GS Pay Scale 2026 Birmingham AL
Birmingham AL GS employees get 18.24% locality pay in 2026 under the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL area, 1.18 percentage points above Rest of U.S. (17.06%); that is the 48th highest of 58 areas. GS-12 step 1 pays $90,410 a year ($43.32 per hour), $902 more than Rest of U.S., and the table runs from $35,048 (GS-1 step 1) to $194,270 (GS-15 step 10).
Rates are OPM's 2026 tables (checked October 23, 2026). For your own grade, step and duty station use the GS pay calculator, or see how to read the GS pay scale. Looking for next year? See federal pay raise 2027.
Maintained by Archie Chang · OPM tables checked October 23, 2026 · Methodology & sources
GS pay scale 2026 Birmingham AL: annual pay
Annual pay for GS-1 to GS-15, steps 1 to 10, in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL locality pay area (18.24%). An asterisk marks a rate limited to the $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap and a dagger (†) marks a rate set by special rate table 001M.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $35,048† (special rate table 001M) | $35,772† (special rate table 001M) | $36,496† (special rate table 001M) | $37,220† (special rate table 001M) | $37,944† (special rate table 001M) | $38,668† (special rate table 001M) | $39,392† (special rate table 001M) | $40,116† (special rate table 001M) | $40,840† (special rate table 001M) | $41,564† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-2 | $35,749† (special rate table 001M) | $36,568† (special rate table 001M) | $37,387† (special rate table 001M) | $38,206† (special rate table 001M) | $39,025† (special rate table 001M) | $39,844† (special rate table 001M) | $40,663† (special rate table 001M) | $41,482† (special rate table 001M) | $42,301† (special rate table 001M) | $43,120† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-3 | $36,464† (special rate table 001M) | $37,388† (special rate table 001M) | $38,312† (special rate table 001M) | $39,236† (special rate table 001M) | $40,160† (special rate table 001M) | $41,084† (special rate table 001M) | $42,008† (special rate table 001M) | $42,932† (special rate table 001M) | $43,856† (special rate table 001M) | $44,780† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-4 | $37,193† (special rate table 001M) | $38,230† (special rate table 001M) | $39,267† (special rate table 001M) | $40,455 | $41,681 | $42,907 | $44,133 | $45,359 | $46,585 | $47,812 |
| GS-5 | $41,146 | $42,518 | $43,890 | $45,261 | $46,633 | $48,004 | $49,376 | $50,747 | $52,119 | $53,491 |
| GS-6 | $45,866 | $47,395 | $48,924 | $50,453 | $51,982 | $53,511 | $55,040 | $56,568 | $58,097 | $59,626 |
| GS-7 | $50,969 | $52,668 | $54,367 | $56,066 | $57,765 | $59,464 | $61,163 | $62,862 | $64,561 | $66,261 |
| GS-8 | $56,445 | $58,327 | $60,208 | $62,089 | $63,970 | $65,851 | $67,733 | $69,614 | $71,495 | $73,376 |
| GS-9 | $62,344 | $64,423 | $66,502 | $68,580 | $70,659 | $72,738 | $74,816 | $76,895 | $78,974 | $81,052 |
| GS-10 | $68,655 | $70,943 | $73,231 | $75,519 | $77,807 | $80,095 | $82,383 | $84,670 | $86,958 | $89,246 |
| GS-11 | $75,431 | $77,946 | $80,461 | $82,976 | $85,491 | $88,006 | $90,521 | $93,036 | $95,551 | $98,066 |
| GS-12 | $90,410 | $93,424 | $96,438 | $99,452 | $102,466 | $105,480 | $108,493 | $111,507 | $114,521 | $117,535 |
| GS-13 | $107,510 | $111,094 | $114,677 | $118,261 | $121,845 | $125,429 | $129,013 | $132,597 | $136,181 | $139,764 |
| GS-14 | $127,044 | $131,280 | $135,515 | $139,750 | $143,986 | $148,221 | $152,456 | $156,692 | $160,927 | $165,162 |
| GS-15 | $149,436 | $154,418 | $159,399 | $164,381 | $169,362 | $174,344 | $179,325 | $184,307 | $189,288 | $194,270 |
Rates marked † are set by OPM special rate table 001M, which applies to all General Schedule employees whose worksite is in the United States when it pays more than the locality rate (5 U.S.C. 5305(h); 5 CFR 530.303(d)). In Birmingham AL it sets 33 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates; everywhere else in the table the locality rate from OPM's locality table applies. OPM special rate table 001M. Occupation-specific special rate tables are not included.
