Pay scale · United States · 2026
GS pay scale 2026
The General Schedule sets pay for most U.S. federal white-collar employees. In 2026 base pay runs from $22,584 at GS-1 step 1 to $164,301 at GS-15 step 10, and locality pay adds 17.06% to 46.34% on top depending on where you work, up to a cap of $197,200. Pick your grade, step and location to see the exact rate and what you take home.
By Dominic Roworth · Every rate from OPM's 2026 salary tables, checked 30 October 2026
GS-12 step 1, a year
$89,508
$76,463 base + 17.06% locality
2026 GS pay: the key figures
| Figure | 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pay raise | 1.0% on base pay; locality percentages unchanged from 2025 | OPM, CPM 2025-18 |
| In effect from | 11 January 2026 (first pay period of the year) | OPM, CPM 2025-18 |
| Lowest base rate | $22,584 (GS-1 step 1) | OPM, Salary Table 2026-GS |
| Highest base rate | $164,301 (GS-15 step 10) | OPM, Salary Table 2026-GS |
| Locality pay | 17.06% (Rest of U.S.) to 46.34% (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland), 58 areas | OPM locality tables |
| Pay cap | $197,200 (Executive Schedule level IV) | OPM, Salary Table 2026-EX |
| Hourly rate | Annual rate / 2,087 hours | 5 U.S.C. 5504(b) |
| 2027 raise | 0% proposed (3.8% for law enforcement personnel) | President's alternative pay plan, 26 Aug 2026 |
The 2027 GS pay raise: where it stands
No across-the-board raise is planned for 2027. On 26 August 2026 the President sent Congress an alternative pay plan that sets the 2027 General Schedule increase at zero and says "base pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates." Under the formula in the law, the letter says, base pay would otherwise have gone up 3.1%, with locality increases averaging 20.6%. The same letter tells OPM to use its own powers to raise 2027 pay for law enforcement personnel by 3.8% (House Document 119-189).
The plan only stands if Congress doesn't set a different raise in law, for example in a spending bill. If it doesn't, the 2026 tables on this page stay in force through 2027. Step increases carry on in a freeze, because they depend on time in the job and performance, not on the yearly adjustment. OPM normally publishes the next year's tables in the second half of December, and we update this page when it does.
2026 GS base pay table
Base pay before locality, as published by OPM. Inside the United States no one is paid only this: every locality area, including Rest of U.S., adds a payment on top. The last column is the within-grade increase, the amount each step adds.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 | Per step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $22,584 | $23,341 | $24,092 | $24,840 | $25,589 | $26,028 | $26,771 | $27,519 | $27,550 | $28,248 | Varies |
| GS-2 | $25,393 | $25,997 | $26,839 | $27,550 | $27,858 | $28,677 | $29,496 | $30,315 | $31,134 | $31,953 | Varies |
| GS-3 | $27,708 | $28,632 | $29,556 | $30,480 | $31,404 | $32,328 | $33,252 | $34,176 | $35,100 | $36,024 | $924 |
| GS-4 | $31,103 | $32,140 | $33,177 | $34,214 | $35,251 | $36,288 | $37,325 | $38,362 | $39,399 | $40,436 | $1,037 |
| GS-5 | $34,799 | $35,959 | $37,119 | $38,279 | $39,439 | $40,599 | $41,759 | $42,919 | $44,079 | $45,239 | $1,160 |
| GS-6 | $38,791 | $40,084 | $41,377 | $42,670 | $43,963 | $45,256 | $46,549 | $47,842 | $49,135 | $50,428 | $1,293 |
| GS-7 | $43,106 | $44,543 | $45,980 | $47,417 | $48,854 | $50,291 | $51,728 | $53,165 | $54,602 | $56,039 | $1,437 |
| GS-8 | $47,738 | $49,329 | $50,920 | $52,511 | $54,102 | $55,693 | $57,284 | $58,875 | $60,466 | $62,057 | $1,591 |
| GS-9 | $52,727 | $54,485 | $56,243 | $58,001 | $59,759 | $61,517 | $63,275 | $65,033 | $66,791 | $68,549 | $1,758 |
| GS-10 | $58,064 | $59,999 | $61,934 | $63,869 | $65,804 | $67,739 | $69,674 | $71,609 | $73,544 | $75,479 | $1,935 |
| GS-11 | $63,795 | $65,922 | $68,049 | $70,176 | $72,303 | $74,430 | $76,557 | $78,684 | $80,811 | $82,938 | $2,127 |
| GS-12 | $76,463 | $79,012 | $81,561 | $84,110 | $86,659 | $89,208 | $91,757 | $94,306 | $96,855 | $99,404 | $2,549 |
| GS-13 | $90,925 | $93,956 | $96,987 | $100,018 | $103,049 | $106,080 | $109,111 | $112,142 | $115,173 | $118,204 | $3,031 |
| GS-14 | $107,446 | $111,028 | $114,610 | $118,192 | $121,774 | $125,356 | $128,938 | $132,520 | $136,102 | $139,684 | $3,582 |
| GS-15 | $126,384 | $130,597 | $134,810 | $139,023 | $143,236 | $147,449 | $151,662 | $155,875 | $160,088 | $164,301 | $4,213 |
GS pay with locality: full table by area
What each grade and step actually pays in one locality area. It opens on Rest of U.S., the area that covers the most of the country; pick yours to redraw this table and the take-home table below it.
