GS pay scale 2026: the base table and every locality table
Choose a locality area to print its full 2026 table, annual or hourly. Every cell is recomputed from the OPM base table and percentage.
2026 GS pay table, Rest of U.S.
17.06 %
Locality pay on top of the base table, frozen at its 2025 level. No cell reaches the pay cap.
| GS-1 step 1 | $35,048 |
| GS-15 step 10 | $192,331 |
| Raise over 2025 | 1.0 % |
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $35,048 | $35,772 | $36,496 | $37,220 | $37,944 | $38,668 | $39,392 | $40,116 | $40,840 | $41,564 |
| GS-2 | $35,749 | $36,568 | $37,387 | $38,206 | $39,025 | $39,844 | $40,663 | $41,482 | $42,301 | $43,120 |
| GS-3 | $36,464 | $37,388 | $38,312 | $39,236 | $40,160 | $41,084 | $42,008 | $42,932 | $43,856 | $44,780 |
| GS-4 | $37,193 | $38,230 | $39,267 | $40,304 | $41,341 | $42,479 | $43,693 | $44,907 | $46,120 | $47,334 |
| GS-5 | $40,736 | $42,094 | $43,452 | $44,809 | $46,167 | $47,525 | $48,883 | $50,241 | $51,599 | $52,957 |
| GS-6 | $45,409 | $46,922 | $48,436 | $49,950 | $51,463 | $52,977 | $54,490 | $56,004 | $57,517 | $59,031 |
| GS-7 | $50,460 | $52,142 | $53,824 | $55,506 | $57,188 | $58,871 | $60,553 | $62,235 | $63,917 | $65,599 |
| GS-8 | $55,882 | $57,745 | $59,607 | $61,469 | $63,332 | $65,194 | $67,057 | $68,919 | $70,781 | $72,644 |
| GS-9 | $61,722 | $63,780 | $65,838 | $67,896 | $69,954 | $72,012 | $74,070 | $76,128 | $78,186 | $80,243 |
| GS-10 | $67,970 | $70,235 | $72,500 | $74,765 | $77,030 | $79,295 | $81,560 | $83,825 | $86,091 | $88,356 |
| GS-11 | $74,678 | $77,168 | $79,658 | $82,148 | $84,638 | $87,128 | $89,618 | $92,107 | $94,597 | $97,087 |
| GS-12 | $89,508 | $92,491 | $95,475 | $98,459 | $101,443 | $104,427 | $107,411 | $110,395 | $113,378 | $116,362 |
| GS-13 | $106,437 | $109,985 | $113,533 | $117,081 | $120,629 | $124,177 | $127,725 | $131,273 | $134,822 | $138,370 |
| GS-14 | $125,776 | $129,969 | $134,162 | $138,356 | $142,549 | $146,742 | $150,935 | $155,128 | $159,321 | $163,514 |
| GS-15 | $147,945 | $152,877 | $157,809 | $162,740 | $167,672 | $172,604 | $177,536 | $182,467 | $187,399 | $192,331 |
Prepared by Radif Partners · How the figures are built · read on opm.gov, ecfr.gov and ssa.gov · not an official determination
The 2026 General Schedule has one base table of 15 grades and 10 steps, from $22,584 for GS-1 step 1 to $164,301 for GS-15 step 10, and 58 locality tables built on it. Executive Order 14368 of December 18, 2025 raised the base table by 1 % from the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2026, which was January 11, and left every locality percentage at its 2025 level. The lowest, Rest of U.S., is 17.06 %; the highest, San Francisco, is 46.34 %. A locality rate is the base rate times one plus the percentage, rounded to the dollar, and capped at $197,200, the 2026 rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule. A GS-9 step 1 therefore earns $61,722 in Rest of U.S. and $77,161 in San Francisco. GS-1 to GS-4 can be paid from special table 001M when it is higher. The 2027 tables do not exist yet.
