GS Pay Scale 2026 St. Louis

St. Louis GS employees get 20.03% locality pay in 2026 under the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL area, 2.97 percentage points above Rest of U.S. (17.06%); that is the 37th highest of 58 areas. GS-12 step 1 pays $91,779 a year ($43.98 per hour), $2,271 more than Rest of U.S., and the table runs from $35,048 (GS-1 step 1) to $197,200 (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 St. Louis: annual pay

Annual pay for GS-1 to GS-15, steps 1 to 10, in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL locality pay area (20.03%). 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.

GS annual pay by grade and step in St. Louis, 2026
GradeStep 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6Step 7Step 8Step 9Step 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$37,333$38,578$39,822$41,067$42,312$43,556$44,801$46,046$47,291$48,535
GS-5$41,769$43,162$44,554$45,946$47,339$48,731$50,123$51,516$52,908$54,300
GS-6$46,561$48,113$49,665$51,217$52,769$54,321$55,873$57,425$58,977$60,529
GS-7$51,740$53,465$55,190$56,915$58,639$60,364$62,089$63,814$65,539$67,264
GS-8$57,300$59,210$61,119$63,029$64,939$66,848$68,758$70,668$72,577$74,487
GS-9$63,288$65,398$67,508$69,619$71,729$73,839$75,949$78,059$80,169$82,279
GS-10$69,694$72,017$74,339$76,662$78,985$81,307$83,630$85,952$88,275$90,597
GS-11$76,573$79,126$81,679$84,232$86,785$89,338$91,891$94,444$96,997$99,550
GS-12$91,779$94,838$97,898$100,957$104,017$107,076$110,136$113,195$116,255$119,315
GS-13$109,137$112,775$116,413$120,052$123,690$127,328$130,966$134,604$138,242$141,880
GS-14$128,967$133,267$137,566$141,866$146,165$150,465$154,764$159,064$163,363$167,663
GS-15$151,699$156,756$161,812$166,869$171,926$176,983$182,040$187,097$192,154$197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap)

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 St. Louis it sets 30 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 St. Louis

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)).

GS hourly pay by grade and step in St. Louis, 2026
GradeStep 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6Step 7Step 8Step 9Step 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$17.89$18.48$19.08$19.68$20.27$20.87$21.47$22.06$22.66$23.26
GS-5$20.01$20.68$21.35$22.02$22.68$23.35$24.02$24.68$25.35$26.02
GS-6$22.31$23.05$23.80$24.54$25.28$26.03$26.77$27.52$28.26$29.00
GS-7$24.79$25.62$26.44$27.27$28.10$28.92$29.75$30.58$31.40$32.23
GS-8$27.46$28.37$29.29$30.20$31.12$32.03$32.95$33.86$34.78$35.69
GS-9$30.32$31.34$32.35$33.36$34.37$35.38$36.39$37.40$38.41$39.42
GS-10$33.39$34.51$35.62$36.73$37.85$38.96$40.07$41.18$42.30$43.41
GS-11$36.69$37.91$39.14$40.36$41.58$42.81$44.03$45.25$46.48$47.70
GS-12$43.98$45.44$46.91$48.37$49.84$51.31$52.77$54.24$55.70$57.17
GS-13$52.29$54.04$55.78$57.52$59.27$61.01$62.75$64.50$66.24$67.98
GS-14$61.80$63.86$65.92$67.98$70.04$72.10$74.16$76.22$78.28$80.34
GS-15$72.69$75.11$77.53$79.96$82.38$84.80$87.23$89.65$92.07$94.49

St. Louis compared with Rest of U.S.

