OPM Pay Scale 2026 – The OPM pay scale for 2026 represents a critical update for millions of federal employees, offering insights into salary adjustments amid ongoing economic shifts. As the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) oversees federal compensation, understanding the 2026 federal salary tables is essential for current and prospective government workers. This article breaks down the General Schedule (GS) system, the 2026 pay raise, base pay tables, locality adjustments, and how to determine your potential earnings—all based on official and reliable sources.
What is the OPM Pay Scale?
The OPM pay scale refers to the structured compensation framework managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which sets salaries for most civilian federal employees. It primarily revolves around the General Schedule (GS), a classification and pay system covering about 1.5 million white-collar positions worldwide in professional, technical, administrative, and clerical roles. The GS ensures fair pay based on job responsibilities, qualifications, and performance.
Federal salary tables are annual charts detailing base pay rates, which are then adjusted for locality to account for regional cost-of-living differences. These tables are updated each year, typically effective in January, and are influenced by presidential executive orders and congressional decisions.
Understanding the General Schedule (GS) System
The GS system is divided into 15 grades (GS-1 to GS-15), with GS-1 being the entry-level and GS-15 the highest for non-executive roles. Each grade has 10 steps, where employees advance based on time in service and performance evaluations. Step increases occur approximately every 1-3 years, adding about 3% to the salary.
- Grades: Determined by job complexity and required education/experience (e.g., GS-5 often requires a bachelor’s degree).
- Steps: From 1 (starting) to 10 (maximum), with promotions to higher grades possible after at least one year.
- Special Rates: Some occupations in high-demand areas receive additional pay premiums.
This structure promotes career progression while aligning federal pay with private-sector benchmarks.
The 2026 Federal Pay Raise
For 2026, federal employees under the GS system will see a modest 1% across-the-board increase to base pay, with no changes to locality pay percentages from 2025 levels. This adjustment, authorized by an executive order, takes effect on the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2026—specifically January 11, 2026, for most. Certain groups, like law enforcement officers and wildland firefighters, receive special base rate increases, with some LEOs getting an additional 2.8% via special rates for a total of 3.8%.
The raise reflects efforts to maintain competitiveness, though it’s lower than some prior years due to budgetary considerations. OPM has released official tables incorporating this increase.
2026 GS Base Pay Table
The base pay table outlines salaries before locality adjustments. Below is the complete 2026 General Schedule base pay scale, showing annual rates for each grade and step.
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $22,584 | $23,341 | $24,092 | $24,840 | $25,589 | $26,028 | $26,771 | $27,519 | $27,550 | $28,248 |
| GS-2 | $25,393 | $25,997 | $26,839 | $27,550 | $27,858 | $28,677 | $29,496 | $30,315 | $31,134 | $31,953 |
| GS-3 | $27,708 | $28,632 | $29,556 | $30,480 | $31,404 | $32,328 | $33,252 | $34,176 | $35,100 | $36,024 |
| GS-4 | $31,103 | $32,140 | $33,177 | $34,214 | $35,251 | $36,288 | $37,325 | $38,362 | $39,399 | $40,436 |
| GS-5 | $34,799 | $35,959 | $37,119 | $38,279 | $39,439 | $40,599 | $41,759 | $42,919 | $44,079 | $45,239 |
| GS-6 | $38,791 | $40,084 | $41,377 | $42,670 | $43,963 | $45,256 | $46,549 | $47,842 | $49,135 | $50,428 |
| GS-7 | $43,106 | $44,543 | $45,980 | $47,417 | $48,854 | $50,291 | $51,728 | $53,165 | $54,602 | $56,039 |
| GS-8 | $47,738 | $49,329 | $50,920 | $52,511 | $54,102 | $55,693 | $57,284 | $58,875 | $60,466 | $62,057 |
| GS-9 | $52,727 | $54,485 | $56,243 | $58,001 | $59,759 | $61,517 | $63,275 | $65,033 | $66,791 | $68,549 |
| GS-10 | $58,064 | $59,999 | $61,934 | $63,869 | $65,804 | $67,739 | $69,674 | $71,609 | $73,544 | $75,479 |
| GS-11 | $63,795 | $65,922 | $68,049 | $70,176 | $72,303 | $74,430 | $76,557 | $78,684 | $80,811 | $82,938 |
| GS-12 | $76,463 | $79,012 | $81,561 | $84,110 | $86,659 | $89,208 | $91,757 | $94,306 | $96,855 | $99,404 |
| GS-13 | $90,925 | $93,956 | $96,987 | $100,018 | $103,049 | $106,080 | $109,111 | $112,142 | $115,173 | $118,204 |
| GS-14 | $107,446 | $111,028 | $114,610 | $118,192 | $121,774 | $125,356 | $128,938 | $132,520 | $136,102 | $139,684 |
| GS-15 | $126,384 | $130,597 | $134,810 | $139,023 | $143,236 | $147,449 | $151,662 | $155,875 | $160,088 | $164,301 |
Note: These rates reflect the 1% base increase and do not include locality pay or special rates.
