Military rank or civilian grade often have no bearing on supervisory precedence—generally, precedence and authority are guided by situational expertise. For example, a GS-9 is considered comparable to a lieutenant (O-2), while a GS-15 (top of the General Schedule) is the equivalent grade of an army colonel or navy captain (O-6).

Pay grades GS-10, 11 and 12 are roughly equivalent to a first lieutenant or captain in the army, or to lieutenants and lieutenant-commanders in the navy. For federal civilian employees, GS-13 is where pay grades begin to correspond to senior officers in the army or navy. That's equivalent to a major in the army, or a commander in the navy.