3 years ago I posted about the salary determination process in the Foreign Service, but it continues to be one of the most frequently asked questions I receive from potential prospects, so figured it would be a good idea to update that post and add a little more clarity now that I have even more experience with the process.
Arguably one of the more important things to consider when starting the application process, is the salary. The Foreign Service uses a rank ordered salary schedule, and if you are familiar with the military system, it is very similar. Here is the 2025 Salary Schedule:
Medical Providers start at Class 3, step 5 through 14 on the “Overseas Salary Schedule”. So you can expect your BASE salary to start between $113,389 to $147,947. (Note, as your career progresses, you can move up grades. Next for MPs would be grade 2, then grade 1, then the Senior Foreign Service scales).
I highlighted the word BASE for a very important reason. So many of my readers see those numbers, freak out, and just stop there assuming they are taking a huge pay cut, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This salary scale is just the tip of the iceberg.
As you serve your country abroad, there are a host of differentials/benefits that will come into play as well. For example, in my first assignment in Nouakchott, I received a 35% hardship differential for living in a country that wasn’t really easy to live. Most posts for Medical Providers probably average around 20% hardship, and you can count on your entry level posts being at least that level. If we use today’s numbers, an MP assigned to a country with a 35% differential making the salary cap would get an additional $53,260 in addition to their base salary, making for a salary of $201,208. Solid.
Another perk Nouakchott had was a tax free cost of living allowance (COLA). This is an allowance given by the government to employees that live in countries that have a higher cost of living than the U.S. The exact amount is based on the size of your family and it fluctuates based on exchange rates, but during my tour in Nouakchott it probably netted me another $12000 a year tax free. Not every post has a COLA allowance, but I would say the majority do, and even really nice countries like Singapore, Japan, and the UK offer solid COLA allowances to people.
In my current assignment I also get a Danger Pay differential of 25%. This, combined with my 20% post hardship differential means that I get an additional 45% of my base salary, which is obviously substantial. This only applies to a handful of countries, but many folks like chasing the money and bounce around to danger posts around the globe because they are so lucrative.
I also want to mention that in the time that I have joined the department, I have receive 3 federal cost of living raises. Typically granted each year by the President, in 2022 when I joined my base salary was $131,000 and today it is $147,947. In 2023 we received a 4.6% raise, 2024 a 5.1% raise, and in 2025 a 2% raise. I never received cost of living raises as a hospitalist, so I love these. It isn’t guaranteed, but over the last quarter century federal employees have enjoyed annual cost of living raises 23 out of 25 years.
Another huge thing to consider while serving your country abroad, is that the government provides you with tax free housing with all utilities paid and a work phone. They will also pay for your school age children to attend international private schools at little or no cost to you. Usually for folks abroad, the only bill they are on the hook for is the internet tab, which seems to run on par to US costs, where higher speed plans run roughly $100 a month universally.
Finally, none of the above considers that you are automatically enrolled into a handsome pension that you get after 20 years, have the additional option of a government matched retirement plan similar to a 401(k), and family healthcare plans that are better than anything the private sector has to offer, for a fraction of the cost. Many posts also have a benefit called R&R, where the government will pay for you and your families airfare a certain number of times during your posting to get some Rest & Recuperation. Each country will have a designated relief country, or you can also choose a city in the US or its territories. For both my first two tours, I got 3 R&R trips in two years, a lovely perk.
As we can see, while it’s easy to look at some of the base numbers and think the pay is pretty crummy, especially for healthcare providers with decent experience, once you start adding in all the differentials and benefits, you begin to realize how folks in the FS can save a small fortune very quickly in several posts. I was worried my take home pay would suck when I joined, but I quickly eclipsed my hospitalist salary and the money that landed in my bank account after paying all the bills was significantly more.
You can check out most of the benefits and differentials by country here. I hope this was a solid refresher. -Nick