Rest of U.S.: 2026 annual rates
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,437 | $27,323 | $28,202 | $29,078 | $29,954 | $30,468 | $31,338 | $32,214 | $32,250 | $33,067 |
| GS-2 | $29,725 | $30,432 | $31,418 | $32,250 | $32,611 | $33,569 | $34,528 | $35,487 | $36,445 | $37,404 |
| GS-3 | $32,435 | $33,517 | $34,598 | $35,680 | $36,762 | $37,843 | $38,925 | $40,006 | $41,088 | $42,170 |
| GS-4 | $36,409 | $37,623 | $38,837 | $40,051 | $41,265 | $42,479 | $43,693 | $44,907 | $46,120 | $47,334 |
| GS-5 | $40,736 | $42,094 | $43,452 | $44,809 | $46,167 | $47,525 | $48,883 | $50,241 | $51,599 | $52,957 |
| GS-6 | $45,409 | $46,922 | $48,436 | $49,950 | $51,463 | $52,977 | $54,490 | $56,004 | $57,517 | $59,031 |
| GS-7 | $50,460 | $52,142 | $53,824 | $55,506 | $57,188 | $58,871 | $60,553 | $62,235 | $63,917 | $65,599 |
| GS-8 | $55,882 | $57,745 | $59,607 | $61,469 | $63,332 | $65,194 | $67,057 | $68,919 | $70,781 | $72,644 |
| GS-9 | $61,722 | $63,780 | $65,838 | $67,896 | $69,954 | $72,012 | $74,070 | $76,128 | $78,186 | $80,243 |
| GS-10 | $67,970 | $70,235 | $72,500 | $74,765 | $77,030 | $79,295 | $81,560 | $83,825 | $86,091 | $88,356 |
| GS-11 | $74,678 | $77,168 | $79,658 | $82,148 | $84,638 | $87,128 | $89,618 | $92,107 | $94,597 | $97,087 |
| GS-12 | $89,508 | $92,491 | $95,475 | $98,459 | $101,443 | $104,427 | $107,411 | $110,395 | $113,378 | $116,362 |
| GS-13 | $106,437 | $109,985 | $113,533 | $117,081 | $120,629 | $124,177 | $127,725 | $131,273 | $134,822 | $138,370 |
| GS-14 | $125,776 | $129,969 | $134,162 | $138,356 | $142,549 | $146,742 | $150,935 | $155,128 | $159,321 | $163,514 |
| GS-15 | $147,945 | $152,877 | $157,809 | $162,740 | $167,672 | $172,604 | $177,536 | $182,467 | $187,399 | $192,331 |
* Held at $197,200, the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5304(g)(1)).
Take-home pay at every GS grade
OPM's tables stop at gross pay. This is what lands in your account: gross pay less federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and the 4.4% FERS contribution that employees hired since 2014 pay, worked out with our 2026 federal tax engine for a single filer with the standard deduction. At step 1 in the Rest of U.S. that leaves about 81% of gross pay at GS-5 and 72% at GS-15, before state tax and benefits: the share falls as pay climbs into higher tax brackets.
