GS-2 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-2. It lists the salary for GS-2 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 | $25,393 | $29,725 | $34,011 | $35,030 | $37,160 |
| Step 2 | $25,997 | $30,432 | $34,820 | $35,863 | $38,044 |
| Step 3 | $26,839 | $31,418 | $35,948 | $37,024 | $39,276 |
| Step 4 | $27,550 | $32,250 | $36,900 | $38,005 | $40,317 |
| Step 5 | $27,858 | $32,611 | $37,313 | $38,430 | $40,767 |
| Step 6 | $28,677 | $33,569 | $38,410 | $39,560 | $41,966 |
| Step 7 | $29,496 | $34,528 | $39,507 | $40,690 | $43,164 |
| Step 8 | $30,315 | $35,487 | $40,604 | $41,820 | $44,363 |
| Step 9 | $31,134 | $36,445 | $41,701 | $42,949 | $45,561 |
| Step 10 | $31,953 | $37,404 | $42,798 | $44,079 | $46,760 |
GS-2 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-2 have?
GS-2 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-2?
The base GS-2 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-2 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-2 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-2 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-2 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-2 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.