GS Pay Scale 2026 Washington DC
Washington DC GS employees get 33.94% locality pay in 2026 under the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA area, 16.88 percentage points above Rest of U.S. (17.06%); that is the 5th highest of 58 areas. GS-12 step 1 pays $102,415 a year ($49.07 per hour), $12,907 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 Washington DC: annual pay
Annual pay for GS-1 to GS-15, steps 1 to 10, in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area (33.94%). 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 | $37,112 | $38,350 | $39,587 | $40,825 | $42,063 | $43,300 | $44,538 | $45,775 | $47,013 | $48,251 |
| GS-4 | $41,659 | $43,048 | $44,437 | $45,826 | $47,215 | $48,604 | $49,993 | $51,382 | $52,771 | $54,160 |
| GS-5 | $46,610 | $48,163 | $49,717 | $51,271 | $52,825 | $54,378 | $55,932 | $57,486 | $59,039 | $60,593 |
| GS-6 | $51,957 | $53,689 | $55,420 | $57,152 | $58,884 | $60,616 | $62,348 | $64,080 | $65,811 | $67,543 |
| GS-7 | $57,736 | $59,661 | $61,586 | $63,510 | $65,435 | $67,360 | $69,284 | $71,209 | $73,134 | $75,059 |
| GS-8 | $63,940 | $66,071 | $68,202 | $70,333 | $72,464 | $74,595 | $76,726 | $78,857 | $80,988 | $83,119 |
| GS-9 | $70,623 | $72,977 | $75,332 | $77,687 | $80,041 | $82,396 | $84,751 | $87,105 | $89,460 | $91,815 |
| GS-10 | $77,771 | $80,363 | $82,954 | $85,546 | $88,138 | $90,730 | $93,321 | $95,913 | $98,505 | $101,097 |
| GS-11 | $85,447 | $88,296 | $91,145 | $93,994 | $96,843 | $99,692 | $102,540 | $105,389 | $108,238 | $111,087 |
| GS-12 | $102,415 | $105,829 | $109,243 | $112,657 | $116,071 | $119,485 | $122,899 | $126,313 | $129,728 | $133,142 |
| GS-13 | $121,785 | $125,845 | $129,904 | $133,964 | $138,024 | $142,084 | $146,143 | $150,203 | $154,263 | $158,322 |
| GS-14 | $143,913 | $148,711 | $153,509 | $158,306 | $163,104 | $167,902 | $172,700 | $177,497 | $182,295 | $187,093 |
| GS-15 | $169,279 | $174,922 | $180,565 | $186,207 | $191,850 | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $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 Washington DC it sets 20 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 Washington DC
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 | $17.78 | $18.38 | $18.97 | $19.56 | $20.15 | $20.75 | $21.34 | $21.93 | $22.53 | $23.12 |
| GS-4 | $19.96 | $20.63 | $21.29 | $21.96 | $22.62 | $23.29 | $23.95 | $24.62 | $25.29 | $25.95 |
| GS-5 | $22.33 | $23.08 | $23.82 | $24.57 | $25.31 | $26.06 | $26.80 | $27.54 | $28.29 | $29.03 |
| GS-6 | $24.90 | $25.73 | $26.55 | $27.38 | $28.21 | $29.04 | $29.87 | $30.70 | $31.53 | $32.36 |
| GS-7 | $27.66 | $28.59 | $29.51 | $30.43 | $31.35 | $32.28 | $33.20 | $34.12 | $35.04 | $35.97 |
| GS-8 | $30.64 | $31.66 | $32.68 | $33.70 | $34.72 | $35.74 | $36.76 | $37.78 | $38.81 | $39.83 |
| GS-9 | $33.84 | $34.97 | $36.10 | $37.22 | $38.35 | $39.48 | $40.61 | $41.74 | $42.87 | $43.99 |
| GS-10 | $37.26 | $38.51 | $39.75 | $40.99 | $42.23 | $43.47 | $44.72 | $45.96 | $47.20 | $48.44 |
| GS-11 | $40.94 | $42.31 | $43.67 | $45.04 | $46.40 | $47.77 | $49.13 | $50.50 | $51.86 | $53.23 |
| GS-12 | $49.07 | $50.71 | $52.34 | $53.98 | $55.62 | $57.25 | $58.89 | $60.52 | $62.16 | $63.80 |
| GS-13 | $58.35 | $60.30 | $62.24 | $64.19 | $66.14 | $68.08 | $70.03 | $71.97 | $73.92 | $75.86 |
| GS-14 | $68.96 | $71.26 | $73.55 | $75.85 | $78.15 | $80.45 | $82.75 | $85.05 | $87.35 | $89.65 |
| GS-15 | $81.11 | $83.82 | $86.52 | $89.22 | $91.93 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 |
Washington DC compared with Rest of U.S.