  • St. Louis has the 37th highest locality percentage of the 58 areas (20.03%); Rest of U.S. is 17.06%.
  • GS-12 pay in St. Louis runs from $91,779 at step 1 to $119,315 at step 10; Rest of U.S. pays $89,508 at step 1.
  • St. Louis first reaches $100,000 at GS-12 step 4 ($100,957).
  • The $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap limits 1 rate in St. Louis, so GS-15 step 10 is $197,200 rather than the uncapped amount.
  • Special rate table 001M sets 30 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in St. Louis; GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $27,108.
GS step 1 annual pay in St. Louis compared with Rest of U.S., 2026
Grade, step 1St. LouisRest of U.S.Difference
GS-5$41,769$40,736+$1,033
GS-7$51,740$50,460+$1,280
GS-9$63,288$61,722+$1,566
GS-11$76,573$74,678+$1,895
GS-12$91,779$89,508+$2,271
GS-13$109,137$106,437+$2,700
GS-14$128,967$125,776+$3,191
GS-15$151,699$147,945+$3,754

Counties in the St. Louis pay area

The St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL area covers the 30 counties and places below, from OPM's 2026 locality pay area definitions. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.

Missouri: Crawford County, MO; Franklin County, MO; Gasconade County, MO; Iron County, MO; Jefferson County, MO; Lincoln County, MO; Madison County, MO; Montgomery County, MO; Pike County, MO; St. Charles County, MO; Ste. Genevieve County, MO; St. Francois County, MO; St. Louis County, MO; Warren County, MO; Washington County, MO; St. Louis city, MO

Illinois: Bond County, IL; Calhoun County, IL; Clinton County, IL; Fayette County, IL; Greene County, IL; Jersey County, IL; Macoupin County, IL; Madison County, IL; Marion County, IL; Monroe County, IL; Montgomery County, IL; Randolph County, IL; St. Clair County, IL; Washington County, IL

Source: OPM 2026 locality pay area definitions.

GS pay scale pages

Pay for one grade in every area: GS-1, GS-2, GS-3, GS-4, GS-5, GS-6, GS-7, GS-8, GS-9, GS-10, GS-11, GS-12, GS-13, GS-14, GS-15. Another area? See all 58 locality pay areas on the GS pay scale 2026 hub.

St. Louis GS pay questions

What is GS-12 step 1 pay in St. Louis in 2026?

GS-12 step 1 in St. Louis pays $91,779 a year in 2026, which is $43.98 per hour or $3,518.40 biweekly before deductions, at 20.03% locality pay. Step 10 pays $119,315. Rest of U.S. GS-12 step 1 is $89,508, so St. Louis pays $2,271 more.

What is the GS locality pay percentage for St. Louis in 2026?

St. Louis is in OPM's St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL locality pay area, which gets 20.03% in 2026, the 37th highest of 58 areas and 2.97 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 St. Louis in 2026?

GS-7 pay in St. Louis runs from $51,740 at step 1 ($24.79 per hour) to $67,264 at step 10 ($32.23 per hour).

How much does a GS-9 make in St. Louis in 2026?

GS-9 pay in St. Louis runs from $63,288 at step 1 ($30.32 per hour) to $82,279 at step 10 ($39.42 per hour).

How much does a GS-13 make in St. Louis in 2026?

GS-13 pay in St. Louis runs from $109,137 at step 1 to $141,880 at step 10. At step 1 that is $2,700 more than Rest of U.S. ($106,437).

What is the highest GS pay in St. Louis in 2026?

GS-15 step 10 is the top rate in St. Louis: $197,200 a year ($94.49 per hour), limited to the $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap. The lowest is GS-1 step 1 at $35,048.

Does special rate table 001M change GS-1 to GS-4 pay in St. Louis?

Yes, in part. Where special rate table 001M is higher than the locality rate it is the payable rate, and it sets 30 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in St. Louis (GS-1: 10 steps, GS-2: 10, GS-3: 10, GS-4: 0). Those cells are marked with a dagger. GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $27,108.

Which counties are in the St. Louis GS locality pay area?

OPM's St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL locality pay area covers 30 counties and places in Missouri and Illinois. The full list from OPM's 2026 definitions is on this page.

Will St. Louis 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.