Locality Pay in 2026
Locality pay adds a percentage to base salaries to reflect higher living costs in specific geographic areas. In 2026, there are 57 locality pay areas (including “Rest of U.S.”), with percentages unchanged from 2025. This covers the contiguous U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and certain territories.
Here’s a comprehensive list of 2026 locality pay percentages:
| Locality Area | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 32.36% |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | 20.77% |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | 18.33% |
| Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | 23.79% |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | 20.35% |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | 18.24% |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | 32.58% |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | 22.41% |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, VT | 19.45% |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | 19.67% |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | 30.86% |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | 21.93% |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | 22.23% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 20.15% |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | 22.15% |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | 17.63% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | 27.26% |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | 18.93% |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | 21.42% |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | 30.52% |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | 18.01% |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | 29.12% |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | 17.65% |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | 19.43% |
| Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | 32.08% |
| Hawaii | 22.21% |
| Houston-The Woodlands, TX | 35.00% |
| Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | 21.91% |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | 18.15% |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | 18.97% |
| Laredo, TX | 21.59% |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | 19.57% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | 36.47% |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | 24.67% |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | 22.42% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | 27.62% |
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | 37.95% |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | 18.23% |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 17.93% |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 28.99% |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | 22.45% |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | 21.03% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | 26.13% |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | 22.24% |
| Reno-Fernley, NV | 17.52% |
| Richmond, VA | 22.28% |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | 17.88% |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | 29.76% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | 18.78% |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 33.72% |
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 46.34% |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 31.57% |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d’Alene, WA-ID | 17.67% |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | 20.03% |
| Tucson-Nogales, AZ | 19.28% |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | 18.80% |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | 33.94% |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% |
Higher percentages apply to costly areas like San Jose (46.34%) or New York (37.95%), while the “Rest of U.S.” covers non-designated locations.
How to Calculate Your 2026 Federal Salary?
To find your salary:
- Identify your GS grade and step from the base pay table.
- Determine your locality area and add the corresponding percentage to the base rate.
- Factor in any special rates or deductions (e.g., taxes, benefits).
For example:
- A GS-7, Step 1 in Washington, DC (33.94% locality): Base $43,106 + 33.94% = approximately $57,739.
- A GS-13, Step 5 in the Rest of U.S. (17.06% locality): Base $103,049 + 17.06% = approximately $120,630.
Use OPM’s salary calculator for precise figures.
Key Considerations for Federal Employees in 2026
Beyond base and locality, factors like overtime, bonuses, and performance-based increases can boost earnings. Law enforcement officers (LEOs) at GS-3 to GS-10 receive enhanced locality rates. Senior-level positions (e.g., SES) have separate tables, with minimum rates starting at $151,661.
If you’re planning a federal career, review qualification standards and job postings on USAJOBS.gov.
Conclusion
The OPM pay scale for 2026 provides a stable yet modest update with a 1% base raise, maintaining locality adjustments to ensure regional equity. By understanding these federal salary tables, employees can better navigate compensation and career growth. For the most accurate details, consult official OPM resources. Stay informed as economic conditions may influence future adjustments.