This guide to the GS pay scale 2027 was last updated on October 19, 2026, and we will update it as decisions land.
If you work for the federal government, you probably want one answer: what will my pay be in January? Right now, the honest answer is "probably the same as today, but it isn't final." This article walks through what we know, what we don't, and what could still change your paycheck.
What Is Final and What Is Not
Let's separate the facts from the maybes.
What we know:
- The August 26, 2026 alternative pay plan proposes no across-the-board raise for January 2027.
- It also proposes no locality increase for January 2027.
What is not final yet:
- The December executive order that sets 2027 pay. If it follows the plan, the 2027 base table and every locality table will match 2026.
- The official tables from OPM, which come out in late December or early January.
- Whether Congress passes a raise in an appropriations bill.
So treat "frozen pay" as the likely path, not a done deal.
Background: How to Read a GS Pay Chart
Before we talk about a freeze, let's make sure the table itself makes sense. It's simpler than it looks.
Grades, Steps, and the Base Table
The General Schedule (GS) has 15 grades and 10 steps in each grade. Grade is your job level. Step is how long you've been at that level. Think of it as a grid: grade runs down the side, step runs across the top.
Locality Pay Is Added on Top
The base table is the same everywhere. Then a locality percentage is added for where you work. A city with high living costs gets a bigger percentage. Everywhere that doesn't have its own area falls under "Rest of U.S."
Here's a simple example. Say a base salary is $50,000 and the locality rate is 20%. That's $50,000 × 1.20 = $60,000. (Those are made-up numbers just to show the math.)
Want the current numbers? Our GS Pay Scale 2026: Salary Tables with Locality Pay by City has them. For a deeper look at the math, see how to calculate federal locality pay.
GS Pay Scale 2027 Under a Freeze: What the Tables Would Look Like
If the December executive order follows the August plan, the answer is easy. Every number stays put. The 2027 base table equals the 2026 base table. Each locality table equals its 2026 version. If you find your grade, step, and area on the 2026 chart, you've found your 2027 pay.
That's why we're not printing 2027 figures here. Making up numbers for tables that don't exist yet would not help you. Use the 2026 tables as your stand-in until OPM posts the real ones.
Why a Flat Table Is Not the Whole Story
A frozen table means the chart doesn't move. It doesn't mean your pay can't move. Your own salary can still change in 2027, and the next sections explain how.
The Fastest Way to Get Your Own Numbers
Reading tables is fine, but it's slow. The easiest way to get your exact numbers is the free GS pay tables calculator. Pick your grade, step, and area, and it shows your pay. You can also check the federal pay raise tool to see how a raise, or no raise, affects you.
OPM Pay Tables 2027: When to Expect the Official Version
OPM publishes the official tables. Expect them in late December or early January. You can find them on the OPM salaries and wages page.
Here's our promise: we will update this page with the official tables the day OPM posts them. The newsletter sends them the same morning.
For news while you wait, FedWeek and GovExec cover federal pay closely. For the basics of how raises work, read our 2026 federal pay raise explainer.
What Still Changes in 2027 With a 2027 GS Pay Chart Freeze
A frozen chart doesn't freeze everything. Four things can still change your pay.
1. Step Increases
Step increases are separate from the yearly raise. You earn them by waiting. The wait is 1, 2, or 3 years, depending on your step. Lower steps come faster, and higher steps take longer.
A step increase adds roughly 3% to your pay. Our guide to GS step increases covers what can delay one.
2. Promotions
When you move up a grade, your pay is set using the two-step rule. In plain words, your new pay is the step in the higher grade that gives you at least two steps' worth of increase over your old pay. Read more in our GS promotion pay rules guide.
3. Special Salary Rates
Some jobs use special rates instead of the regular tables. OPM has been directed to give certain law enforcement employees a 3.8% increase through special rates. If that's your job, see our LEO special salary rates article. Not sure which system covers you? Read special rate vs locality pay.
4. The Pay Cap
The pay cap is tied to Executive Schedule level IV. If the freeze holds, the cap stays flat too. High earners who bump into the cap won't see it move. Our GS pay caps explainer breaks this down.
Practical Examples: Your Pay Under a Freeze
All salaries below are example salaries, not real table figures. They show the math.
Example 1: GS-7 Step 3, Rest of U.S.
Your example salary is $48,000. Under a freeze, you keep $48,000. Now say you reach step 4 in 2027. A step is roughly 3%.
- $48,000 × 0.03 = $1,440
- $48,000 + $1,440 = about $49,440
So you'd still get a raise, just not from the chart.
Example 2: GS-9 Waiting on a Step
Your example salary is $62,000, and you're not due for a step in 2027. Under a freeze, your pay stays $62,000 all year. This is the group a freeze hits hardest, since nothing else adds to your pay.
Example 3: Law Enforcement on a Special Rate
Your example salary is $70,000. A 3.8% increase works out like this:
- $70,000 × 0.038 = $2,660
- $70,000 + $2,660 = $72,660
This is only an example. Your actual change depends on your special rate table.
Example 4: Congress Steps In
In 2019, a freeze was proposed. Congress then passed a 1.9% raise, and it was paid retroactively. Just to show the math (not a prediction), 1.9% on $62,000 is $1,178. That would bring the example salary to $63,178.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
"A freeze means my pay can't go up." Not true. Steps and promotions still count.
"The plan is final." It isn't. The December executive order and Congress both come after it.
"I should plug in 2027 numbers from a random chart." Don't. Anyone showing you 2027 tables now is guessing.
"A freeze means pay cuts." No. Under the plan, tables stay the same as 2026.
"This applies to military pay too." This article covers GS pay. Military pay is set separately. Check DFAS or our military pay raise article.
Step-by-Step: Get Ready for 2027 Pay
Here's what to do now.
- Find your grade and step. Look at your latest pay stub or personnel form. Our grade and step guide helps.
- Find your locality area. Your pay stub or HR office can tell you.
- Look up your pay in the 2026 tables. Under a freeze, that's your 2027 base.
- Mark your next step date. Ask HR when your next step is due.
- Run your numbers. Use the GS pay tables calculator to see your pay in seconds.
- Sign up for updates. Get the newsletter so you see the official tables the morning OPM posts them.
- Watch for the December order. Then watch Congress.
More pay topics live on our pay info page.
Bottom Line
- The August 26, 2026 plan proposes no raise and no locality increase for January 2027.
- If the December order follows it, the 2027 tables match 2026.
- Steps, promotions, special rates, and the pay cap work differently, so your own pay may still change.
- Congress could still pass a raise, and back pay would follow if it does.
- OPM posts official tables in late December or early January. We'll post them here the same day.
The best next move is simple. Try the calculator to see your personal results. It's free, it's fast, and it shows your exact numbers.