OPM Pay Scale 2026: Complete Reference (GS, SES, EX, FWS, LEO)
All 2026 federal pay systems in one place: GS base $22,584-$164,301, SES $151,661-$228,000, Executive Schedule Level I-V, LEO 3.8% special, plus all 58 locality areas. OPM-verified.
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OPM Pay Scale 2026: Complete Reference (GS, SES, EX, FWS, LEO)
Last Updated: May 11, 2026 Reading Time: 11 min
The OPM pay scale and the GS pay scale are the same thing. OPM publishes the General Schedule and 58 locality tables annually; "OPM pay scale 2026" is just an alternate search phrase for "GS pay scale 2026." If you came here looking for one and meant the other, you're in the right place. This is the complete 2026 federal pay reference for every system OPM administers (GS, SES, Executive Schedule, Federal Wage System, LEO special rates) plus the alternate excepted-service systems (GG, SK, DCIPS, Foreign Service, VA Title 38) that follow their own rules. Every figure is verified against the OPM official 2026 salary tables.
Key Takeaways
- GS base 2026 (no locality): GS-1 Step 1 = $22,584; GS-15 Step 10 = $164,301. Across-the-board increase: 1.0% (base only).
- Locality pay frozen at 2025 levels by Executive Order (Aug 28, 2025). All 58 locality percentages identical to 2025.
- Highest locality: San Jose-San Francisco at 46.34%. DC area (DCB): 33.94%. Rest of US: 17.06%.
- GS pay cap: $197,200 (Executive Schedule Level IV). Hits at GS-15 Step 8+ in every locality, GS-15 Step 6+ in SF/NY, GS-14 Step 10 in SF.
- SES band 2026: $151,661 to $228,000 (certified) or $209,600 (non-certified). No locality. No grades/steps.
- Executive Schedule: Level I $253,100 to Level V $184,900. Frozen payable rates since 2014 cap actual pay closer to $203,500 for Cabinet.
- LEO 2026 raise: 3.8% total (1% base + 2.8% special rate via L001-L133).
- Federal Wage System: locally determined by DoD prevailing rate surveys at wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil. Did not automatically follow the 1% GS increase.
1. General Schedule (GS), The Main Pay System
Who it covers: ~1.5 million white-collar federal civilian employees in professional, administrative, technical, and clerical positions.
Structure: 15 grades (GS-1 through GS-15), each with 10 steps.
Step increase pattern (waiting periods):
- Steps 1 to 3: 1 year each
- Steps 4 to 6: 2 years each
- Steps 7 to 9: 3 years each
- Step 10: maximum (no further automatic increases)
2026 base pay anchor points:
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 5 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $34,799 | $39,439 | $45,239 |
| GS-7 | $43,106 | $48,854 | $56,039 |
| GS-9 | $52,727 | $59,759 | $68,549 |
| GS-11 | $63,795 | $72,303 | $82,938 |
| GS-12 | $76,463 | $86,659 | $99,404 |
| GS-13 | $90,925 | $103,049 | $118,204 |
| GS-14 | $107,446 | $121,774 | $139,684 |
| GS-15 | $126,384 | $143,236 | $164,301 |
Total pay formula: Total = Base x (1 + locality %), capped at $197,200 (EX-IV).
2. Senior Executive Service (SES)
Who it covers: ~8,000 senior career executives in positions above GS-15. Most are not political appointees (the SES is a career corps, not Schedule C).
2026 pay range:
- Minimum: $151,661 (statutory floor: 120% of GS-15 Step 1 = $126,384 x 1.20 = $151,660.80, rounded up).
- Maximum (certified appraisal system): $228,000 (= Executive Schedule Level II).
- Maximum (non-certified): $209,600 (= Executive Schedule Level III).
Locality pay: SES does NOT receive locality pay. The band applies nationwide. SES in San Francisco and SES in Topeka earn from the same range.
Performance awards: Up to 20% of base pay (5 USC 5384), subject to aggregate cap.
Aggregate pay cap: $292,300 (Vice President's salary) for certified-system agencies; $253,100 (EX-I) for others.
Critical position pay: OPM may authorize up to EX-I ($253,100) for rare mission-critical scientific or professional positions.
"SES levels" misnomer: there are no SES "levels" or grades. It's a single band. Searching for "SES levels 2026" usually means the min/max range above.
