Wondering what the GS pay scale 2026 will mean for your paycheck? You’re not alone. Every year, federal employees (and many military members planning a civilian job) ask the same questions: “How much will I make?” “What does locality pay do?” “When do I get a step increase?” And the big one: “Why does my friend in the same grade make more in a different city?”
Here’s the thing: the General Schedule (GS) system is simple once you see it laid out. But it’s easy to get lost in tables, steps, and locality areas. In this guide, I’ll break the federal pay scale 2026 down in plain English, show real examples with real dollar math, and point you to the fastest way to get your exact number.
Background: How the GS Pay Scale Works (and Why Locality Matters)
The General Schedule (GS) is the main pay system for federal civilian jobs. It covers most “white collar” roles across agencies. The GS system has:
- Grades (GS-1 through GS-15): Think of grade as the job level.
- Steps (1 through 10): Think of step as your place within that grade.
So, a person might be GS-9 Step 1 or GS-12 Step 5. Same grade, different step = different pay.
Base pay vs. GS locality pay
Your pay is usually made of two parts:
- Base pay (the “Rest of U.S.” table)
- GS locality pay (extra pay based on where you work)
Locality pay exists because living costs (and private-sector wages) vary by area. That’s why a GS-11 in San Francisco usually makes more than a GS-11 in a lower-cost area.
You can find the official tables on OPM:
- OPM Pay & Leave: Salaries & Wages
- (When posted) 2026 GS tables are typically linked here: OPM 2026 General Schedule
- And the PDF table is usually here: OPM 2026 GS PDF
The fastest way to get your exact numbers
OPM tables are official, but they can be slow to use. The easiest way to get your personal pay (grade + step + city) is a calculator that does the lookup for you. This free tool is built for that:
It saves time and helps you compare cities fast—especially if you’re moving, changing agencies, or leaving active duty.
Main Content 1: GS Pay Scale 2026 Basics (Grades 1–15, Steps, and Raises)
Let’s break down what changes your federal employee salary 2026 the most.
1) Grades GS-1 through GS-15 (the “job level”)
Here’s the plain-language view:
- GS-1 to GS-4: Entry-level support roles (less common today)
- GS-5 to GS-7: Many early career roles (often recent grads)
- GS-8 to GS-11: Full performance in many job series
- GS-12 to GS-13: Senior specialist, team lead, experienced analyst
- GS-14 to GS-15: High-level experts and managers (not SES)
Most professional jobs start around GS-5/7/9 depending on education and experience. Many “ladder” jobs move like GS-7 → GS-9 → GS-11 → GS-12 as you gain skills.
2) Steps 1–10 (the “time + performance” part)
Steps are automatic within your grade if you have acceptable performance.
Typical waiting times (called “WGI” for within-grade increases):
- Steps 1 → 2 → 3 → 4: usually 1 year each
- Steps 4 → 5 → 6 → 7: usually 2 years each
- Steps 7 → 8 → 9 → 10: usually 3 years each
So going from Step 1 to Step 10 can take a long time (often 18 years). Promotions can move faster than steps.
3) Annual pay raise vs. step increase (two different things)
People mix these up.
- Annual raise: Congress/President sets an across-the-board increase (plus locality changes). This affects everyone.
- Step increase: You move up a step after time-in-step (if performance is OK).
You can get both in the same year. Example: If a 2026 raise happens in January and your step increase happens in July, you may see two pay jumps that year.
4) The pay cap (yes, it matters at higher grades)
At the high end (often GS-15 in high locality areas), pay can hit a legal cap tied to Executive Schedule pay. So a top-step GS-15 in a high-paying city might not get the full locality amount.
For exact capped numbers, rely on the official OPM table or a calculator that accounts for caps.
Main Content 2: Federal Pay Scale 2026 and GS Locality Pay by City (What to Watch)
Locality pay is where the “same grade, different paycheck” surprise happens.
How locality areas work
OPM divides the country into locality pay areas like:
- Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
- New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA
- Seattle-Tacoma, WA
- Houston-The Woodlands, TX
- And many more
If you’re not in a listed area, you fall under “Rest of U.S.” (still gets locality, but usually less than big metro areas).
Locality is based on your official duty station, not where you live. If you live far away and commute, your locality is still based on the job location.
Highest-paying localities (how to think about it)
Each year, the “highest-paying” locality areas are usually large, high-cost labor markets. Often, these show up near the top:
- San Francisco area
- Seattle area
- New York area
- Washington, DC area
- Los Angeles area (often high)
- Boston area (often high)
But “highest pay” does not always mean “best deal.” A higher salary in a high-cost city can still leave you with less money after rent, taxes, and commuting.
If you’re comparing job offers in different cities, you’ll want to run both numbers side-by-side. The easiest way is to plug your grade/step into the calculator and switch the locality:
Special note for military members transitioning
If you’re separating or retiring and looking at a GS job, locality pay can change your plan a lot.
Example: You might accept a GS-11 in one city and think “GS-11 pay is GS-11 pay.” But a GS-11 in DC can be thousands more than a GS-11 in Rest of U.S. That can affect:
- Your rent/mortgage budget
- Child care costs
- How much you can put in TSP
- Whether you can afford to “buy back” military time for FERS (more on that in other FedInfo guides)
For military pay and transition planning sources, keep these bookmarked:
Practical Examples: Real GS Pay Math (Grade, Step, City, and “What If” Scenarios)
Because OPM’s 2026 table may not be final when you read this, I’m going to show the math using real 2025 base pay numbers as a clear example. Then you’ll see exactly how to apply the 2026 raise once it’s announced.
