Washington DC locality pay 2026: GS pay table
The largest federal workforce in the country is paid 33.94 % above the base table. Choose your county to confirm your area.
GS-12 step 1, Washington DC, 2026
$102,415
Base $76,463 plus 33.94 % locality pay.
| Base pay (GS table) | $76,463 |
| Locality payment, Washington DC | $25,952 |
| Hourly rate | $49.07 |
| Biweekly paycheck (gross, 80 hours) | $3,925.60 |
| Same cell in 2025 | $101,401 (+$1,014) |
| Next step (52 weeks in step) | +$3,414 |
Prepared by Radif Partners · How the figures are built · OPM table DCB and the 2026 locality definitions
The Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality pay area adds 33.94 % to every General Schedule base rate in 2026, the same percentage as in 2025 because Executive Order 14368 froze all localities while raising the base table by 1 %. A GS-7 step 1 earns $57,736, a GS-9 $70,623, a GS-11 $85,447, a GS-13 $121,785 and a GS-14 $143,913. The area reaches well beyond the District: 55 counties and independent cities in 5 jurisdictions, from Baltimore and Frederick in Maryland to Fredericksburg and Winchester in Virginia, plus counties of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. At the top, 5 of the ten GS-15 steps are held at the $197,200 pay cap. Compared with Rest of U.S., the same grade and step pays 14.4 % more.
Which offices are in the Washington area
OPM's 2026 definition starts from the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington combined statistical area and adds a ring of counties that qualified through commuting. That is why a worksite in Hagerstown, Maryland, or in Winchester, Virginia, is paid at the Washington rate, while one in Richmond belongs to a separate area at 22.28 %. The calculator above uses the official list: choose the state, then the county or independent city of your duty station, and it shows the area and the pay. Virginia's independent cities, such as Alexandria, Fairfax city or Manassas, are listed separately from the counties around them.
Is your duty station in the Washington area?
Your locality pay area
Washington DC
| GS-11 step 1 here | $85,447 |
| GS-11 step 1, Rest of U.S. | $74,678 |
| Difference per year | +$10,769 |
Telework and remote work in the region
The locality follows the official worksite on your SF-50. A teleworker who reports to an office in Arlington at least twice each pay period keeps the Washington rate, even when living in a Rest of U.S. county in Pennsylvania. A fully remote employee whose approved worksite is the home is paid the locality of the home. Moving from a remote agreement back to office reporting can therefore raise or cut pay by the gap between two areas: $14,628 a year for a GS-12 step 5 between Washington and Rest of U.S.
The cap in Washington
Because the Washington percentage is high and the base GS-15 rates are high too, the top of the table hits the $197,200 ceiling, the rate of Executive Schedule level IV. 5 steps of GS-15 show that figure, so a step increase in that zone adds nothing to pay until a later raise lifts the cap. The pay cap page lists every capped cell in every area.
2027 in Washington
The President's alternative pay plan of August 26, 2026 proposes no across-the-board raise and no locality change for January 2027. If Congress or a later executive order sets another figure, the Washington rates will move with it; the 2027 raise page lets you test a raise on your cell and will be updated with the official tables, expected late December 2026 or January 2027.
2026 GS pay table for Washington DC
| 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 | $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 |
Counties and cities in this area
District of Columbia: District of Columbia.
Maryland: Allegany County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Baltimore city, Calvert County, Caroline County, Carroll County, Charles County, Dorchester County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Kent County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Queen Anne's County, St. Mary's County, Talbot County, Washington County.
Pennsylvania: Adams County, Franklin County, Fulton County, York County.
Virginia: Alexandria city, Arlington County, Caroline County, Clarke County, Culpeper County, Fairfax County, Fairfax city, Falls Church city, Fauquier County, Frederick County, Fredericksburg city, King George County, Loudoun County, Madison County, Manassas Park city, Manassas city, Orange County, Prince William County, Rappahannock County, Shenandoah County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Warren County, Westmoreland County, Winchester city.
West Virginia: Berkeley County, Hampshire County, Hardy County, Jefferson County, Mineral County, Morgan County.