The base table
Every General Schedule rate in 2026 starts from the table below. From GS-3 up, each step adds the same amount, one thirtieth of step 1, which is why the gap between steps grows with the grade: about $924 at GS-3 and $3,582 at GS-14. Between two grades the step 1 rates rise faster at the top of the scale, so that GS-15 step 1 is more than five times GS-1 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 | 22,584 | 23,341 | 24,092 | 24,840 | 25,589 | 26,028 | 26,771 | 27,519 | 27,550 | 28,248 |
| GS-2 | 25,393 | 25,997 | 26,839 | 27,550 | 27,858 | 28,677 | 29,496 | 30,315 | 31,134 | 31,953 |
| GS-3 | 27,708 | 28,632 | 29,556 | 30,480 | 31,404 | 32,328 | 33,252 | 34,176 | 35,100 | 36,024 |
| GS-4 | 31,103 | 32,140 | 33,177 | 34,214 | 35,251 | 36,288 | 37,325 | 38,362 | 39,399 | 40,436 |
| GS-5 | 34,799 | 35,959 | 37,119 | 38,279 | 39,439 | 40,599 | 41,759 | 42,919 | 44,079 | 45,239 |
| GS-6 | 38,791 | 40,084 | 41,377 | 42,670 | 43,963 | 45,256 | 46,549 | 47,842 | 49,135 | 50,428 |
| GS-7 | 43,106 | 44,543 | 45,980 | 47,417 | 48,854 | 50,291 | 51,728 | 53,165 | 54,602 | 56,039 |
| GS-8 | 47,738 | 49,329 | 50,920 | 52,511 | 54,102 | 55,693 | 57,284 | 58,875 | 60,466 | 62,057 |
| GS-9 | 52,727 | 54,485 | 56,243 | 58,001 | 59,759 | 61,517 | 63,275 | 65,033 | 66,791 | 68,549 |
| GS-10 | 58,064 | 59,999 | 61,934 | 63,869 | 65,804 | 67,739 | 69,674 | 71,609 | 73,544 | 75,479 |
| GS-11 | 63,795 | 65,922 | 68,049 | 70,176 | 72,303 | 74,430 | 76,557 | 78,684 | 80,811 | 82,938 |
| GS-12 | 76,463 | 79,012 | 81,561 | 84,110 | 86,659 | 89,208 | 91,757 | 94,306 | 96,855 | 99,404 |
| GS-13 | 90,925 | 93,956 | 96,987 | 100,018 | 103,049 | 106,080 | 109,111 | 112,142 | 115,173 | 118,204 |
| GS-14 | 107,446 | 111,028 | 114,610 | 118,192 | 121,774 | 125,356 | 128,938 | 132,520 | 136,102 | 139,684 |
| GS-15 | 126,384 | 130,597 | 134,810 | 139,023 | 143,236 | 147,449 | 151,662 | 155,875 | 160,088 | 164,301 |
GS-1 and GS-2 are the exceptions: their increments are not equal, and at GS-1 step 9 adds only $31 over step 8. From GS-3 to GS-15, step 10 is 30 % above step 1, give or take a dollar of rounding.
From base rate to the rate you are paid
Locality pay is a percentage that 5 U.S.C. 5304 adds to the base rate in each area. OPM multiplies the base rate by one plus the percentage and rounds to the nearest dollar. If the result is above the Executive Schedule level IV rate, it is set to $197,200. For GS-1 to GS-4, OPM then compares the result with special rate table 001M, which applies across the United States, and pays the higher figure. That is the whole procedure. The method page shows that following it on the OPM base table reproduces each of the 8,700 cells of the 58 locality tables to the dollar.
Your cell in your county
GS-9 step 1, Houston, 2026
$71,181
| Base pay (GS table) | $52,727 |
| Locality payment, Houston | $18,454 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 |
| Biweekly paycheck (gross, 80 hours) | $2,728.80 |
The 58 locality percentages
Each area has one percentage for every grade and step. The table below ranks them. San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles lead; Rest of U.S., which covers every county outside a named area, is last. The percentages have not moved since January 2025: the 2026 raise came entirely from the base table. The locality pay page explains which counties belong to which area and how a teleworker's area is set.
| Rank | Locality area | Percentage | GS-9 step 1 | GS-13 step 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | 46.34 % | $77,161 | $133,060 |
| 2 | New York | 37.95 % | $72,737 | $125,431 |
| 3 | Los Angeles | 36.47 % | $71,957 | $124,085 |
| 4 | Houston | 35 % | $71,181 | $122,749 |
| 5 | Washington DC | 33.94 % | $70,623 | $121,785 |
| 6 | San Diego | 33.72 % | $70,507 | $121,585 |
| 7 | Boston | 32.58 % | $69,905 | $120,548 |
| 8 | Alaska | 32.36 % | $69,789 | $120,348 |
| 9 | Hartford | 32.08 % | $69,642 | $120,094 |
| 10 | Seattle | 31.57 % | $69,373 | $119,630 |
| 11 | Chicago | 30.86 % | $68,999 | $118,984 |
| 12 | Denver | 30.52 % | $68,819 | $118,675 |
| 13 | Sacramento | 29.76 % | $68,419 | $117,984 |
| 14 | Detroit | 29.12 % | $68,081 | $117,402 |
| 15 | Philadelphia | 28.99 % | $68,013 | $117,284 |
| 16 | Minneapolis | 27.62 % | $67,290 | $116,038 |
| 17 | Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26 % | $67,100 | $115,711 |
| 18 | Portland | 26.13 % | $66,505 | $114,684 |
| 19 | Miami | 24.67 % | $65,735 | $113,356 |
| 20 | Atlanta | 23.79 % | $65,271 | $112,556 |
| 21 | Phoenix | 22.45 % | $64,564 | $111,338 |