Rest of U.S.: take-home pay, FERS 4.4%
| Grade | Step 1 gross | Take-home a year | Per pay period | Step 10 gross | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,437 | $22,218 | $855 | $33,067 | $27,294 |
| GS-2 | $29,725 | $24,756 | $952 | $37,404 | $30,588 |
| GS-3 | $32,435 | $26,814 | $1,031 | $42,170 | $34,208 |
| GS-4 | $36,409 | $29,833 | $1,147 | $47,334 | $38,130 |
| GS-5 | $40,736 | $33,119 | $1,274 | $52,957 | $42,401 |
| GS-6 | $45,409 | $36,668 | $1,410 | $59,031 | $47,014 |
| GS-7 | $50,460 | $40,504 | $1,558 | $65,599 | $52,002 |
| GS-8 | $55,882 | $44,622 | $1,716 | $72,644 | $56,739 |
| GS-9 | $61,722 | $49,058 | $1,887 | $80,243 | $61,750 |
| GS-10 | $67,970 | $53,656 | $2,064 | $88,356 | $67,101 |
| GS-11 | $74,678 | $58,080 | $2,234 | $97,087 | $72,859 |
| GS-12 | $89,508 | $67,861 | $2,610 | $116,362 | $85,571 |
| GS-13 | $106,437 | $79,025 | $3,039 | $138,370 | $99,754 |
| GS-14 | $125,776 | $91,700 | $3,527 | $163,514 | $115,833 |
| GS-15 | $147,945 | $105,877 | $4,072 | $192,331 | $134,747 |
Per pay period = take-home over 26 biweekly pay periods. Not included: state and local income tax, FEHB health insurance, life insurance and TSP contributions. Nine states (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming) don't tax wages.
Locality pay by area, highest first
All 58 locality pay areas for 2026, with what four common grades pay at step 1. The Washington-Baltimore area pays 33.94%: a GS-12 step 1 there earns $102,415, against $89,508 in the Rest of U.S. Area names are OPM's; each covers the counties OPM lists for it.
| Locality pay area | Locality | GS-9 step 1 | GS-11 step 1 | GS-12 step 1 | GS-13 step 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 46.34% | $77,161 | $93,358 | $111,896 | $133,060 |
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | 37.95% | $72,737 | $88,005 | $105,481 | $125,431 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | 36.47% | $71,957 | $87,061 | $104,349 | $124,085 |
| Houston-The Woodlands, TX | 35.00% | $71,181 | $86,123 | $103,225 | $122,749 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | 33.94% | $70,623 | $85,447 | $102,415 | $121,785 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 33.72% | $70,507 | $85,307 | $102,246 | $121,585 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | 32.58% | $69,905 | $84,579 | $101,375 | $120,548 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $69,789 | $84,439 | $101,206 | $120,348 |
| Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | 32.08% | $69,642 | $84,260 | $100,992 | $120,094 |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 31.57% | $69,373 | $83,935 | $100,602 | $119,630 |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | 30.86% | $68,999 | $83,482 | $100,059 | $118,984 |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | 30.52% | $68,819 | $83,265 | $99,800 | $118,675 |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | 29.76% | $68,419 | $82,780 | $99,218 | $117,984 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | 29.12% | $68,081 | $82,372 | $98,729 | $117,402 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 28.99% | $68,013 | $82,289 | $98,630 | $117,284 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | 27.62% | $67,290 | $81,415 | $97,582 | $116,038 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | 27.26% | $67,100 | $81,186 | $97,307 | $115,711 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | 26.13% | $66,505 | $80,465 | $96,443 | $114,684 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | 24.67% | $65,735 | $79,533 | $95,326 | $113,356 |
| Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | 23.79% | $65,271 | $78,972 | $94,654 | $112,556 |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | 22.45% | $64,564 | $78,117 | $93,629 | $111,338 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | 22.42% | $64,548 | $78,098 | $93,606 | $111,310 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | 22.41% | $64,543 | $78,091 | $93,598 | $111,301 |
| Richmond, VA | 22.28% | $64,475 | $78,009 | $93,499 | $111,183 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | 22.24% | $64,453 | $77,983 | $93,468 | $111,147 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | 22.23% | $64,448 | $77,977 | $93,461 | $111,138 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $64,438 | $77,964 | $93,445 | $111,119 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | 22.15% | $64,406 | $77,926 | $93,400 | $111,065 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | 21.93% | $64,290 | $77,785 | $93,231 | $110,865 |
| Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | 21.91% | $64,279 | $77,772 | $93,216 | $110,847 |
| Laredo, TX | 21.59% | $64,111 | $77,568 | $92,971 | $110,556 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | 21.42% | $64,021 | $77,460 | $92,841 | $110,401 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | 21.03% | $63,815 | $77,211 | $92,543 | $110,047 |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | 20.77% | $63,678 | $77,045 | $92,344 | $109,810 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | 20.35% | $63,457 | $76,777 | $92,023 | $109,428 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 20.15% | $63,351 | $76,650 | $91,870 | $109,246 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | 20.03% | $63,288 | $76,573 | $91,779 | $109,137 |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | 19.67% | $63,098 | $76,343 | $91,503 | $108,810 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | 19.57% | $63,046 | $76,280 | $91,427 | $108,719 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, VT | 19.45% | $62,982 | $76,203 | $91,335 | $108,610 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | 19.43% | $62,972 | $76,190 | $91,320 | $108,592 |
