Compensation Overview
How the SEC Sets Salaries
Starting salaries are determined based on an assessment of the candidate’s total experience (and education, as applicable). This includes both specialized experience (directly related to the duties of the position being filled) and relevant experience (not directly related to the duties of the position, but which prepared the candidate for success in the position). In determining a salary offer, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) applies structured “pay matrices” that define the amounts of experience needed for pay to be set at specific rates between the minimum and maximum salary range for each grade. The Basic Pay ranges below reflect the candidate’s full range for the selected grade. However, a candidate's initial salary in most instances after being calculated, is determined to be lower than the maximum rate of the salary range based on their years of specialized experience, relevant experience, and grade level.
Information Used by the Office of Human Resources Staff to Set Pay
Candidates external to the SEC will be allowed to submit a comprehensive resume for pay setting purposes after a tentative offer is made. The comprehensive resume is used by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) Compensation Team to identify creditable specialized and relevant experience. For your experience to be properly recognized, please submit a comprehensive resume that covers your entire employment history. Be sure to include your job titles, employer names, dates of employment (month and year), and a thorough description of your responsibilities. Additionally, make it clear which positions were full-time, and which were part-time. This comprehensive approach will help the Compensation Team accurately assess your experience.
SK Employees
Basic Pay
The basic pay range for each grade level are as follows:
2026 Basic Pay | ||
| Grade | Minimum | Maximum |
| 1 | $24,728 | $36,213 |
| 2 | $27,805 | $40,720 |
| 3 | $30,336 | $44,426 |
| 4 | $34,053 | $49,862 |
| 5 | $38,103 | $58,290 |
| 6 | $42,472 | $64,969 |
| 7 | $47,199 | $73,263 |
| 8 | $52,265 | $81,134 |
| 9 | $57,731 | $90,928 |
| 10 | $63,576 | $100,134 |
| 11 | $69,853 | $118,342 |
| 12 | $83,718 | $141,843 |
| 13 | $99,557 | $168,668 |
| 14 | $114,315 | $193,670 |
| 15 (supv) | $121,180 | $209,165 |
| 16 | $130,550 | $221,711 |
| 17 (supv) | $138,383 | $239,449 |
Locality Pay
The locality rates presented below are applied to an employee’s basic pay based on the duty location.
| Duty Station | Locality Rate |
| Atlanta | 23.79% |
| Boston | 32.58% |
| Chicago | 30.86% |
| Denver | 30.52% |
| Fort Worth | 27.26% |
| Los Angeles | 36.47% |
| Miami | 24.67% |
| New York | 37.95% |
| Philadelphia | 28.99% |
| San Francisco | 46.34% |
| Washington, DC | 33.94% |
The salary cap, including locality pay, is $292,300 for all SK staff.
All locations are subject to the minimum/maximum ranges and salary cap.
Senior Officers
Pay Chart
The salary ranges for the Senior Officer (SO) levels are as follows:
2026 Pay Chart | ||
| Pay Structure (No Locality) | ||
| SO Level | 2026 Minimum | 2026 Maximum |
| Level 1 | $207,830 | $315,481 |
| Level 2 | $207,830 | $321,828 |
| Level 3 | $207,830 | $321,828 |
The above minimum/maximum salary ranges apply to all duty stations, there is no locality pay.
Last Reviewed or Updated: May 20, 2026