Benefits & Pay
Understanding Foreign Service Officer Compensation
A guide to base pay, overseas salary, allowances, and benefits that make up an entry-level Foreign Service Officer’s total compensation.
FSO Pay Scale
Three entry-level pay classes
The Foreign Service uses its own pay scale, similar to the GS pay scale. Entry-level Foreign Service Officers are eligible for 3 classes of pay:
- FP-4 (the most senior)
- FP-5
- FP-6
Each pay class has 14 steps, as shown below. The lowest base salary for an entry-level FSO is $48,708 and the highest base salary is $98,744.
| Class | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 | Step 11 | Step 12 | Step 13 | Step 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 126,384 | 130,176 | 134,081 | 138,103 | 142,246 | 146,514 | 150,909 | 155,436 | 160,099 | 164,301 | 164,301 | 164,301 | 164,301 | 164,301 |
| 2 | 102,409 | 105,481 | 108,646 | 111,905 | 115,262 | 118,720 | 122,282 | 125,950 | 129,729 | 133,621 | 137,629 | 141,758 | 146,011 | 150,391 |
| 3 | 82,982 | 85,471 | 88,036 | 90,677 | 93,397 | 96,199 | 99,085 | 102,057 | 105,119 | 108,273 | 111,521 | 114,866 | 118,312 | 121,862 |
| 4 | 67,240 | 69,257 | 71,335 | 73,475 | 75,679 | 77,950 | 80,288 | 82,697 | 85,178 | 87,733 | 90,365 | 93,076 | 95,868 | 98,744 |
| 5 | 54,485 | 56,120 | 57,803 | 59,537 | 61,323 | 63,163 | 65,058 | 67,010 | 69,020 | 71,091 | 73,223 | 75,420 | 77,683 | 80,013 |
| 6 | 48,708 | 50,169 | 51,674 | 53,225 | 54,821 | 56,466 | 58,160 | 59,905 | 61,702 | 63,553 | 65,459 | 67,423 | 69,446 | 71,529 |
| 7 | 43,543 | 44,849 | 46,195 | 47,581 | 49,008 | 50,478 | 51,993 | 53,552 | 55,159 | 56,814 | 58,518 | 60,274 | 62,082 | 63,944 |
| 8 | 38,926 | 40,094 | 41,297 | 42,535 | 43,812 | 45,126 | 46,480 | 47,874 | 49,310 | 50,790 | 52,313 | 53,883 | 55,499 | 57,164 |
| 9 | 34,799 | 35,843 | 36,918 | 38,026 | 39,167 | 40,342 | 41,552 | 42,798 | 44,082 | 45,405 | 46,767 | 48,170 | 49,615 | 51,104 |
Determining Your Pay Class & Step
Entry-level pay class and step are determined by education level and qualifying professional experience (QPE). To be considered, a degree must be conferred prior to appointment by a nationally accredited college or university (by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education).
Qualifying professional experience refers to:
“Work in a field that generally requires a bachelor’s degree or higher. Experience in clerical, wage-grade positions, or other roles that do not require a bachelor’s degree will not be considered. Qualifying professional experience involves the application of specialized knowledge, acquired through a bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field conferred from an accredited academic institution. Recognized fields include, but are not limited to, journalism, social sciences, business management, project management, marketing, economics, political science, law, engineering, computer science, healthcare, teaching, or natural sciences.”
Once education and QPE are determined, incoming pay scale can be found in the table below:
| Education | Full Years of QPE | Grade / Step |
|---|---|---|
| No Bachelor's Degree | 0–5 | FP-6 / Step 1–5 |
| 6–11 | FP-6 / Step 6–11 | |
| 12–17 | FP-5 / Step 8–13 | |
| 18–26 | FP-4 / Step 6–14 | |
| 27+ | FP-4 / Step 14 | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 0–5 | FP-6 / Step 5–10 |
| 6–11 | FP-5 / Step 7–12 | |
| 12–21 | FP-4 / Step 5–14 | |
| 22+ | FP-4 / Step 14 | |
| Master's Degree | 0–7 | FP-5 / Step 5–12 |
| 8–17 | FP-4 / Step 5–14 | |
| 18+ | FP-4 / Step 14 | |
| Doctorate (PhD) or Juris Doctor (JD) | 0–9 | FP-4 / Step 5–14 |
| 10+ | FP-4 / Step 14 |
Overseas Salary
FSOs serving overseas receive overseas pay corresponding to their base pay class and step. For example, an FSO in class 5, step 7 would receive a $65,058 salary while in the United States and an overseas salary of $79,774.