| Tucson-Nogales, AZ | 19.28% | $62,893 | $76,095 | $91,205 | $108,455 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | 18.97% | $62,729 | $75,897 | $90,968 | $108,173 |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | 18.93% | $62,708 | $75,871 | $90,937 | $108,137 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | 18.80% | $62,640 | $75,788 | $90,838 | $108,019 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | 18.78% | $62,629 | $75,776 | $90,823 | $108,001 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | 18.33% | $62,392 | $75,489 | $90,479 | $107,592 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | 18.24% | $62,344 | $75,431 | $90,410 | $107,510 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | 18.23% | $62,339 | $75,425 | $90,402 | $107,501 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | 18.15% | $62,297 | $75,374 | $90,341 | $107,428 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | 18.01% | $62,223 | $75,284 | $90,234 | $107,301 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 17.93% | $62,181 | $75,233 | $90,173 | $107,228 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | 17.88% | $62,155 | $75,202 | $90,135 | $107,182 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | 17.67% | $62,044 | $75,068 | $89,974 | $106,991 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | 17.65% | $62,033 | $75,055 | $89,959 | $106,973 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | 17.63% | $62,023 | $75,042 | $89,943 | $106,955 |
| Reno-Fernley, NV | 17.52% | $61,965 | $74,972 | $89,859 | $106,855 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $61,722 | $74,678 | $89,508 | $106,437 |
How GS pay works
Grades: what you start on
Every job is classified at a grade from GS-1 to GS-15 according to its duties and responsibilities. For many professional and administrative jobs, OPM's qualification standards let education stand in for experience at the entry grades:
- GS-5: a four-year bachelor's degree.
- GS-7: a full year of graduate study, or a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (good grades or class standing).
- GS-9: a master's degree, or two full years of graduate study.
- GS-11: a Ph.D., or three full years of graduate study.
Above that, each grade usually needs a year of specialized experience at the grade below. Senior specialists and managers are usually GS-13 to GS-15; above GS-15 is the Senior Executive Service, which has its own pay range.
Steps: how pay rises in the same job
Each grade has 10 steps. You move up a step (a within-grade increase) after a set waiting period, if your performance is at an acceptable level of competence and your last rating of record was at least Level 3:
| To reach | Time at the step below | GS-12 Rest of U.S. pay |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Start | $89,508 |
| Step 2 | 52 weeks (1 year) | $92,491 |
| Step 3 | 52 weeks (1 year) | $95,475 |
| Step 4 | 52 weeks (1 year) | $98,459 |
| Step 5 | 104 weeks (2 years) | $101,443 |
| Step 6 | 104 weeks (2 years) | $104,427 |
| Step 7 | 104 weeks (2 years) | $107,411 |
| Step 8 | 156 weeks (3 years) | $110,395 |
| Step 9 | 156 weeks (3 years) | $113,378 |
| Step 10 | 156 weeks (3 years) | $116,362 |
That is 18 years from step 1 to step 10, so in practice promotions move most people's pay faster than steps do. Many jobs are advertised as a career ladder (for example GS-7, 9 and 11), where you can be promoted to the next grade without competing again, once you have a year at your current grade and perform well, until you reach the top of the ladder.
Locality pay: where you work
Locality pay is a percentage on top of base pay that depends on your official worksite. It is part of your basic pay, so it counts for your FERS pension, TSP contributions and overtime. In 2026 it runs from 17.06% in the Rest of U.S. to 46.34% in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland. OPM works it out as base pay x (1 + locality %), rounded to the nearest dollar (5 CFR 531.604).
The pay cap
A GS locality rate can't be more than level IV of the Executive Schedule, $197,200 in 2026 (5 CFR 531.606). In 37 of the 58 areas that holds back GS-15 step 10; in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland it starts at GS-14 step 9. Those steps still matter: when a later raise lifts the cap, employees held at it are the first to see it.
Special rates and law enforcement
Some jobs that agencies find hard to fill have OPM special rate tables that pay more than the locality rate; you get whichever is higher. In 2026 OPM also gave certain law enforcement personnel their own special rates, worth 3.8% over 2025 pay rather than 1%: for example FBI, DEA and ATF special agents, CBP officers and Border Patrol agents, and Bureau of Prisons correctional officers (OPM, CPM 2025-25). Law enforcement officers at GS-3 to GS-10 also have higher base rates of their own (pay plan GL). If your job has a special rate, your pay is higher than the tables on this page.
