Originally Posted by
Deeg
That's not my recollection. I believe a BA/BS generally qualifies for GS-5, a BA/BS with Superior Academic Achievement (whatever it's called) or one year of graduate education qualifies for a GS-7, and an MA/MS qualifies for GS-9. At least that's how it's been in the thousands of job postings I've read over the years.
Here's a quote from a current DEA opening for support staff:
May depend on the agency. I don't know anyone who was fresh out of college that DIDN'T start at a GS-7 or better. There are minimums set by agencies for degrees. One I worked for started BS at a 7 (forget the step), MS was a 9-6, Doctorate was 11 or 12 (can't remember off hand). But those were just minimums. It wasn't uncommon to start higher than that based on experience and skill demand. I started at a GS-11 + put on a premium payscale (mine had an E attached to it - paid about 10K better than the typical GS scale) when I started my govie career.