- Washington DC has the 5th highest locality percentage of the 58 areas (33.94%); Rest of U.S. is 17.06%.
- GS-12 pay in Washington DC runs from $102,415 at step 1 to $133,142 at step 10; Rest of U.S. pays $89,508 at step 1.
- Washington DC first reaches $100,000 at GS-10 step 10 ($101,097).
- The $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap limits 5 rates in Washington DC, so GS-15 step 10 is $197,200 rather than the uncapped amount.
- Special rate table 001M sets 20 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in Washington DC; GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $30,249.
| Grade, step 1 | Washington DC | Rest of U.S. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $46,610 | $40,736 | +$5,874 |
| GS-7 | $57,736 | $50,460 | +$7,276 |
| GS-9 | $70,623 | $61,722 | +$8,901 |
| GS-11 | $85,447 | $74,678 | +$10,769 |
| GS-12 | $102,415 | $89,508 | +$12,907 |
| GS-13 | $121,785 | $106,437 | +$15,348 |
| GS-14 | $143,913 | $125,776 | +$18,137 |
| GS-15 | $169,279 | $147,945 | +$21,334 |
Counties in the Washington DC pay area
The Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA area covers the 55 counties and places below, from OPM's 2026 locality pay area definitions. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
District of Columbia: District of Columbia, DC
Maryland: Allegany County, MD; Anne Arundel County, MD; Baltimore County, MD; Calvert County, MD; Caroline County, MD; Carroll County, MD; Charles County, MD; Dorchester County, MD; Frederick County, MD; Harford County, MD; Howard County, MD; Kent County, MD; Montgomery County, MD; Prince George's County, MD; Queen Anne's County, MD; St. Mary's County, MD; Talbot County, MD; Washington County, MD; Baltimore city, MD
Virginia: Arlington County, VA; Caroline County, VA; Clarke County, VA; Culpeper County, VA; Fairfax County, VA; Fauquier County, VA; Frederick County, VA; King George County, VA; Loudoun County, VA; Madison County, VA; Orange County, VA; Prince William County, VA; Rappahannock County, VA; Shenandoah County, VA; Spotsylvania County, VA; Stafford County, VA; Warren County, VA; Westmoreland County, VA; Alexandria city, VA; Fairfax city, VA; Falls Church city, VA; Fredericksburg city, VA; Manassas city, VA; Manassas Park city, VA; Winchester city, VA
West Virginia: Berkeley County, WV; Hampshire County, WV; Hardy County, WV; Jefferson County, WV; Mineral County, WV; Morgan County, WV
Pennsylvania: Adams County, PA; Franklin County, PA; Fulton County, PA; York County, PA
GS pay scale pages
Washington DC GS pay questions
What is GS-12 step 1 pay in Washington DC in 2026?
GS-12 step 1 in Washington DC pays $102,415 a year in 2026, which is $49.07 per hour or $3,925.60 biweekly before deductions, at 33.94% locality pay. Step 10 pays $133,142. Rest of U.S. GS-12 step 1 is $89,508, so Washington DC pays $12,907 more.
What is the GS locality pay percentage for Washington DC in 2026?
Washington DC is in OPM's Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area, which gets 33.94% in 2026, the 5th highest of 58 areas and 16.88 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 Washington DC in 2026?
GS-7 pay in Washington DC runs from $57,736 at step 1 ($27.66 per hour) to $75,059 at step 10 ($35.97 per hour).
How much does a GS-9 make in Washington DC in 2026?
GS-9 pay in Washington DC runs from $70,623 at step 1 ($33.84 per hour) to $91,815 at step 10 ($43.99 per hour).
How much does a GS-13 make in Washington DC in 2026?
GS-13 pay in Washington DC runs from $121,785 at step 1 to $158,322 at step 10. At step 1 that is $15,348 more than Rest of U.S. ($106,437).
What is the highest GS pay in Washington DC in 2026?
GS-15 step 10 is the top rate in Washington DC: $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 Washington DC?
Yes, in part. Where special rate table 001M is higher than the locality rate it is the payable rate, and it sets 20 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in Washington DC (GS-1: 10 steps, GS-2: 10, GS-3: 0, GS-4: 0). Those cells are marked with a dagger. GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $30,249.
Which counties are in the Washington DC GS locality pay area?
OPM's Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area covers 55 counties and places in District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The full list from OPM's 2026 definitions is on this page.
Will Washington DC 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.