GS hourly and biweekly pay
Federal pay is worked out by the hour for overtime, leave and pay periods. OPM divides the annual rate by 2,087 hours, the average number of working hours in a year, and rounds to the nearest cent. A pay period is two weeks of 80 hours:
- GS-12 step 1, Rest of U.S.: $89,508 / 2,087 = $42.89 an hour, $3,431.20 a pay period before deductions.
- GS-9 step 1, Washington-Baltimore: $70,623 / 2,087 = $33.84 an hour, $2,707.20 a pay period.
The calculator above shows the hourly rate for any grade, step and area. Note that 26 pay periods of 80 hours is 2,080 hours, a little under 2,087, so 26 x the biweekly figure comes to slightly less than the annual rate. The 27th pay day that falls every 11 years or so makes up the difference.
Limits
- These are the regular General Schedule rates. Special rates, law enforcement rates, the VA's own schedules and other pay systems (Wage Grade, SES, Foreign Service) pay differently.
- Take-home pay is federal only: income tax for a single filer with the standard deduction, Social Security, Medicare and FERS. State and local tax, FEHB premiums, FEGLI and TSP contributions aren't taken off, and a married couple filing jointly usually pays less federal tax.
- Allowances and premium pay (overtime, night and Sunday differentials, hazard pay) aren't included, and employees posted abroad are paid differently.
- FERS tiers are simplified: if you had federal service before 2013 or 2014, your rate may be lower than the year you joined suggests.
Questions
How much does a GS-13 make in 2026?
Base pay for GS-13 runs from $90,925 at step 1 to $118,204 at step 10. With locality pay that is $106,437 to $138,370 in the Rest of U.S., $121,785 to $158,322 in the Washington-Baltimore area and $133,060 to $172,980 in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, the highest-paid locality.
What is the highest GS salary in 2026?
$197,200, the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule. Locality pay can't take a GS salary above it, so in 37 of the 58 locality areas GS-15 step 10 (and in the highest-paid areas a few steps below it) is held at $197,200. Base pay alone tops out at $164,301.
Will GS employees get a pay raise in 2027?
Not under the President's plan. The alternative pay plan sent to Congress on 26 August 2026 sets the 2027 across-the-board increase at zero and keeps locality pay at 2026 rates, and tells OPM to raise 2027 pay for law enforcement personnel by 3.8%. Congress can still set a different figure in law. A freeze doesn't stop step increases, which depend on time in the job and performance.
How long does it take to go from step 1 to step 10?
18 years at the earliest: a year in each of steps 1, 2 and 3, two years in each of steps 4, 5 and 6, and three years in each of steps 7, 8 and 9, as long as your performance is at an acceptable level of competence. A promotion to a higher grade usually moves you faster than steps do.
What is locality pay?
A percentage added to GS base pay that depends on where your official worksite is. In 2026 it ranges from 17.06% in the Rest of U.S. (anywhere in the U.S. outside the 57 named areas) to 46.34% in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland. The percentages are the same as in 2025, because the 2026 raise went on base pay only.
How is GS hourly pay worked out?
Divide the annual rate by 2,087 hours and round to the nearest cent. GS-12 step 1 in the Rest of U.S. is $89,508 / 2,087 = $42.89 an hour, and a two-week pay period is 80 hours: $3,431.20.
What does a GS employee take home?
Less than the table says. A GS-12 step 1 in the Rest of U.S. earns $89,508 and keeps about $67,861 a year, or $2,610 a pay period, after federal income tax ($10,862), Social Security and Medicare ($6,847) and a 4.4% FERS pension contribution ($3,938). State income tax, health insurance and any TSP savings come off that too.
Sources
- OPM, 2026 General Schedule salary tables (base, 58 locality tables and hourly tables)
- OPM, Salary Table 2026-GS (base pay)
- OPM, Salary Table 2026-EX (Executive Schedule level IV, the GS pay cap)
- OPM, CPM 2025-18, January 2026 Pay Adjustments (18 December 2025)
- OPM, CPM 2025-25, 2026 Special Rates for Certain Law Enforcement Personnel (31 December 2025)
- Executive Order 14368, Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay (18 December 2025)
- The White House, Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments, 26 August 2026 (House Document 119-189)
- OPM fact sheet, Within-grade increases
- OPM fact sheet, Computing hourly rates of pay using the 2,087-hour divisor
- 5 CFR 531.604 and 531.606 (locality rate rounding and the EX-IV limit)
- OPM, General Schedule qualification standards
- OPM, Benefits Administration Letters 13-102 and 14-102 (FERS employee contribution rates: 0.8%, 3.1%, 4.4%)
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 US tax engine (IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 brackets and standard deduction, Social Security and Medicare rates), see the methodology.
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