GS Pay Scale 2026 Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach GS employees get 18.80% locality pay in 2026 under the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC area, 1.74 percentage points above Rest of U.S. (17.06%); that is the 45th highest of 58 areas. GS-12 step 1 pays $90,838 a year ($43.53 per hour), $1,330 more than Rest of U.S., and the table runs from $35,048 (GS-1 step 1) to $195,190 (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 Virginia Beach: annual pay
Annual pay for GS-1 to GS-15, steps 1 to 10, in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC locality pay area (18.80%). 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) | $39,414 | $40,646 | $41,878 | $43,110 | $44,342 | $45,574 | $46,806 | $48,038 |
| GS-5 | $41,341 | $42,719 | $44,097 | $45,475 | $46,854 | $48,232 | $49,610 | $50,988 | $52,366 | $53,744 |
| GS-6 | $46,084 | $47,620 | $49,156 | $50,692 | $52,228 | $53,764 | $55,300 | $56,836 | $58,372 | $59,908 |
| GS-7 | $51,210 | $52,917 | $54,624 | $56,331 | $58,039 | $59,746 | $61,453 | $63,160 | $64,867 | $66,574 |
| GS-8 | $56,713 | $58,603 | $60,493 | $62,383 | $64,273 | $66,163 | $68,053 | $69,944 | $71,834 | $73,724 |
| GS-9 | $62,640 | $64,728 | $66,817 | $68,905 | $70,994 | $73,082 | $75,171 | $77,259 | $79,348 | $81,436 |
| GS-10 | $68,980 | $71,279 | $73,578 | $75,876 | $78,175 | $80,474 | $82,773 | $85,071 | $87,370 | $89,669 |
| GS-11 | $75,788 | $78,315 | $80,842 | $83,369 | $85,896 | $88,423 | $90,950 | $93,477 | $96,003 | $98,530 |
| GS-12 | $90,838 | $93,866 | $96,894 | $99,923 | $102,951 | $105,979 | $109,007 | $112,036 | $115,064 | $118,092 |
| GS-13 | $108,019 | $111,620 | $115,221 | $118,821 | $122,422 | $126,023 | $129,624 | $133,225 | $136,826 | $140,426 |
| GS-14 | $127,646 | $131,901 | $136,157 | $140,412 | $144,668 | $148,923 | $153,178 | $157,434 | $161,689 | $165,945 |
| GS-15 | $150,144 | $155,149 | $160,154 | $165,159 | $170,164 | $175,169 | $180,174 | $185,180 | $190,185 | $195,190 |
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 Virginia Beach it sets 32 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 Virginia Beach
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) | $18.89 | $19.48 | $20.07 | $20.66 | $21.25 | $21.84 | $22.43 | $23.02 |
| GS-5 | $19.81 | $20.47 | $21.13 | $21.79 | $22.45 | $23.11 | $23.77 | $24.43 | $25.09 | $25.75 |
| GS-6 | $22.08 | $22.82 | $23.55 | $24.29 | $25.03 | $25.76 | $26.50 | $27.23 | $27.97 | $28.71 |
| GS-7 | $24.54 | $25.36 | $26.17 | $26.99 | $27.81 | $28.63 | $29.45 | $30.26 | $31.08 | $31.90 |
| GS-8 | $27.17 | $28.08 | $28.99 | $29.89 | $30.80 | $31.70 | $32.61 | $33.51 | $34.42 | $35.33 |
| GS-9 | $30.01 | $31.01 | $32.02 | $33.02 | $34.02 | $35.02 | $36.02 | $37.02 | $38.02 | $39.02 |
| GS-10 | $33.05 | $34.15 | $35.26 | $36.36 | $37.46 | $38.56 | $39.66 | $40.76 | $41.86 | $42.97 |
| GS-11 | $36.31 | $37.53 | $38.74 | $39.95 | $41.16 | $42.37 | $43.58 | $44.79 | $46.00 | $47.21 |
| GS-12 | $43.53 | $44.98 | $46.43 | $47.88 | $49.33 | $50.78 | $52.23 | $53.68 | $55.13 | $56.58 |
| GS-13 | $51.76 | $53.48 | $55.21 | $56.93 | $58.66 | $60.38 | $62.11 | $63.84 | $65.56 | $67.29 |
| GS-14 | $61.16 | $63.20 | $65.24 | $67.28 | $69.32 | $71.36 | $73.40 | $75.44 | $77.47 | $79.51 |
| GS-15 | $71.94 | $74.34 | $76.74 | $79.14 | $81.54 | $83.93 | $86.33 | $88.73 | $91.13 | $93.53 |
Virginia Beach compared with Rest of U.S.
