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GS Pay · 2026
GS Pay Calculator 2026
Calculate your General Schedule (GS) pay based on grade, step, and locality. Includes what-if raise scenarios and biweekly paycheck breakdown with tax estimates.
Reviewed by Jonathan D., 20-year federal employee · Formulas verified against OPM.gov ·
GS pay estimate updated. Total annual salary is $69,954.
Your 2026 pay · GS-9 Step 5Rest of U.S.
$59,759
Base annual
Before locality
$10,195
Locality adjustment
+17.06% of base
$69,954
Total annual
Base + locality
$2,691
Biweekly gross
$33.52 / hour
$5,830 monthly gross
26 pay periods
2,087 work hours / year
+$1,758 next within-grade step
Total = Base × (1 + Locality %), capped at the Executive Schedule Level IV rate of $197,200 (2026). Pay data effective 2026-01-11 · biweekly assumes 26 pay periods · hourly uses the 2,087-hour OPM standard · 58 locality areas. Paycheck breakdown is an estimate.
How federal GS pay works
The General Schedule is the predominant pay scale for federal employees, covering roughly 1.5 million workers across nearly every agency. Your salary depends on three things: grade (GS-1 through GS-15), step (1 through 10 within each grade), and locality — a geographic adjustment for where you work.
The formula is simple: Total = Base × (1 + Locality %). For 2026, base rates rose 1% and FedTools applies the current 2026 OPM locality percentages, ranging from 17.06% (Rest of U.S.) to 46.34% (San Jose–San Francisco). No salary may exceed the Executive Schedule Level IV cap of $197,200.
2026 GS pay scale, at a glance
Base rates by grade — Step 1 and Step 10 — with the Washington–Baltimore locality figure for reference.
2026 GS base pay scale highlights by grade
Grade
Step 1 (base)
Step 10 (base)
DC Step 10
GS-7
$43,106
$56,039
$75,059
GS-9
$52,727
$68,549
$91,815
GS-11
$63,795
$82,938
$111,087
GS-12
$76,463
$99,404
$133,142
GS-13
$90,925
$118,204
$158,322
GS-14
$107,446
$139,684
$187,093
GS-15
$126,384
$164,301
$197,200*
Source: OPM 2026 General Schedule. DC column applies the 33.94% Washington–Baltimore locality. * Capped where it exceeds $197,200.
Step progression
Within-grade increases happen automatically with satisfactory performance, but not quickly. Climbing from Step 1 to Step 10 takes 18 years: Steps 1–3 require one year each, Steps 4–6 two years each, and Steps 7–10 three years each. Each step is worth roughly a 3% raise.
How feds gain ground
Stepswithin-grade increases — automatic, ~3% each, on a fixed clock.
Gradespromotions — the fastest way up, often worth two or more steps at once.
Localitya transfer to a higher-cost area can outweigh several steps of base pay.
GS pay vs. the private sector
According to the Federal Salary Council, GS employees earn roughly 22–27% less than private-sector counterparts in comparable positions. Total compensation tells a different story once federal benefits are counted:
—FERS pension: 1%–1.1% of your high-3 salary per year of service (worth $300K–$800K+ at retirement).
—TSP matching: up to a 5% government match on your contributions — free money.
—FEHB health insurance: the government pays 72–75% of premiums, continuing into retirement.