GS Pay Calculator 2026

2026

Federal GS salary for 2026: OPM base table (+1% raise) with all 58 locality percentages, the $197,200 cap, biweekly and hourly rates.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated August 2026 · Source: OPM Salaries & Wages

Annual Salary

$101,443.00

Biweekly Gross

$3,901.65

Hourly Rate

$48.61

2026 Pay Composition

Base pay (2026 GS table, +1%)$86,659.00
Locality adjustment (+17.06%)$14,784.00
Annual total$101,443.00
Monthly$8,453.58

Locality percentages are unchanged from 2025 per the January 2026 pay schedules; hourly uses the 2,087-hour federal divisor.

Use the GS Pay Calculator 2026 above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

A federal GS salary is two numbers multiplied together: the base rate for your grade and step from OPM’s General Schedule table, and your locality percentage. For 2026 the base table carries a 1% across-the-board increase, effective the first pay period of January, while locality percentages were left at 2025 levels by the January 2026 pay schedules. The 58 areas range from 17.06% for Rest of U.S. to 46.34% in San Jose–San Francisco.

This page holds the complete OPM data: all 150 base cells (GS-1 step 1 at $22,584 through GS-15 step 10 at $164,301) and every locality percentage. Total pay is base × (1 + locality%), rounded, then capped at Executive Schedule Level IV. The 2026 cap is $197,200, a ceiling that GS-15s in the highest localities actually hit. Biweekly pay divides the annual figure by 26. The hourly rate uses the statutory 2,087-hour divisor.

Locality is set by where you work, not where you live, and remote-work agreements key it to your approved telework location. Law enforcement officers, some administrative judges, and wage-grade employees ride different schedules; within-grade step increases arrive on a 1/2/3-year cadence (steps 2–4 yearly, 5–7 every two years, 8–10 every three).

Example: GS-12 Step 5 in Denver

  1. 1 A GS-12 step 5 in the Denver-Aurora locality starts from the 2026 base rate: $86,659.
  2. 2 Denver’s locality adjustment is 30.52%: $86,659 × 1.3052 = $113,107 total annual salary ($26,448 of it locality pay).
  3. 3 Per paycheck that is $113,107 ÷ 26 = $4,350.27 biweekly, or $9,425.58 a month.
  4. 4 The hourly rate, which overtime and leave accounting run on, is $113,107 ÷ 2,087 = $54.20.

Source: OPM Salaries & Wages · Last updated: August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 2026 GS pay raise?
A 1% across-the-board increase to the base table, effective the first pay period of January 2026, with locality percentages left at 2025 levels. Certain federal law enforcement categories received a larger 3.8% adjustment.
How does locality pay work?
Your base rate is multiplied by the percentage for the locality where you work — 58 areas in 2026, from 17.06% (Rest of U.S.) to 46.34% (San Jose-San Francisco). Total pay is capped at Executive Schedule Level IV: $197,200 in 2026, a ceiling top-step GS-15s in high localities actually hit.
How is the GS hourly rate computed?
Annual salary ÷ 2,087 hours (the statutory divisor). A $113,107 salary works out to $54.20 an hour; biweekly gross is the annual figure ÷ 26.
How fast do step increases come?
Steps 2-4 arrive after one year each, steps 5-7 after two years each, and steps 8-10 after three years each — 18 years from step 1 to step 10 with acceptable performance. Promotions to a higher grade reset the step using the two-step rule.

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