3. Executive Schedule (EX)
Who it covers: Political appointees in top leadership (Cabinet secretaries, deputy secretaries, under secretaries, assistant secretaries, IGs). Also the basis for the GS pay cap.
| Level | Official 2026 Rate | Typical Occupants |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $253,100 | Cabinet secretaries (21 statutory positions) |
| Level II | $228,000 | Deputy secretaries, major independent agency heads |
| Level III | $209,600 | Under secretaries, mid-size agency heads |
| Level IV | $197,200 | Assistant secretaries, IGs, CFOs, GS pay cap |
| Level V | $184,900 | Administrators, commissioners |
Frozen payable rates: Annual appropriations have frozen actual payable rates since 2014. Cabinet secretaries are paid approximately $203,500 in practice, not the $253,100 official rate.
The GS cap connection: By 5 USC 5304(g), no GS employee's locality-adjusted pay may exceed Level IV ($197,200). At GS-15 Step 8+ everyone hits this cap regardless of locality. At GS-15 Step 6 you hit it in San Francisco and New York. At GS-14 Step 10 you hit it in San Francisco only.
4. Federal Wage System (FWS), Blue-Collar Federal Pay
Who it covers: ~200,000+ trades, crafts, and labor employees.
Three schedules:
- WG (Wage Grade): Nonsupervisory (WG-1 to WG-15)
- WL (Wage Leader): Working supervisors (WL-1 to WL-15)
- WS (Wage Supervisor): Supervisors (WS-1 to WS-19)
Each grade has 5 steps. Step 2 = prevailing rate; Step 5 = 12% above prevailing.
Critical: FWS rates are NOT set by a national table. They are determined LOCALLY based on private-sector prevailing wage surveys for comparable work in each wage area. The Department of Defense (Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service) leads the surveys and issues the schedules.
Find your rate: wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil. Select your wage area.
2026 timing: FWS adjustments are on a fiscal-year schedule (not calendar year). The 1% GS increase did NOT automatically apply to FWS. FWS follows separate prevailing rate adjustments specific to each wage area.
5. Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Pay
Who it covers: Federal law enforcement officers (1811 series, Border Patrol, ICE HSI, ATF, DEA, FBI, USSS, USMS, etc.).
2026 raise: 3.8% total = 1% standard GS increase + 2.8% special rate adjustment via OPM Special Rate Tables L001 through L133.
Why a special rate: OPM authorized the 2.8% supplement under 5 USC 5305 because federal LEO pay had fallen behind state/local and private-sector competition for recruiting and retention. This is in addition to the LEO Special Base Rate (LEO Pay), the existing 4-step bonus that LEOs receive on top of standard GS for grades GS-3 through GS-10.
Find your rate: opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/law-enforcement-officer/
6. Alternate Excepted-Service Systems
GG (Intelligence Community): Mirrors GS exactly. Search "GG pay 2026" but use the GS table. Locality rules vary by agency but typically parallel GS.
SK (SEC): Title 15 authority, broader pay ranges than GS. SK-11/12 attorneys can range $93,561 to $189,985. Aggregate cap $292,300. Use SEC.gov career pages.
DCIPS (DoD intelligence civilian): Pay-band system, not grades. See dcips.defense.gov.
Foreign Service (FS): Separate OPM Foreign Service schedule.
VA Title 38 (physicians, dentists, nurses): Market-based, not GS. Each VA hospital sets within OPM-approved ranges.
How Locality Pay Works
Formula: Total pay = Base x (1 + locality percentage)
Example (GS-12 Step 5 in DC):
- Base: $86,659
- DC locality: 33.94%
- Total: $86,659 x 1.3394 = $116,043
Locality is determined by official duty station, not home address. For hybrid/telework workers who report to the office at least twice per biweekly pay period, the office location determines locality. For fully remote workers, it is the official remote work location documented in the remote work agreement.
Top 10 Localities for 2026
| Rank | Locality | Rate | GS-12/5 Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 46.34% | $126,777 |
| 2 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | 37.95% | $119,554 |
| 3 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | 36.47% | $118,273 |
| 4 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX-LA | 35.00% | $116,990 |
| 5 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (DCB) | 33.94% | $116,043 |
| 6 | San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 33.72% | $115,853 |
| 7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-ME | 32.58% | $114,863 |
| 8 | Alaska (Statewide) | 32.36% | $114,670 |
| 9 | Hartford-West Hartford, CT-MA | 32.08% | $114,427 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 31.57% | $113,980 |
DC-Specific (for "gs pay scale 2026 dc" searchers)
The Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality (code DCB) covers a large multi-state area: DC, MD suburbs, Northern Virginia, parts of West Virginia, parts of Pennsylvania. Rate: 33.94% in 2026.