(You can swap in the official 2026 numbers later from OPM or use the calculator for the exact table.)
Example 1: GS-9 Step 1 base pay, then add a 4.7% raise (sample)
Let’s use a common grade for early career jobs: GS-9 Step 1.
A recent GS base table lists GS-9 Step 1 around $51,332 (base, Rest of U.S. table).
Now say the federal pay raise for 2026 ends up being 4.7% (just an example rate to show the math).
Step-by-step:
- Start base pay: $51,332
- Multiply by 4.7%:
- $51,332 × 0.047 = $2,412.60
- Add it back:
- $51,332 + $2,412.60 = $53,744.60
So your new base would be about $53,745.
That’s before locality pay.
Example 2: Add locality pay (why city matters)
Now let’s say your locality is 30% (again, example rate to show the math).
- New base: $53,744.60
- Locality at 30%:
- $53,744.60 × 0.30 = $16,123.38
- Total GS pay with locality:
- $53,744.60 + $16,123.38 = $69,867.98
That’s about $69,868.
If your locality were 17% instead of 30%, then:
- $53,744.60 × 0.17 = $9,136.58
- Total = $53,744.60 + $9,136.58 = $62,881.18
Same grade. Same step. Same base pay. Different city = about $6,987 difference.
Example 3: Step increase vs. promotion (which matters more?)
Let’s keep it simple with rough numbers.
Say you’re GS-9 Step 1 at $51,332 base.
- A step increase might add roughly 3% (varies by grade).
Example: $51,332 × 0.03 ≈ $1,540.
A promotion from GS-9 to GS-11 is usually much bigger.
If GS-11 Step 1 base is about $62,107 (common ballpark in recent tables), then:
- Promotion increase: $62,107 − $51,332 = $10,775 base difference (before locality)
That’s why many people focus on career ladders and promotions, not just steps.
Example 4 (Military member): “I’m an E-5 with 6 years—how do I compare?”
Let’s do a reality check. Military pay includes more than base pay (like BAH and BAS), and those are often tax-free. A GS paycheck is taxable.
If you’re an E-5 with 6 years, your base pay is in the ballpark of mid-$3,000s per month (check the current chart on DFAS). But your total “take-home value” may be much higher once you add:
- BAH (varies by zip code)
- BAS
- Possible special pays
So when you compare a GS offer, don’t compare only base pay to base pay. Compare total compensation and taxes.
A good approach:
- Get your exact GS offer using the calculator: GS pay tables by city
- Then compare against your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)
- If you’re planning school, also check StudentAid.gov for repayment options and PSLF rules
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions (That Cost People Money)
Here are the big ones I see again and again:
- Mixing up locality and COLA. Locality pay is for GS employees in the continental U.S. COLA is a different system used in places like Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories.
- Assuming your locality is based on your home address. It’s based on your duty station.
- Thinking steps are “guaranteed” no matter what. You usually need at least an acceptable rating. Poor performance can delay a step.
- Forgetting the pay cap. High-grade, high-locality roles can hit a ceiling.
- Comparing military base pay to GS pay without BAH/BAS. That can make a GS offer look better (or worse) than it really is.
When in doubt, verify with official sources like OPM and your agency HR, and use a calculator to avoid table mistakes.
Step-by-Step: How to Find Your GS Pay in 2026 (Fast and Correct)
You can do this the “official table” way or the “fast” way. I’ll show both.
Step 1: Confirm your grade and step
Check your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or your offer letter.
You’re looking for:
- GS grade (1–15)
- Step (1–10)
Step 2: Confirm your duty station city (for GS locality pay)
Ask HR if you’re unsure. For remote jobs, confirm what duty station they will code.
Step 3: Get the official OPM table (best for documentation)
Use OPM’s pay table hub:
When OPM posts the 2026 tables, you’ll typically see:
- A “Rest of U.S.” base table
- Separate tables for each locality area
- A PDF download like: OPM 2026 GS PDF
Step 4 (easiest): Use a calculator for your exact number
If you want the fastest answer (and you want to compare cities), use:
What it helps with:
- Pulls the right table for your locality
- Reduces lookup errors
- Makes it easy to compare “DC vs. Rest of U.S.” (or any other area)
Step 5: Double-check your paycheck once the new rates hit
When the 2026 rates go live (often in early January), check:
- Your first LES of the year
- Your hourly rate and annual rate
- Any changes in deductions (health insurance can change too)
For news and updates, these sources often track the raise and table release:
And if you want more FedInfo help, you might also like:
Key Takeaways / Bottom Line (GS Pay Scale 2026)
The GS pay scale 2026 comes down to three things: your grade, your step, and your GS locality pay area. Two people can have the same job series and grade, but earn very different salaries based on city. Step increases are real money over time, but promotions (like GS-9 to GS-11) often change your pay faster.
Use official sources like OPM pay tables when you need documentation. But for day-to-day planning—especially if you’re comparing cities or job offers—the simplest move is to run your numbers in the free tool here: GS pay tables calculator.