DNEA expertise.
Top-of-range pay at GS.
Your technical experience should show up in your compensation. GS Consulting’s DNEA pay ceilings match the highest published salary for each level found in our Maryland research.
Discuss your GS offerDNEA Levels 1–4 · Maryland · Research updated October 3, 2026
See where GS stands.
Annual base pay · USDOur research ranges show published pay across Maryland DNEA roles. GS offers qualified candidates pay up to the top of each level’s researched range.
Level 1
Discuss Level 1Level 2
Discuss Level 2Level 3
Discuss Level 3Level 4
Discuss Level 4GS ceilings are available to qualified candidates for eligible assignments. Your offer depends on experience, qualifications, and assignment fit. The comparison reflects published level-specific salary ranges reviewed on October 3, 2026; it is not a claim to exceed every employer’s pay.
About our salary researchBring your experience.
Know your earning potential.
Tell us the DNEA level you’re considering and the work you do best. We’ll discuss the available assignment, its base salary, and the complete package with you.
Continues to GS Consulting’s career interest form.
Compare the package you’ll actually receive.
A useful offer comparison puts recurring pay, benefits, and working arrangements side by side. Keep guaranteed amounts separate from conditional or one-time payments.
| Part of the offer | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Annual base pay | The salary, pay frequency, and approved DNEA level. | Provides a consistent starting point for comparing offers. |
| Health coverage | Eligibility, employee and dependent premiums, deductible, and coverage start. | Your share of the cost affects the value of the package. |
| Paid time off | Leave allowance, holidays, accrual, carryover, and any waiting period. | Time away is part of the offer, even though it is not base pay. |
| Other compensation | Whether a bonus, retirement contribution, shift differential, or overtime applies—and its written conditions. | A conditional payment should not be treated as guaranteed recurring salary. |
| Worksite & schedule | Assigned location, onsite expectations, shift pattern, and weekly hours. | Commute and schedule can materially affect which opportunity works for you. |
GS’s reviewed benefits reference includes health insurance and paid time off. Confirm current eligibility, coverage, costs, and leave terms with recruiting. The other items above are questions to ask, not a statement that every benefit or payment is offered.
About our salary research
GS researches published DNEA compensation across Maryland, including Fort Meade and Annapolis Junction. We compare annual salary by level and use the lowest published minimum and highest published maximum to define each research range.
Read the research method
Reviewed October 3, 2026. Sources include employer career pages, indexed employer pages, and employer-authored job-board listings. Published salary evidence may remain useful after an opening closes; these ranges do not imply that the source positions are still available.
We separate salary from benefits and exclude hourly rates, job-board salary estimates, and packages explicitly including benefits. Broad ranges spanning several levels are only assigned to individual levels when the source provides separate pay bands. Equivalent qualification paths may be used where a level number is omitted.
These are observed ranges, not averages or percentiles. Employer identities are anonymized; source URLs, pay figures, level mappings, and review notes are retained in GS’s research records. The GS comparison is limited to the level-matched Maryland salary evidence in this review. Roles with different level structures or no comparable level designation are outside the comparison.
Make your experience count.
Help recruiting understand the technical work behind your years of experience.
Review the DNEA requirements- Relevant technical work
- Summarize your work in network analysis, programming, systems, security, or forensics. Explain your responsibilities and outcomes using unclassified examples.
- Education and qualifications
- Include your degree field and relevant experience. The assignment’s rules determine which education and experience paths are accepted.
- Assignment fit
- Discuss the worksite, schedule, technical responsibilities, and access requirements with recruiting. Do not include sensitive clearance or customer details in ordinary messages.
- Your expectations
- Share your target base salary and the benefits or working arrangements that matter to you. You can discuss expectations without supplying your salary history.
Before you compare offers.
Does a higher level automatically mean a specific salary?
No fixed amount follows from the level alone. Qualifications, duties, assignment requirements, and the approved compensation for the position need to be considered together.
Should I compare base pay with total compensation?
Compare base pay with base pay first. Then review benefits and additional compensation separately, including eligibility, employee costs, payment conditions, and whether an amount recurs each year.
When should I bring up compensation?
Include it in your initial role-fit conversation. Ask for the assignment’s current range, describe your expectations, and request the written package before making a decision.
What if I’m unsure which DNEA level fits?
Use the qualification guide as a starting point, then ask GS to review how your education and relevant experience align with an assignment.
Let’s talk about your next offer.
Start with your DNEA background, the level you’re considering, and what you need from your next role.
Talk compensation with GS recruitingContinues to GS Consulting’s career interest form. An inquiry is not an application or employment offer.