| Class | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 | Step 11 | Step 12 | Step 13 | Step 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 154,972 | 159,622 | 164,410 | 169,342 | 174,422 | 179,655 | 185,045 | 190,596 | 196,313 | 197,200 | 197,200 | 197,200 | 197,200 | 197,200 |
| 2 | 125,574 | 129,341 | 133,222 | 137,218 | 141,334 | 145,574 | 149,942 | 154,440 | 159,074 | 163,846 | 168,761 | 173,824 | 179,039 | 184,409 |
| 3 | 101,753 | 104,805 | 107,950 | 111,188 | 114,523 | 117,959 | 121,498 | 125,142 | 128,897 | 132,764 | 136,747 | 140,849 | 145,074 | 149,427 |
| 4 | 82,450 | 84,923 | 87,471 | 90,095 | 92,798 | 95,582 | 98,449 | 101,403 | 104,445 | 107,578 | 110,806 | 114,130 | 117,553 | 121,080 |
| 5 | 66,810 | 68,814 | 70,878 | 73,004 | 75,194 | 77,450 | 79,774 | 82,168 | 84,632 | 87,172 | 89,786 | 92,480 | 95,255 | 98,112 |
| 6 | 59,726 | 61,517 | 63,363 | 65,264 | 67,222 | 69,239 | 71,316 | 73,456 | 75,659 | 77,929 | 80,266 | 82,674 | 85,155 | 87,709 |
| 7 | 53,392 | 54,994 | 56,644 | 58,344 | 60,094 | 61,896 | 63,754 | 65,665 | 67,636 | 69,665 | 71,755 | 73,908 | 76,125 | 78,408 |
| 8 | 47,731 | 49,163 | 50,638 | 52,156 | 53,722 | 55,334 | 56,994 | 58,703 | 60,464 | 62,279 | 64,146 | 66,071 | 68,053 | 70,094 |
| 9 | 42,671 | 43,951 | 45,269 | 46,627 | 48,027 | 49,467 | 50,951 | 52,479 | 54,053 | 55,676 | 57,346 | 59,066 | 60,838 | 62,664 |
Danger Pay Allowance
Certain postings in more dangerous countries are eligible for a danger pay allowance. Danger pay is extra taxable income calculated at 15%, 25%, or 35% of overseas salary.
A list of countries with danger pay and their percentage can be viewed here: allowances.state.gov — Danger Pay
Hardship Post Allowance
A hardship allowance is given for countries with more difficult living conditions than the United States. Hardship does not correlate to danger and could be given for a variety of reasons, for example:
- Air quality
- Weather
- Accessibility of healthcare
Hardship allowances range between 5% and 35% and are calculated based on overseas salary. A table of countries and their allowances can be found here: allowances.state.gov — Hardship
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
Many countries have a higher cost of living than the United States and FSOs are given a cost-of-living allowance to compensate. COLA differs from the hardship allowance and danger allowance in two ways:
- It is NOT calculated on overseas salary but spendable income.
- It is not taxable income.
COLA Percentage
COLA is based on the cost of living (excluding housing and education) in Washington, D.C. and is granted for a country with a difference greater than 3%. The allowance ranges from 5%–130% of spendable income depending on the country. A table of each posting with its corresponding allowance can be viewed here: allowances.state.gov — COLA
Spendable Income
Your base salary and family size determine spendable income, as shown in the chart below.
| Annual Base Salary | 1 Person | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146,000 and over | 46,500 | 52,300 | 58,100 | 61,000 | 66,800 | 69,700 |
| 139,000 – 145,999 | 45,100 | 50,800 | 56,400 | 59,200 | 64,900 | 67,700 |
| 132,000 – 138,999 | 43,800 | 49,200 | 54,700 | 57,400 | 62,900 | 65,700 |
| 125,000 – 131,999 | 42,400 | 47,700 | 53,000 | 55,600 | 60,900 | 63,600 |
| 118,000 – 124,999 | 41,000 | 46,100 | 51,200 | 53,800 | 58,900 | 61,500 |
| 112,000 – 117,999 | 39,700 | 44,600 | 49,600 | 52,000 | 57,000 | 59,500 |
| 106,000 – 111,999 | 38,400 | 43,200 | 48,000 | 50,400 | 55,200 | 57,600 |
| 100,000 – 105,999 | 37,200 | 41,800 | 46,400 | 48,800 | 53,400 | 55,700 |
| 95,000 – 99,999 | 36,000 | 40,500 | 45,000 | 47,200 | 51,700 | 54,000 |
| 90,000 – 94,999 | 34,900 | 39,300 | 43,700 | 45,800 | 50,200 | 52,400 |
| 85,000 – 89,999 | 33,800 | 38,100 | 42,300 | 44,400 | 48,600 | 50,800 |
| 80,000 – 84,999 | 32,700 | 36,800 | 40,900 | 43,000 | 47,100 | 49,100 |
| 75,000 – 79,999 | 31,600 | 35,600 | 39,500 | 41,500 | 45,500 | 47,500 |
| 71,000 – 74,999 | 30,600 | 34,500 | 38,300 | 40,200 | 44,000 | 46,000 |
| 67,000 – 70,999 | 29,700 | 33,500 | 37,200 | 39,000 | 42,700 | 44,600 |
| 63,000 – 66,999 | 28,800 | 32,400 | 36,000 | 37,800 | 41,400 | 43,200 |
| 59,000 – 62,999 | 27,900 | 31,400 | 34,900 | 36,600 | 40,100 | 41,900 |
| 55,000 – 58,999 | 27,000 | 30,400 | 33,700 | 35,400 | 38,800 | 40,500 |
| 51,000 – 54,999 | 26,100 | 29,300 | 32,600 | 34,200 | 37,500 | 39,100 |
| 48,000 – 50,999 | 25,200 | 28,400 | 31,600 | 33,100 | 36,300 | 37,900 |
| 45,000 – 47,999 | 24,500 | 27,600 | 30,700 | 32,200 | 35,300 | 36,800 |
| 42,000 – 44,999 | 23,800 | 26,800 | 29,800 | 31,300 | 34,200 | 35,700 |
| Under 42,000 | 23,100 | 26,000 | 28,900 | 30,300 | 33,200 | 34,700 |
Source: BLS Table 1203, Income before taxes — Consumer Expenditure Survey Data, 2021 (released 9/08/2022).
