GS-1 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-1. It lists the salary for GS-1 at each step and shows how the total changes across locality pay areas.
| Step | Base | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore | New York-Newark | San Jose-San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $22,584 | $26,437 | $30,249 | $31,155 | $33,049 |
| Step 2 | $23,341 | $27,323 | $31,263 | $32,199 | $34,157 |
| Step 3 | $24,092 | $28,202 | $32,269 | $33,235 | $35,256 |
| Step 4 | $24,840 | $29,078 | $33,271 | $34,267 | $36,351 |
| Step 5 | $25,589 | $29,954 | $34,274 | $35,300 | $37,447 |
| Step 6 | $26,028 | $30,468 | $34,862 | $35,906 | $38,089 |
| Step 7 | $26,771 | $31,338 | $35,857 | $36,931 | $39,177 |
| Step 8 | $27,519 | $32,214 | $36,859 | $37,962 | $40,271 |
| Step 9 | $27,550 | $32,250 | $36,900 | $38,005 | $40,317 |
| Step 10 | $28,248 | $33,067 | $37,835 | $38,968 | $41,338 |
GS-1 in every locality pay area
- Washington-Baltimore
- San Jose-San Francisco
- New York-Newark
- Los Angeles-Long Beach
- Houston-The Woodlands
- San Diego-Chula Vista
- Boston-Worcester
- State of Alaska
- Hartford-East Hartford
- Seattle-Tacoma
- Chicago-Naperville
- Denver-Aurora
- Sacramento-Roseville
- Detroit-Warren
- Philadelphia-Reading
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Portland-Vancouver
- Miami-Port St. Lucie
- Atlanta-
- Phoenix-Mesa
- Milwaukee-Racine
- Buffalo-Cheektowaga
- Richmond
- Raleigh-Durham
- Cleveland-Akron
- State of Hawaii
- Columbus-Marion
- Cincinnati-Wilmington
- Huntsville-Decatur
- Laredo
- Dayton-Springfield
- Pittsburgh-New Castle
- Albany-Schenectady
- Austin-Round Rock
- Colorado Springs
- St. Louis-St. Charles
- Charlotte-Concord
- Las Vegas-Henderson
- Burlington-South Burlington
- Harrisburg-Lebanon
- Tucson-Nogales
- Kansas City-Overland Park
- Davenport-Moline
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk
- San Antonio-New Braunfels
- Albuquerque-Santa Fe
- Birmingham-Hoover
- Omaha-Council Bluffs
- Indianapolis-Carmel
- Des Moines-Ames
- Palm Bay-Melbourne
- Rochester-Batavia
- Spokane-Spokane Valley
- Fresno-Madera
- Corpus Christi-Kingsville
- Reno-Fernley
- Rest of U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How many steps does GS-1 have?
GS-1 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-1?
The base GS-1 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-1 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-1 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-1 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-1 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-1 figures are gross 2026 amounts, before tax, withholding, or deductions.
Source: OPM Salary Table 2026-GS · effective January 11, 2026. Rates current as of July 20, 2026. Reference figures for general information — official pay is set by your agency, DFAS or OPM. See methodology.