Cross-country comparison
L16 (India) vs GS-12 (United States)
India · 7th Central Pay Commission Pay Matrix
L16
Pay Level 16 — Secretary-level in states / HAG+. Pay Scale 75500-80000.
₹2,464,800 – ₹2,692,800
FY 2016 · annual base · INR
View full L16 detail →United States · General Schedule (GS)
GS-12
Senior specialist and first-line supervisor level. Most common grade for experienced federal professionals.
$76,463 – $99,404
FY 2026 · annual base · USD
View full GS-12 detail →How they compare
A L16 in the India federal civil service earns between ₹2,464,800 and ₹2,692,800 per year at base rates, while a GS-12 in the United States federal civil service earns between $76,463 and $99,404. Both figures are annual base in each country’s currency, before locality adjustments, allowances, or bonuses.
Responsibilities at these grades are not directly comparable — each country’s civil service uses its own classification framework. See the linked authoritative sources for role scoping.