Education Allowance
An education allowance is provided for Foreign Service Officers to cover the cost of K–12 education that would generally be free through public education. The allowance is based on the least expensive “adequate” school at post.
For more information, see the “Education” tab under “General Information” at allowances.state.gov.
Housing Allowance
A Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) is granted to Foreign Service Officers to cover the annual cost of suitable, adequate living quarters for them and their families.
For more information, see the “Living Quarters Allowance (LQA)” tab under “General Information” at allowances.state.gov.
A list of the LQA in each country/city can be viewed here: allowances.state.gov — LQA by Post
Scenario 1: James — Jakarta, Indonesia
Consider James, a recent master’s program graduate working in computer science with 4 years of qualifying experience. He is married with 1 child and has just been selected as a Foreign Service Officer. His first tour will be in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Step 1: Find his Pay Class/Step
James qualifies for FP-5 steps 5–12. For our calculations, let’s assume he receives the lowest eligible pay, FP-5 step 5. This gives him a base salary of $61,323.
Step 2: Determine his Overseas Salary
Since James will be posted in Indonesia he will receive an overseas salary. To determine his overseas salary, find FP-5 step 5 on the overseas table above. This gives a new salary of $75,194.
Step 3: Determine Danger Allowance
There is no allowance for danger in Indonesia, so James will not receive any additional money.
Step 4: Determine Hardship Post Allowance
The hardship allowance for Jakarta is 25%. To calculate James’ allowance, multiply his overseas salary by 0.25: $75,194 × 0.25 = $18,799.
Step 5: Determine Cost-of-Living Allowance
To determine James’ COLA, find his spendable income on the table above. His base salary is between $59,000 and $62,999 and he has 3 family members, so his spendable income is $34,900. Since Jakarta’s COLA is 0%, he will not receive any additional money.
Total
James’ total salary is his overseas salary of $75,194 plus his hardship post allowance of $18,799, adding to $93,993. He will also receive a housing allowance and an education allowance for eligible children.
Scenario 2: Abby — Tijuana, Mexico
Consider Abby, a 40-year-old high-school graduate with 20 years of qualifying experience. She is married with 2 children and has just been selected as a Foreign Service Officer. Her first tour will be in Tijuana, Mexico.
Step 1: Find her Pay Class/Step
Since she does not have a college degree but has 20 years of QPE, Abby qualifies for FP-4 steps 6–14. For our calculations, let’s assume she receives FP-4 step 8. This gives her a base salary of $82,697.
Step 2: Determine her Overseas Salary
Since Abby will be posted in Mexico she will receive an overseas salary. To determine her overseas salary, find FP-4 step 8 on the overseas table above. This gives a new salary of $101,403.
Step 3: Determine Danger Allowance
There is no allowance for danger in Mexico, so Abby will not receive any additional money.
Step 4: Determine Hardship Post Allowance
The hardship allowance for Tijuana is 20%. To calculate Abby’s allowance, multiply her overseas salary by 0.20: $101,403 × 0.20 = $20,280.
Step 5: Determine Cost-of-Living Allowance
To determine Abby’s COLA, find her spendable income on the table above. Her base salary is between $80,000 and $84,999 and she has 4 family members, so her spendable income is $43,000. Since Tijuana’s COLA is 35%, she will receive: $43,000 × 0.35 = $15,050.
Total
Abby’s total taxable salary is her overseas salary of $101,403 plus her hardship post allowance of $20,280, adding to $121,683. Including her nontaxable income of $15,050, she will receive $136,733. She will also receive a housing allowance and an education allowance for eligible children.
Next Step
Ready to start your Foreign Service career?
Join the talent network to receive FSOT updates, registration reminders, and information about the path to becoming an officer.
Sign Up for Test UpdatesQuestions? Email [email protected].