
- General Counsel,Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Additional officers,Department of Energy (14)
- Additional officers,Nuclear Regulatory Commission (5)
- Assistant Administrator for Coastal Zone Management,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Assistant Administrators,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (3)
- General Counsel,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Members,Federal Labor Relations Authority (2)
- General Counsel,Federal Labor Relations Authority
- Additional officers,Institute for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (2)
- Additional officers,Office of Management and Budget (6)
- Associate Deputy Secretary,Department of Transportation
- Chief Scientist,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Deputy Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Justice[12]
Presidential authority to place positions at levels IV and V
[edit]Per5 U.S.C. § 5317, the president can at any time appoint no more than 34 individuals to pay rates Level IV and V, provided that they are viewed as a necessary change to organization, management responsibility, or workload within a specific agency. This figure is in addition to Level IV and V positions specifically authorized in the bill. However, Senate consent is required and the pay rate takes effect only upon a new appointment to that position. All actions taken during this process are to be published in theFederal Register, except when it is deemed that such publication would stand in conflict tonational security. The president may not take action under this section with respect to a position, the pay for which is fixed at a specific rate by this subchapter, or by statute enacted after 14 August 1964.
The following positions are granted Level IV pay status of the Executive Schedule:
The following positions are granted Level V pay status:
