SES Pay Scale 2026
The 2026 Senior Executive Service pay range is $151,661 to $209,600, or up to $228,000 in an agency with a certified SES performance appraisal system. Below are the Executive Schedule rates for levels I to V, the senior-level and scientific or professional (SL/ST) range, and the aggregate pay limits, all from OPM's 2026 tables. For General Schedule pay see the GS pay scale 2026.
Maintained by Archie Chang · OPM tables checked October 25, 2026 · Methodology & sources
SES pay range 2026
SES basic pay has a minimum and a maximum, with no steps. The maximum depends on whether OPM has certified the agency's SES performance appraisal system.
| Appraisal system | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Certified | $151,661 | $228,000 (EX-II) |
| Not certified | $151,661 | $209,600 (EX-III) |
The minimum is 120 percent of the GS-15 step 1 base rate (5 U.S.C. 5376(b)(1); 5 U.S.C. 5382 ties the SES minimum to it), shown as OPM publishes it. The maximum is the Executive Schedule level II rate for certified agencies and level III for all others.
Executive Schedule pay rates 2026 (EX-I to EX-V)
| Level | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| EX-I | $253,100 |
| EX-II | $228,000 |
| EX-III | $209,600 |
| EX-IV | $197,200 |
| EX-V | $184,900 |
EX-IV, $197,200, is also the limit on locality-adjusted GS pay. EX-V, $184,900, is one of the two figures that set the biweekly premium pay cap.
Pay freeze. OPM's salary table footnote reads: “Under a provision in the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 (November 12, 2025), the freeze on the payable pay rates for the Vice President and certain senior political appointees continues through January 30, 2026. Future Congressional action will determine whether these frozen rates continue beyond that date.” OPM's later memo CPM 2026-04 updates this: “Under a provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75, February 3, 2026), the freeze on the payable pay rates for the Vice President and certain senior political appointees will continue through the end of the last pay period commencing in 2026. Future Congressional action will determine whether the pay freeze continues beyond that date.” The table above shows the official rates; the freeze limits what covered political appointees are actually paid, and the official rates still set the pay limits for everyone else.
Payable frozen rates in 2026
| Position | Payable frozen rate |
|---|---|
| Vice President | $235,100 |
| EX-I | $203,500 |
| EX-II | $183,100 |
| EX-III | $168,400 |
| EX-IV | $158,500 |
| EX-V | $148,500 |
From CPM 2026-04, section F. The freeze runs through January 9, 2027 on the standard biweekly cycle, and newly appointed individuals must start at these frozen rates (section 747(j)). Noncareer SES and SL political appointees are not frozen until their pay reaches the official EX-IV rate of $197,200; once covered, they may not exceed it.
Senior-level (SL) and scientific or professional (ST) pay 2026
SL and ST positions sit outside the SES and use the same structure and 2026 numbers (5 U.S.C. 5376).
| Appraisal system | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Certified | $151,661 | $228,000 (EX-II) |
| Not certified | $151,661 | $209,600 (EX-III) |
Aggregate limitation on pay 2026
Total annual pay for SES and SL/ST employees, counting bonuses and awards, may not exceed the aggregate limit.
| Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Standard (EX-I) | $253,100 |
| Certified appraisal system (Vice President's salary) | $292,300 |
How SES pay is set
Each agency writes an SES pay policy and sets individual rates within the range. Pay changes are based on individual performance and contribution to the agency's mission, not on grade and step. There is no locality pay (narrow Alaska/Hawaii/territory exception, see FAQ), so the range is the same in every location. When the GS-15 step 1 rate or EX-II/EX-III change, the range moves with them, and a member paid below a new minimum must be raised to it. To see how GS-15 pay compares in your area, use the GS pay calculator; pay dates are on the 2026 federal pay period calendar.
SES pay in 2027
The January 2027 adjustment is not published. OPM has not issued 2027 Executive Schedule, SES or SL/ST tables, so every rate on this page is a 2026 rate. For what is known about the next raise, see federal pay raise 2027.
SES pay scale FAQs
How much do SES members make in 2026?
A career or noncareer SES member's basic pay must fall between $151,661 and $209,600 in an agency without a certified SES performance appraisal system, or between $151,661 and $228,000 in an agency with a certified system (OPM Salary Table 2026-ES). Where a member lands in that range is set by the agency from individual performance, not by a step schedule. For a political appointee covered by the pay freeze, pay may not exceed the official EX-IV rate of $197,200 (CPM 2026-04, section F.5).
Is there locality pay for SES?
No. SES pay is a single rate range with no locality payment, so the same range applies in Washington, DC and everywhere else in the United States. The exception is a small group in Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. territories whose worksite was already there when OPM's rules changed in 2010; they keep that area's locality rate, and later assignments there get a cost-of-living allowance instead (OPM SES Desk Guide, chapter 5).
What is the difference between SES and GS-15 pay?
GS-15 is the top of the General Schedule: locality-adjusted GS pay is limited to the Executive Schedule level IV rate, $197,200 in 2026. The SES range starts higher, at 120 percent of GS-15 step 1 ($151,661), and can reach $209,600 or $228,000. GS pay follows grade, step and locality; SES pay follows performance. See the GS pay scale for the GS side.
What is the maximum SES salary and what is the aggregate pay cap?
The base pay maximum is $228,000 (EX-II) with a certified appraisal system and $209,600 (EX-III) without one. Total pay, including bonuses and awards, is capped by the aggregate limitation on pay: $253,100 (EX-I) in 2026, or the Vice President's salary of $292,300 for members covered by a certified system (CPM 2025-18).
Is Executive Schedule and political appointee pay frozen in 2026 (frozen rates)?
The official Executive Schedule rates were raised 1.0 percent (rounded to the nearest $100) for 2026, but the payable rates for the Vice President and certain senior political appointees are frozen. OPM's memo CPM 2026-04 says the freeze continues through the end of the last pay period commencing in 2026, which is January 9, 2027 on the standard biweekly cycle. Covered are political appointees in EX positions, chiefs of mission and ambassadors at large, noncareer SES appointees paid at or above the official EX-IV rate ($197,200), and limited term or limited emergency SES appointees serving under a political appointment who are paid at or above that rate. Payable rates for covered EX officials are the frozen rates in the table on this page (VP $235,100), and newly appointed individuals must start at the frozen rates (section 747(j)). Not covered: GS employees, noncareer SES paid below EX-IV, and career SES members who elect to retain SES basic pay under 5 U.S.C. 3392(c) while the election is in effect.
What are the SL and ST pay rates?
Senior-level (SL) and scientific or professional (ST) positions use the same range as the SES: a minimum of $151,661, a maximum of $209,600 without a certified appraisal system and $228,000 with one (OPM Salary Table 2026-SL/ST).
Will the SES pay scale change in 2027?
The January 2027 adjustment is not published. OPM has not issued 2027 Executive Schedule, SES or SL/ST tables, so every rate on this page is a 2026 rate. The SES minimum follows the GS-15 step 1 rate and the maximum follows EX-II or EX-III, so the 2027 range depends on the executive order that sets the 2027 pay adjustment, which is not published.
OPM and official sources: OPM Salary Table 2026-EX · OPM Salary Table 2026-ES (SES) · OPM Salary Table 2026-SL/ST · OPM CPM 2025-18, January 2026 pay adjustments · OPM CPM 2026-04, senior political pay freeze · OPM SES Desk Guide, chapter 5: pay · OPM SL/ST salary and benefits · Executive Order 14368 (Federal Register)