San Antonio locality pay 2026: GS pay table
Bexar County and 13 other Texas counties are paid 18.78 % above the GS base table in 2026.
GS-12 step 1, San Antonio, 2026
$90,823
Base $76,463 plus 18.78 % locality pay.
| Base pay (GS table) | $76,463 |
| Locality payment, San Antonio | $14,360 |
| Hourly rate | $43.52 |
| Biweekly paycheck (gross, 80 hours) | $3,481.60 |
| Same cell in 2025 | $89,924 (+$899) |
| Next step (52 weeks in step) | +$3,027 |
Prepared by Radif Partners · How the figures are built · OPM table SO and the 2026 locality definitions
San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall is the locality pay area for federal worksites in Bexar County and 13 other Texas counties, including Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall and Medina. In 2026 it adds 18.78 % to the General Schedule base table, the same percentage as in 2025, since Executive Order 14368 limited the January change to a 1 % raise of the base rates. A GS-5 step 1 earns $41,334, a GS-7 $51,201, a GS-9 $62,629, a GS-11 $75,776, a GS-12 $90,823 and a GS-13 $108,001. The area ranks 46th of 58, and it is one of 6 named areas in Texas: Austin pays 20.35 % and Houston 35 %, both higher. GS-15 step 10 is $195,157, below the $197,200 cap, so every step in this table pays more than the one before it.
Counties of the area
OPM's 2026 definition lists 14 counties, all in Texas: Atascosa County, Bandera County, Bexar County, Comal County, Frio County, Gillespie County, Gonzales County, Guadalupe County, Karnes County, Kendall County, Kerr County, McMullen County, Medina County, Wilson County. The list goes well past Bexar County. Kerr and Gillespie counties to the northwest, Frio and McMullen to the south and Gonzales and Karnes to the east all use this table. A Texas county missing from every list, such as Real or Edwards County just west of Kerr, is in Rest of U.S., at 17.06 %.
Other Texas tables nearby
San Antonio is surrounded by named areas with different percentages. Houston, at 35 %, is one of the highest in the country and pays $12,402 more at GS-12 step 1. Austin, just up the interstate, pays 20.35 %, or $1,200 more. Laredo, at 21.59 %, is also above San Antonio. Corpus Christi, at 17.63 %, is below it by $880 at the same cell. These differences come from separate surveys of non-federal pay in each labor market, not from local prices.
A career at one grade: step increases
San Antonio has a large defense workforce, and for anyone who stays at one grade, within-grade increases are the main source of raises. Under 5 CFR 531.405 steps 2 to 4 come after 52 weeks each, steps 5 to 7 after 104 weeks, steps 8 to 10 after 156 weeks, with performance at an acceptable level of competence. Starting at GS-9 step 1, $62,629 in this table, step 10 arrives after about 18 years and pays $81,423, $18,794 more before any annual raise. At GS-11 the top step is $98,514.
When is your next step in San Antonio?
Next step: step 3
in 8 months
| Step 3 (52 weeks) | $66,805 |
| Step 4 (52 weeks) | $68,894 |
| Step 5 (104 weeks) | $70,982 |
No capped cells
Because the percentage is moderate, the whole table stays under the $197,200 limit. GS-15 step 10 is $195,157, so a GS-15 employee here still gains from each step, unlike a GS-15 in Houston or other high areas where the top steps are frozen at the cap.
Remote and hybrid schedules
The table that applies is the one of your official worksite. 5 CFR 531.605 keeps an office as the worksite for a teleworker scheduled to report there at least twice each biweekly pay period. A remote employee in New Braunfels is paid the San Antonio rate because Comal County is in the area; one living in a Rest of U.S. county is not. The step increase page gives the timing for any grade.
2026 GS pay table for San Antonio
| 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 | $39,408 | $40,639 | $41,871 | $43,103 | $44,335 | $45,566 | $46,798 | $48,030 |
| GS-5 | $41,334 | $42,712 | $44,090 | $45,468 | $46,846 | $48,223 | $49,601 | $50,979 | $52,357 | $53,735 |
| GS-6 | $46,076 | $47,612 | $49,148 | $50,683 | $52,219 | $53,755 | $55,291 | $56,827 | $58,363 | $59,898 |
| GS-7 | $51,201 | $52,908 | $54,615 | $56,322 | $58,029 | $59,736 | $61,443 | $63,149 | $64,856 | $66,563 |
| GS-8 | $56,703 | $58,593 | $60,483 | $62,373 | $64,262 | $66,152 | $68,042 | $69,932 | $71,822 | $73,711 |
| GS-9 | $62,629 | $64,717 | $66,805 | $68,894 | $70,982 | $73,070 | $75,158 | $77,246 | $79,334 | $81,423 |
| GS-10 | $68,968 | $71,267 | $73,565 | $75,864 | $78,162 | $80,460 | $82,759 | $85,057 | $87,356 | $89,654 |
| GS-11 | $75,776 | $78,302 | $80,829 | $83,355 | $85,882 | $88,408 | $90,934 | $93,461 | $95,987 | $98,514 |
| GS-12 | $90,823 | $93,850 | $96,878 | $99,906 | $102,934 | $105,961 | $108,989 | $112,017 | $115,044 | $118,072 |
| GS-13 | $108,001 | $111,601 | $115,201 | $118,801 | $122,402 | $126,002 | $129,602 | $133,202 | $136,802 | $140,403 |
| GS-14 | $127,624 | $131,879 | $136,134 | $140,388 | $144,643 | $148,898 | $153,153 | $157,407 | $161,662 | $165,917 |
| GS-15 | $150,119 | $155,123 | $160,127 | $165,132 | $170,136 | $175,140 | $180,144 | $185,148 | $190,153 | $195,157 |
Counties and cities in this area
Texas: Atascosa County, Bandera County, Bexar County, Comal County, Frio County, Gillespie County, Gonzales County, Guadalupe County, Karnes County, Kendall County, Kerr County, McMullen County, Medina County, Wilson County.