Denver locality pay 2026: GS pay table
Denver pays 10.37 points more than Colorado Springs to the south. Select your county to see which table applies.
GS-12 step 1, Denver, 2026
$99,800
Base $76,463 plus 30.52 % locality pay.
| Base pay (GS table) | $76,463 |
| Locality payment, Denver | $23,337 |
| Hourly rate | $47.82 |
| Biweekly paycheck (gross, 80 hours) | $3,825.60 |
| Same cell in 2025 | $98,811 (+$989) |
| Next step (52 weeks in step) | +$3,326 |
Prepared by Radif Partners · How the figures are built · OPM table DEN and the 2026 locality definitions
The Denver-Aurora locality pay area pays 30.52 % on top of the General Schedule base table in 2026, unchanged from 2025, ranking 12th of the 58 areas. It covers 14 Colorado counties: the metro core of Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Douglas and Broomfield, Boulder, the northern counties of Larimer and Weld, and the mountain and plains counties of Clear Creek, Gilpin, Park, Elbert and Lincoln. Step 1 pay on the 2026 Denver table is $45,420 at GS-5, $56,262 at GS-7, $68,819 at GS-9, $83,265 at GS-11, $99,800 at GS-12 and $118,675 at GS-13. GS-15 meets the $197,200 cap at step 7, so 4 steps are capped. The most important neighbor is Colorado Springs, a separate area of 4 counties at 20.15 %. The gap of 10.37 points means a GS-12 step 1 earns $7,930 more in Denver than in Colorado Springs, a larger sum than several step increases.
One state, two very different tables
Colorado has only two named areas. Denver-Aurora takes 14 counties in the north and center of the Front Range. Colorado Springs takes El Paso County, Fremont County, Pueblo County, Teller County. Every other county, from Grand Junction to Durango and the eastern plains beyond Lincoln County, is Rest of U.S. at 17.06 %.
Douglas County, south of Denver, is the last county on the Denver side. El Paso County, just beyond it, is Colorado Springs. That single county line separates percentages of 30.52 % and 20.15 %.
Denver or Colorado Springs: check the county
Your locality pay area
Colorado Springs
| GS-12 step 1 here | $91,870 |
| GS-12 step 1, Rest of U.S. | $89,508 |
| Difference per year | +$2,362 |
What the gap does to a career
A transfer or promotion between the two areas changes pay by much more than a step. The comparison, at step 1:
| Grade | Denver | Colorado Springs | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 | $68,819 | $63,351 | +$5,468 |
| GS-11 | $83,265 | $76,650 | +$6,615 |
| GS-12 | $99,800 | $91,870 | +$7,930 |
| GS-13 | $118,675 | $109,246 | +$9,429 |
| GS-14 | $140,239 | $129,096 | +$11,143 |
A GS-12 moving from Colorado Springs to a Denver office at the same grade and step gets a raise of $7,930 from the locality alone. The reverse move cuts pay by the same amount; a promotion offered with a transfer south can therefore pay less than staying put. Run both cells through the promotion calculator before you accept.
Northern Colorado counts as Denver
Fort Collins and Loveland (Larimer County), Greeley (Weld County) and Boulder are all paid at the Denver rate. So are the mountain counties of Clear Creek, Gilpin and Park west of the metro area. People moving to Fort Collins sometimes assume a lower rate; there is none in that county for 2026.
The cap in both areas
In Denver, GS-15 steps 7 to 10 show $197,200. In Colorado Springs, where the percentage is lower, 1 GS-15 step is capped. The gap between the two areas therefore narrows at the very top of GS-15, because both are pressed against the same ceiling.
Remote work from the mountains
Many employees attached to Denver offices live in mountain towns outside the area. Under 5 CFR 531.605, those who are scheduled to report to the Denver worksite at least twice each biweekly pay period keep the Denver rate. Those on full remote agreements are paid where the home is: Summit or Eagle County means Rest of U.S., a difference of $8,587 for a GS-11 step 1.
2026 GS pay table for Denver
| 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 | $38,576 | $39,782 | $40,989 | $42,195 | $43,401 | $44,607 | $45,813 | $47,019 |
| GS-4 | $40,596 | $41,949 | $43,303 | $44,656 | $46,010 | $47,363 | $48,717 | $50,070 | $51,424 | $52,777 |
| GS-5 | $45,420 | $46,934 | $48,448 | $49,962 | $51,476 | $52,990 | $54,504 | $56,018 | $57,532 | $59,046 |
| GS-6 | $50,630 | $52,318 | $54,005 | $55,693 | $57,381 | $59,068 | $60,756 | $62,443 | $64,131 | $65,819 |
| GS-7 | $56,262 | $58,138 | $60,013 | $61,889 | $63,764 | $65,640 | $67,515 | $69,391 | $71,267 | $73,142 |
| GS-8 | $62,308 | $64,384 | $66,461 | $68,537 | $70,614 | $72,691 | $74,767 | $76,844 | $78,920 | $80,997 |
| GS-9 | $68,819 | $71,114 | $73,408 | $75,703 | $77,997 | $80,292 | $82,587 | $84,881 | $87,176 | $89,470 |
| GS-10 | $75,785 | $78,311 | $80,836 | $83,362 | $85,887 | $88,413 | $90,939 | $93,464 | $95,990 | $98,515 |
| GS-11 | $83,265 | $86,041 | $88,818 | $91,594 | $94,370 | $97,146 | $99,922 | $102,698 | $105,475 | $108,251 |
| GS-12 | $99,800 | $103,126 | $106,453 | $109,780 | $113,107 | $116,434 | $119,761 | $123,088 | $126,415 | $129,742 |
| GS-13 | $118,675 | $122,631 | $126,587 | $130,543 | $134,500 | $138,456 | $142,412 | $146,368 | $150,324 | $154,280 |
| GS-14 | $140,239 | $144,914 | $149,589 | $154,264 | $158,939 | $163,615 | $168,290 | $172,965 | $177,640 | $182,316 |
| GS-15 | $164,956 | $170,455 | $175,954 | $181,453 | $186,952 | $192,450 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
Counties and cities in this area
Colorado: Adams County, Arapahoe County, Boulder County, Broomfield County, Clear Creek County, Denver County, Douglas County, Elbert County, Gilpin County, Jefferson County, Larimer County, Lincoln County, Park County, Weld County.