- Virginia Beach has the 45th highest locality percentage of the 58 areas (18.80%); Rest of U.S. is 17.06%.
- GS-12 pay in Virginia Beach runs from $90,838 at step 1 to $118,092 at step 10; Rest of U.S. pays $89,508 at step 1.
- Virginia Beach first reaches $100,000 at GS-12 step 5 ($102,951).
- No rate in Virginia Beach reaches the $197,200 cap; GS-15 runs from $150,144 to $195,190.
- Special rate table 001M sets 32 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in Virginia Beach; GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $26,830.
| Grade, step 1 | Virginia Beach | Rest of U.S. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $41,341 | $40,736 | +$605 |
| GS-7 | $51,210 | $50,460 | +$750 |
| GS-9 | $62,640 | $61,722 | +$918 |
| GS-11 | $75,788 | $74,678 | +$1,110 |
| GS-12 | $90,838 | $89,508 | +$1,330 |
| GS-13 | $108,019 | $106,437 | +$1,582 |
| GS-14 | $127,646 | $125,776 | +$1,870 |
| GS-15 | $150,144 | $147,945 | +$2,199 |
Counties in the Virginia Beach pay area
The Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC area covers the 27 counties and places below, from OPM's 2026 locality pay area definitions. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
Virginia: Gloucester County, VA; Isle of Wight County, VA; James City County, VA; Mathews County, VA; Middlesex County, VA; Southampton County, VA; Surry County, VA; York County, VA; Chesapeake city, VA; Franklin city, VA; Hampton city, VA; Newport News city, VA; Norfolk city, VA; Poquoson city, VA; Portsmouth city, VA; Suffolk city, VA; Virginia Beach city, VA; Williamsburg city, VA
North Carolina: Camden County, NC; Chowan County, NC; Currituck County, NC; Dare County, NC; Gates County, NC; Hertford County, NC; Pasquotank County, NC; Perquimans County, NC; Tyrrell County, NC
GS pay scale pages
Virginia Beach GS pay questions
What is GS-12 step 1 pay in Virginia Beach in 2026?
GS-12 step 1 in Virginia Beach pays $90,838 a year in 2026, which is $43.53 per hour or $3,482.40 biweekly before deductions, at 18.80% locality pay. Step 10 pays $118,092. Rest of U.S. GS-12 step 1 is $89,508, so Virginia Beach pays $1,330 more.
What is the GS locality pay percentage for Virginia Beach in 2026?
Virginia Beach is in OPM's Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC locality pay area, which gets 18.80% in 2026, the 45th highest of 58 areas and 1.74 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 Virginia Beach in 2026?
GS-7 pay in Virginia Beach runs from $51,210 at step 1 ($24.54 per hour) to $66,574 at step 10 ($31.90 per hour).
How much does a GS-9 make in Virginia Beach in 2026?
GS-9 pay in Virginia Beach runs from $62,640 at step 1 ($30.01 per hour) to $81,436 at step 10 ($39.02 per hour).
How much does a GS-13 make in Virginia Beach in 2026?
GS-13 pay in Virginia Beach runs from $108,019 at step 1 to $140,426 at step 10. At step 1 that is $1,582 more than Rest of U.S. ($106,437).
What is the highest GS pay in Virginia Beach in 2026?
GS-15 step 10 is the top rate in Virginia Beach: $195,190 a year ($93.53 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 Virginia Beach?
Yes, in part. Where special rate table 001M is higher than the locality rate it is the payable rate, and it sets 32 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in Virginia Beach (GS-1: 10 steps, GS-2: 10, GS-3: 10, GS-4: 2). Those cells are marked with a dagger. GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $26,830.
Which counties are in the Virginia Beach GS locality pay area?
OPM's Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC locality pay area covers 27 counties and places in Virginia and North Carolina. The full list from OPM's 2026 definitions is on this page.
Will Virginia Beach 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.