| 22 | Milwaukee | 22.42 % | $64,548 | $111,310 |
| 23 | Buffalo | 22.41 % | $64,543 | $111,301 |
| 24 | Richmond | 22.28 % | $64,475 | $111,183 |
| 25 | Raleigh | 22.24 % | $64,453 | $111,147 |
| 26 | Cleveland | 22.23 % | $64,448 | $111,138 |
| 27 | Hawaii | 22.21 % | $64,438 | $111,119 |
| 28 | Columbus | 22.15 % | $64,406 | $111,065 |
| 29 | Cincinnati | 21.93 % | $64,290 | $110,865 |
| 30 | Huntsville | 21.91 % | $64,279 | $110,847 |
| 31 | Laredo | 21.59 % | $64,111 | $110,556 |
| 32 | Dayton | 21.42 % | $64,021 | $110,401 |
| 33 | Pittsburgh | 21.03 % | $63,815 | $110,047 |
| 34 | Albany | 20.77 % | $63,678 | $109,810 |
| 35 | Austin | 20.35 % | $63,457 | $109,428 |
| 36 | Colorado Springs | 20.15 % | $63,351 | $109,246 |
| 37 | St. Louis | 20.03 % | $63,288 | $109,137 |
| 38 | Charlotte | 19.67 % | $63,098 | $108,810 |
| 39 | Las Vegas | 19.57 % | $63,046 | $108,719 |
| 40 | Burlington | 19.45 % | $62,982 | $108,610 |
| 41 | Harrisburg | 19.43 % | $62,972 | $108,592 |
| 42 | Tucson | 19.28 % | $62,893 | $108,455 |
| 43 | Kansas City | 18.97 % | $62,729 | $108,173 |
| 44 | Davenport | 18.93 % | $62,708 | $108,137 |
| 45 | Virginia Beach | 18.8 % | $62,640 | $108,019 |
| 46 | San Antonio | 18.78 % | $62,629 | $108,001 |
| 47 | Albuquerque | 18.33 % | $62,392 | $107,592 |
| 48 | Birmingham | 18.24 % | $62,344 | $107,510 |
| 49 | Omaha | 18.23 % | $62,339 | $107,501 |
| 50 | Indianapolis | 18.15 % | $62,297 | $107,428 |
| 51 | Des Moines | 18.01 % | $62,223 | $107,301 |
| 52 | Palm Bay | 17.93 % | $62,181 | $107,228 |
| 53 | Rochester | 17.88 % | $62,155 | $107,182 |
| 54 | Spokane | 17.67 % | $62,044 | $106,991 |
| 55 | Fresno | 17.65 % | $62,033 | $106,973 |
| 56 | Corpus Christi | 17.63 % | $62,023 | $106,955 |
| 57 | Reno | 17.52 % | $61,965 | $106,855 |
| 58 | Rest of U.S. | 17.06 % | $61,722 | $106,437 |
Special rate table 001M
At the bottom of the scale, the national base table plus a low locality percentage would fall under the pay that the market requires for clerical and entry jobs. OPM's table 001M sets higher rates for GS-1 to GS-4 in every locality area. In 2026 a GS-2 step 1 in Rest of U.S. is paid $35,749 from that table, against $29,725 under the locality rule. Steps 6 to 10 of GS-4 are not covered and stay on the locality table. The special rates page lists every 001M cell and the areas where it matters.
The pay cap
The Executive Schedule level IV rate rose to $197,200 in 2026, from $195,200 in 2025. Cells above it are paid exactly $197,200: 10 cells in San Francisco, 5 in Washington DC, none in Rest of U.S. Employees in those cells get no money from a step increase, and the raise they received in January 2026 was the rise of the cap, not the 1 %. The pay cap page has the list by area.
Annual, hourly, biweekly
Switch the calculator above to "Hourly" to print an area's hourly table. The hourly rate is the annual rate divided by 2,087, rounded to the cent, and a full biweekly paycheck before deductions is 80 hours at that rate. A GS-9 step 1 in Rest of U.S. earns $29.57 an hour and $2,365.60 per pay period. Overtime for employees exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act has its own ceiling, explained on the hourly pay page.
Grade by grade
Each grade has its own page, with the grade across all 58 areas, the wait between steps and what a promotion to the next grade pays: GS-1, GS-2, GS-3, GS-4, GS-5, GS-6, GS-7, GS-8, GS-9, GS-10, GS-11, GS-12, GS-13, GS-14, GS-15.
What 2026 changed and what 2027 may bring
Compared with 2025, every base rate rose by about 1 %, rounded to the dollar, and locality rates followed because the percentages stayed the same. The 2026 raise page gives the exact gain for each cell and each paycheck. For January 2027, the President's alternative pay plan of August 26, 2026 proposes no raise and no locality change. That is a proposal, not a table; OPM will post the 2027 tables once the rates are set by executive order or by law, expected late December 2026 or January 2027. The 2027 raise page lets you test a scenario on your cell without presenting it as a rate.
Where the figures come from
We read OPM's 2026 salary tables in the XML files OPM publishes for each area, the 2026 locality pay area definitions, table 001M, and the executive order. Each figure on this site is computed from the base table and the percentage, then checked against the OPM file for that cell. Your official rate is the one printed on your SF-50 and your leave and earnings statement; if they differ from these tables, your pay plan is probably not GS, or another special rate table applies to your occupation.