| Grade/Step | Base | DC Total |
|---|---|---|
| GS-13 Step 1 | $90,925 | $121,783 |
| GS-13 Step 5 | $103,049 | $138,023 |
| GS-13 Step 10 | $118,204 | $158,343 |
| GS-14 Step 5 | $121,774 | $163,063 |
| GS-15 Step 1 | $126,384 | $169,278 |
| GS-15 Step 5 | $143,236 | $191,814 |
| GS-15 Step 8+ | n/a | $197,200 (capped) |
For full DC analysis (commute boundary, telework rules, buying-power comparison, RIF mechanics), see our DC Locality Pay 2026 Deep Guide. [Coming soon, link will activate when guide ships.]
Median and Lowest
Approximate median locality rate (2026): ~20.5% (midpoint of 17.06%-46.34%). Areas in this range: Phoenix (22.45%), Huntsville (21.91%), Richmond (22.28%).
Lowest: Rest of United States (RUS) at 17.06%. Applies to any duty station outside the 57 named geographic areas.
OPM Official URLs (Bookmark These)
| Pay System | OPM URL |
|---|---|
| GS Base Salary Table | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2026/GS.pdf |
| 58 Locality Tables | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/general-schedule/ |
| OPM GS Salary Calculator (their own) | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/general-schedule-gs-salary-calculator/ |
| Locality Pay Area Definitions | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/locality-pay-area-definitions/ |
| Executive Schedule | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/executive-senior-level |
| SES Compensation | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/compensation/ |
| LEO Pay Tables | opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/law-enforcement-officer/ |
| Federal Wage System | wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil |
| January 2026 Pay Adjustments Memo | opm.gov/chcoc/latest-memos/january-2026-pay-adjustments.pdf |
Calculate Your Exact Salary
Use the GS Pay Calculator 2026 to find your exact total pay by grade, step, and locality. All 58 locality areas verified against OPM 2026 official tables (re-audited 2026-05-10 after a multi-locality discrepancy correction).
For SES, Executive Schedule, FWS, and LEO rates, follow the OPM URLs above. Those systems don't fit a single calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between OPM pay scale and GS pay scale?
They are the same thing. OPM publishes and administers the General Schedule. The terms are interchangeable.
What is the GS-1 to GS-15 pay range for 2026?
GS-1 Step 1 = $22,584 (base). GS-15 Step 10 = $164,301 (base). With highest locality (San Jose 46.34%): up to $197,200 (capped at EX-IV). The 2026 across-the-board GS increase was 1.0%; locality frozen at 2025 levels by EO.
What is the SES pay range for 2026?
$151,661 (minimum, 120% of GS-15 Step 1) to $228,000 (certified appraisal system, EX-II) or $209,600 (non-certified, EX-III). SES does not receive locality pay.
What is the GS pay cap?
$197,200 (Executive Schedule Level IV). 5 USC 5304(g). Hits at GS-15 Step 8+ in every locality, GS-15 Step 6+ in SF/NY, GS-14 Step 10 in SF only.
Did LEOs get a different raise?
Yes, 3.8% total in 2026 (1% base + 2.8% special rate via L001-L133).
What is the highest locality in 2026?
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland at 46.34%. Lowest is Rest of US at 17.06%.
How do I look up my salary?
Three steps: (1) base from OPM GS table, (2) locality % from OPM locality definitions, (3) multiply. Or use the FedTools GS Pay Calculator.
Related Resources
- GS Pay Calculator 2026: instant lookup with all 58 OPM-verified locality rates
- GS Pay Guide 2026: full 2026 pay table reference
- State of Federal Pay 2026: flagship report with 50+ pay statistics
- Executive Schedule Salaries 2026: deep dive on Levels I-V
- FERS Retirement Calculator
- High-3 Salary Calculator
Sources
- OPM 2026 General Schedule Pay Tables
- Salary Table 2026-GS (PDF)
- OPM 2026 Executive and Senior Level Pay Tables
- OPM SES Compensation Overview
- OPM 2026 LEO Pay Tables
- Federal Register: January 2026 Pay Schedules
- OPM Federal Wage System
- DCPAS FWS Wage and Salary Schedules
- 5 USC 5382 (SES Pay)
- 5 USC 5304(g) (GS pay cap)
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