GS Pay Scale 2026: Complete Guide to General Schedule Grades
A comprehensive guide to the 2026 General Schedule pay scale, including all 15 grades, locality adjustments, and how to determine your GS pay.
Understanding GS Grades
The General Schedule (GS) pay scale covers over 1.5 million federal civilian employees across all 15 executive departments and independent agencies. The system has 15 grades, each representing a different level of work difficulty, responsibility, and qualification requirements.
Entry Level: GS-1 through GS-4
These grades cover trainee positions and jobs requiring little to no experience. Most federal employees start at GS-5 or above.
Mid-Level: GS-5 through GS-12
The bulk of the federal workforce. These positions require increasing levels of experience, education, and specialized knowledge.
Senior Level: GS-13 through GS-15
Supervisory and highly specialized positions. GS-15 represents the highest regular grade, with fewer than 5% of federal employees occupying these roles.
Locality Pay Adjustments
As of 2026, there are 58 locality pay areas, with adjustments ranging from approximately 16% to over 44% above base pay.
Top Locality Pay Areas
- San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
- New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA
- Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA
- Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
How to Calculate Your Pay
- Find your base pay for your grade and step
- Identify your locality pay percentage
- Multiply your base pay by
(1 + locality percentage)
For example, a GS-12, Step 1 in Washington, DC (locality pay: ~33%) would earn approximately $102,000 in 2026.
Step Increases
| Steps | Time Between Increases |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | 1 year |
| 4-7 | 2 years |
| 7-10 | 2 years |