GS Pay Scale 2026: Washington, DC
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA · 33.94% locality pay · effective January 2026
Federal employees whose duty station is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area get 33.94% locality pay on top of GS base pay in 2026, 16.88 points more than the Rest of U.S. rate (17.06%). That ranks #5 of 58 areas.
Here that means $57,736 for a GS-7 step 1, $70,623 for a GS-9 step 1, $85,447 for a GS-11 step 1, $102,415 for a GS-12 step 1, and $121,785 for a GS-13 step 1. A GS-9 step 1 earns $33.84 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
$70,623
Per paycheck (biweekly)
$2,707.20
Monthly
$5,885
Hourly
$33.84
GS-9 step 1, Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA: base $52,727 plus 33.94% locality pay. Step 2 pays $72,977 (+$2,354) 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 | $30,249 | $31,263 | $32,269 | $33,271 | $34,274 | $34,862 | $35,857 | $36,859 | $36,900 | $37,835 |
| GS-2 | $34,011 | $34,820 | $35,948 | $36,900 | $37,313 | $38,410 | $39,507 | $40,604 | $41,701 | $42,798 |
| GS-3 | $37,112 | $38,350 | $39,587 | $40,825 | $42,063 | $43,300 | $44,538 | $45,775 | $47,013 | $48,251 |
| GS-4 | $41,659 | $43,048 | $44,437 | $45,826 | $47,215 | $48,604 | $49,993 | $51,382 | $52,771 | $54,160 |
| GS-5 | $46,610 | $48,163 | $49,717 | $51,271 | $52,825 | $54,378 | $55,932 | $57,486 | $59,039 | $60,593 |
| GS-6 | $51,957 | $53,689 | $55,420 | $57,152 | $58,884 | $60,616 | $62,348 | $64,080 | $65,811 | $67,543 |
| GS-7 | $57,736 | $59,661 | $61,586 | $63,510 | $65,435 | $67,360 | $69,284 | $71,209 | $73,134 | $75,059 |
| GS-8 | $63,940 | $66,071 | $68,202 | $70,333 | $72,464 | $74,595 | $76,726 | $78,857 | $80,988 | $83,119 |
| GS-9 | $70,623 | $72,977 | $75,332 | $77,687 | $80,041 | $82,396 | $84,751 | $87,105 | $89,460 | $91,815 |
| GS-10 | $77,771 | $80,363 | $82,954 | $85,546 | $88,138 | $90,730 | $93,321 | $95,913 | $98,505 | $101,097 |
| GS-11 | $85,447 | $88,296 | $91,145 | $93,994 | $96,843 | $99,692 | $102,540 | $105,389 | $108,238 | $111,087 |
| GS-12 | $102,415 | $105,829 | $109,243 | $112,657 | $116,071 | $119,485 | $122,899 | $126,313 | $129,728 | $133,142 |
| GS-13 | $121,785 | $125,845 | $129,904 | $133,964 | $138,024 | $142,084 | $146,143 | $150,203 | $154,263 | $158,322 |
| GS-14 | $143,913 | $148,711 | $153,509 | $158,306 | $163,104 | $167,902 | $172,700 | $177,497 | $182,295 | $187,093 |
| GS-15 | $169,279 | $174,922 | $180,565 | $186,207 | $191,850 | $197,200 | $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 DCB. FedInfo.org is independent and not affiliated with OPM.