GS Pay Scale Calculator 2026
GS pay scale calculator for 2026: estimate your federal General Schedule base salary plus locality pay by grade, step and locality area.
Editorial review: Farrow (pseudonym; identity and professional credentials are not disclosed). This page is for educational purposes, not professional advice.
Updated
Your inputs
Results update as you type. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
Results
- Approx. GS base salary (no locality)
- $77,120
- Locality pay add-on
- $11,568
Example with the starting values
These results use the calculator's initial inputs. Change the values above to calculate your own estimate.
Inputs
- GS Grade
- 9
- Step
- 1
- Locality area
- Average metro (~15%)
Results
- Approx. total annual salary
- $88,688
- Approx. GS base salary (no locality)
- $77,120
- Locality pay add-on
- $11,568
How does the GS Pay Scale Calculator work?
Federal General Schedule pay = base GS rate for your grade and step, increased by a locality pay percentage set by OPM for your duty-station area (ranging from 0% in the "Rest of US" to over 40% in the highest-cost areas).
This uses an approximate 2026 base table and representative locality percentages; OPM's published GS tables are the official source.
For example, a GS-9 Step 1 position in an average metro area (about 15% locality pay) gives a base salary of about $77,120, a locality add-on of about $11,568, and a total of about $88,688 a year.
Frequently asked questions
What is locality pay?
An add-on percentage OPM sets for each metro area to reflect local labor-market pay, added on top of the nationwide GS base rate.
How many GS grades and steps are there?
10 steps within each of 15 grades (GS-1 through GS-15); most new federal jobs post at a specific grade and step range.
Where can I find the official GS table?
OPM publishes the current General Schedule base and locality tables at opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages.
Does a step increase every year?
No. Steps 1-3 typically take one year each, steps 4-6 take two years each, and steps 7-9 take three years each, based on acceptable performance.