GS Pay Scale 2026: Chicago, IL
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI · 30.86% locality pay · effective January 2026
Federal employees whose duty station is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI locality pay area get 30.86% locality pay on top of GS base pay in 2026, 13.80 points more than the Rest of U.S. rate (17.06%). That ranks #11 of 58 areas.
Here that means $56,409 for a GS-7 step 1, $68,999 for a GS-9 step 1, $83,482 for a GS-11 step 1, $100,059 for a GS-12 step 1, and $118,984 for a GS-13 step 1. A GS-9 step 1 earns $33.06 an hour. Salaries from GS-15 upward are limited by the $197,200 pay cap at the top steps.
2027: the proposed freeze would keep this table unchanged for 2027. It isn't final until the December executive order; see the 2027 pay raise tracker.
Look up your 2026 GS salary
Annual
$68,999
Per paycheck (biweekly)
$2,644.80
Monthly
$5,750
Hourly
$33.06
GS-9 step 1, Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI: base $52,727 plus 30.86% locality pay. Step 2 pays $71,299 (+$2,300) after 52 weeks at step 1.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $29,553 | $30,544 | $31,527 | $32,506 | $33,486 | $34,060 | $35,033 | $36,011 | $36,052 | $36,965 |
| GS-2 | $33,229 | $34,020 | $35,122 | $36,052 | $36,455 | $37,527 | $38,598 | $39,670 | $40,742 | $41,814 |
| GS-3 | $36,259 | $37,468 | $38,677 | $39,886 | $41,095 | $42,304 | $43,514 | $44,723 | $45,932 | $47,141 |
| GS-4 | $40,701 | $42,058 | $43,415 | $44,772 | $46,129 | $47,486 | $48,843 | $50,201 | $51,558 | $52,915 |
| GS-5 | $45,538 | $47,056 | $48,574 | $50,092 | $51,610 | $53,128 | $54,646 | $56,164 | $57,682 | $59,200 |
| GS-6 | $50,762 | $52,454 | $54,146 | $55,838 | $57,530 | $59,222 | $60,914 | $62,606 | $64,298 | $65,990 |
| GS-7 | $56,409 | $58,289 | $60,169 | $62,050 | $63,930 | $65,811 | $67,691 | $69,572 | $71,452 | $73,333 |
| GS-8 | $62,470 | $64,552 | $66,634 | $68,716 | $70,798 | $72,880 | $74,962 | $77,044 | $79,126 | $81,208 |
| GS-9 | $68,999 | $71,299 | $73,600 | $75,900 | $78,201 | $80,501 | $82,802 | $85,102 | $87,403 | $89,703 |
| GS-10 | $75,983 | $78,515 | $81,047 | $83,579 | $86,111 | $88,643 | $91,175 | $93,708 | $96,240 | $98,772 |
| GS-11 | $83,482 | $86,266 | $89,049 | $91,832 | $94,616 | $97,399 | $100,182 | $102,966 | $105,749 | $108,533 |
| GS-12 | $100,059 | $103,395 | $106,731 | $110,066 | $113,402 | $116,738 | $120,073 | $123,409 | $126,744 | $130,080 |
| GS-13 | $118,984 | $122,951 | $126,917 | $130,884 | $134,850 | $138,816 | $142,783 | $146,749 | $150,715 | $154,682 |
| GS-14 | $140,604 | $145,291 | $149,979 | $154,666 | $159,353 | $164,041 | $168,728 | $173,416 | $178,103 | $182,790 |
| GS-15 | $165,386 | $170,899 | $176,412 | $181,925 | $187,439 | $192,952 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
Italic amounts are limited by the $197,200 pay cap (Executive Schedule level IV).
← All 58 locality areas and the base table · Source: OPM 2026 salary table CHI. FedInfo.org is independent and not affiliated with OPM.