In this study, I investigate the factors contributing to gender-based pay disparity in the federal government. T.he data from a Merit Principles Survey and from central personnel files are analyzed by the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression method. I show that gender and minority status are significantly and negatively associated with salary. However, the positive relationships between education and organizational tenure and salary are stronger than those between gender and minority status, and salary. This suggests that pay grade, performance, and seniority may now be more important determinants of salary than gender and minority status. Agency function is also shown to have a critical influence on the salary level of employees: Redistributive agencies that employ more women in traditionally male-dominated occupational categories, or ranks, tend to pay less than other agencies.