GS Pay Scale 2026: What Federal Jobs Actually Pay

The complete GS pay scale for 2026. See what every grade and step pays, how locality pay works, and which federal jobs pay the most.

One of the most confusing parts of federal job hunting is understanding what positions actually pay. The General Schedule (GS) pay system covers most white-collar federal civilian employees — here's how it works in 2026.

How the GS Pay Scale Works

The GS system has 15 grades (GS-1 through GS-15) and 10 steps within each grade. Your grade is determined by your education and experience level. Your step within that grade is determined by time in service and performance.

In general:

• GS-5 to GS-7: Entry level, recent graduates
• GS-9 to GS-12: Mid-level, experienced professionals
• GS-13 to GS-15: Senior level, managers and specialists

2026 Base Pay Rates (Key Grades)

Note: These are base rates before locality pay adjustments.

• GS-7 Step 1: ~$46,696
• GS-9 Step 1: ~$57,007
• GS-11 Step 1: ~$69,107
• GS-12 Step 1: ~$82,830
• GS-13 Step 1: ~$98,496
• GS-14 Step 1: ~$116,393
• GS-15 Step 1: ~$136,908

Locality Pay: The Hidden Salary Boost

Base pay is just the starting point. The federal government adds locality pay on top of base rates depending on where you work. The Washington DC locality pay area adds over 33% to base salary — meaning a GS-13 Step 1 in DC earns over $130,000 total.

Major metro areas like San Francisco, New York, and Boston have some of the highest locality pay rates in the country.

Finding Federal Jobs by Pay Grade

FedJobs shows salary ranges for every listing in plain language — no decoding required. Filter by pay grade to find positions that match your experience level and target salary.

Search federal jobs by salary at FedJobs.co.