GS hourly pay 2026 Birmingham AL
Hourly pay is the annual rate divided by 2,087 and rounded to the cent, as OPM prints it. Multiply by 80 for the biweekly rate before deductions (5 U.S.C. 5504(b)).
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $16.79† (special rate table 001M) | $17.14† (special rate table 001M) | $17.49† (special rate table 001M) | $17.83† (special rate table 001M) | $18.18† (special rate table 001M) | $18.53† (special rate table 001M) | $18.87† (special rate table 001M) | $19.22† (special rate table 001M) | $19.57† (special rate table 001M) | $19.92† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-2 | $17.13† (special rate table 001M) | $17.52† (special rate table 001M) | $17.91† (special rate table 001M) | $18.31† (special rate table 001M) | $18.70† (special rate table 001M) | $19.09† (special rate table 001M) | $19.48† (special rate table 001M) | $19.88† (special rate table 001M) | $20.27† (special rate table 001M) | $20.66† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-3 | $17.47† (special rate table 001M) | $17.91† (special rate table 001M) | $18.36† (special rate table 001M) | $18.80† (special rate table 001M) | $19.24† (special rate table 001M) | $19.69† (special rate table 001M) | $20.13† (special rate table 001M) | $20.57† (special rate table 001M) | $21.01† (special rate table 001M) | $21.46† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-4 | $17.82† (special rate table 001M) | $18.32† (special rate table 001M) | $18.82† (special rate table 001M) | $19.38 | $19.97 | $20.56 | $21.15 | $21.73 | $22.32 | $22.91 |
| GS-5 | $19.72 | $20.37 | $21.03 | $21.69 | $22.34 | $23.00 | $23.66 | $24.32 | $24.97 | $25.63 |
| GS-6 | $21.98 | $22.71 | $23.44 | $24.17 | $24.91 | $25.64 | $26.37 | $27.10 | $27.84 | $28.57 |
| GS-7 | $24.42 | $25.24 | $26.05 | $26.86 | $27.68 | $28.49 | $29.31 | $30.12 | $30.93 | $31.75 |
| GS-8 | $27.05 | $27.95 | $28.85 | $29.75 | $30.65 | $31.55 | $32.45 | $33.36 | $34.26 | $35.16 |
| GS-9 | $29.87 | $30.87 | $31.86 | $32.86 | $33.86 | $34.85 | $35.85 | $36.84 | $37.84 | $38.84 |
| GS-10 | $32.90 | $33.99 | $35.09 | $36.19 | $37.28 | $38.38 | $39.47 | $40.57 | $41.67 | $42.76 |
| GS-11 | $36.14 | $37.35 | $38.55 | $39.76 | $40.96 | $42.17 | $43.37 | $44.58 | $45.78 | $46.99 |
| GS-12 | $43.32 | $44.76 | $46.21 | $47.65 | $49.10 | $50.54 | $51.99 | $53.43 | $54.87 | $56.32 |
| GS-13 | $51.51 | $53.23 | $54.95 | $56.67 | $58.38 | $60.10 | $61.82 | $63.53 | $65.25 | $66.97 |
| GS-14 | $60.87 | $62.90 | $64.93 | $66.96 | $68.99 | $71.02 | $73.05 | $75.08 | $77.11 | $79.14 |
| GS-15 | $71.60 | $73.99 | $76.38 | $78.76 | $81.15 | $83.54 | $85.92 | $88.31 | $90.70 | $93.09 |
Birmingham AL compared with Rest of U.S.
- Birmingham AL has the 48th highest locality percentage of the 58 areas (18.24%); Rest of U.S. is 17.06%.
- GS-12 pay in Birmingham AL runs from $90,410 at step 1 to $117,535 at step 10; Rest of U.S. pays $89,508 at step 1.
- Birmingham AL first reaches $100,000 at GS-12 step 5 ($102,466).
- No rate in Birmingham AL reaches the $197,200 cap; GS-15 runs from $149,436 to $194,270.
- Special rate table 001M sets 33 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in Birmingham AL; GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $26,703.
| Grade, step 1 | Birmingham AL | Rest of U.S. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $41,146 | $40,736 | +$410 |
| GS-7 | $50,969 | $50,460 | +$509 |
| GS-9 | $62,344 | $61,722 | +$622 |
| GS-11 | $75,431 | $74,678 | +$753 |
| GS-12 | $90,410 | $89,508 | +$902 |
| GS-13 | $107,510 | $106,437 | +$1,073 |
| GS-14 | $127,044 | $125,776 | +$1,268 |
| GS-15 | $149,436 | $147,945 | +$1,491 |
Counties in the Birmingham AL pay area
The Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL area covers the 19 counties and places below, from OPM's 2026 locality pay area definitions. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
Alabama: Bibb County, AL; Blount County, AL; Calhoun County, AL; Chilton County, AL; Clay County, AL; Coosa County, AL; Cullman County, AL; Etowah County, AL; Greene County, AL; Hale County, AL; Jefferson County, AL; Pickens County, AL; St. Clair County, AL; Shelby County, AL; Talladega County, AL; Tallapoosa County, AL; Tuscaloosa County, AL; Walker County, AL; Winston County, AL
GS pay scale pages
Birmingham AL GS pay questions
What is GS-12 step 1 pay in Birmingham AL in 2026?
GS-12 step 1 in Birmingham AL pays $90,410 a year in 2026, which is $43.32 per hour or $3,465.60 biweekly before deductions, at 18.24% locality pay. Step 10 pays $117,535. Rest of U.S. GS-12 step 1 is $89,508, so Birmingham AL pays $902 more.
What is the GS locality pay percentage for Birmingham AL in 2026?
Birmingham AL is in OPM's Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL locality pay area, which gets 18.24% in 2026, the 48th highest of 58 areas and 1.18 points above Rest of U.S. at 17.06%. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
How much does a GS-7 make in Birmingham AL in 2026?
GS-7 pay in Birmingham AL runs from $50,969 at step 1 ($24.42 per hour) to $66,261 at step 10 ($31.75 per hour).
How much does a GS-9 make in Birmingham AL in 2026?
GS-9 pay in Birmingham AL runs from $62,344 at step 1 ($29.87 per hour) to $81,052 at step 10 ($38.84 per hour).
How much does a GS-13 make in Birmingham AL in 2026?
GS-13 pay in Birmingham AL runs from $107,510 at step 1 to $139,764 at step 10. At step 1 that is $1,073 more than Rest of U.S. ($106,437).
What is the highest GS pay in Birmingham AL in 2026?
GS-15 step 10 is the top rate in Birmingham AL: $194,270 a year ($93.09 per hour). The lowest is GS-1 step 1 at $35,048.
Does special rate table 001M change GS-1 to GS-4 pay in Birmingham AL?
Yes, in part. Where special rate table 001M is higher than the locality rate it is the payable rate, and it sets 33 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in Birmingham AL (GS-1: 10 steps, GS-2: 10, GS-3: 10, GS-4: 3). Those cells are marked with a dagger. GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $26,703.
Which counties are in the Birmingham AL GS locality pay area?
OPM's Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL locality pay area covers 19 counties and places in Alabama. The full list from OPM's 2026 definitions is on this page.
Will Birmingham AL GS pay change in 2027?
The 2027 federal pay raise is not final and OPM has not published 2027 salary tables, so every rate on this page is a 2026 rate. Step increases and promotions are separate from the annual raise.
Estimates for planning. Special rates, law enforcement rates and your agency's application of OPM rules can differ. Your SF-50 and your agency HR office are authoritative.