WG Pay Scale 2026: Wage Grade Hourly Rates by Wage Area

The WG pay scale is the hourly pay table for federal wage grade (blue-collar) employees, with 15 grades and 5 steps in each of 118 wage areas. At step 2, a WG-10 earns from $26.01 an hour (about $54,283 a year) in Northern Mississippi to $41.71 an hour (about $87,049 a year) in Alaska.

Pick your wage area below, or open the page for your area for the full WG, WL and WS tables. For the white-collar scale, see the GS pay scale 2026.

Maintained by Archie Chang · DCPAS schedules and rules checked October 31, 2026 · Methodology & sources

Estimates, not pay offers. FedRateCalc is independent and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense, OPM or any government agency. The hourly rates are the regular wage schedules published by DCPAS, rounded as published. Annual figures multiply the hourly rate by 2,087 hours and are estimates. Your own pay depends on your agency, your schedule, any special rate schedule, overtime and differentials, so confirm it with your agency HR office.

Find your WG rate

Choose a wage area, WG grade and step (WL and WS rates are on each area page). Annual pay is the hourly rate times 2,087 hours, an estimate.

WG-10 step 2: $30.27 an hour

Estimated annual pay: about $63,173 ($30.27 x 2,087 hours). This is an estimate; your pay depends on your hours and on your agency.

Special rates. DCPAS marks schedule 004 as impacted by OPM CPM 2022-02 (the $15 per hour minimum pay rate for federal employees) and points to special rate schedule M004 for the payable rates. The rates shown are the regular schedule.

The estimate uses 2,087 hours a year. The law gives that number for converting an annual rate to an hourly one, and this page uses it in the other direction, so treat the annual figure as an estimate:

“(1) To derive an hourly rate, divide the annual rate by 2,087.”
5 U.S.C. 5504(b)(1)

WG, WL and WS: what the letters mean

Federal Wage System pay covers prevailing rate employees. The definition in 5 U.S.C. 5342(a)(2) has more than one part; the first part, for appropriated fund employees, reads:

“(2) "prevailing rate employee" means— (A) an individual employed in or under an agency in a recognized trade or craft, or other skilled mechanical craft, or in an unskilled, semiskilled, or skilled manual labor occupation, and any other individual, including a foreman and a supervisor, in a position having trade, craft, or laboring experience and knowledge as the paramount requirement;”
5 U.S.C. 5342(a)(2), first part

The grade letters come from the regulation on how regular wage schedules are built:

“Each nonsupervisory and leader regular wage schedule shall have 15 grades, which shall be designated as follows:”
5 CFR 532.203(a)
“(1) WG means an appropriated fund nonsupervisory grade;”
5 CFR 532.203(a)(1)
“(2) WL means an appropriated fund leader grade;”
5 CFR 532.203(a)(2)
“Each supervisory regular wage schedule shall have 19 grades, which shall be designated as follows:”
5 CFR 532.203(b)
“(1) WS means an appropriated fund supervisory grade; and (2) NS means a nonappropriated fund supervisory grade.”
5 CFR 532.203(b)(1)

Leader and supervisor rates are tied to the WG rate in the same area:

“The step 2 or payline rate for each grade of a leader regular wage schedule shall be equal to 110 percent of the rate for step 2 of the corresponding grade of the nonsupervisory regular wage schedule for the area.”
5 CFR 532.203(c)

For WS, 5 CFR 532.203(d) sets the step 2 (payline) rate. For WS-1 through WS-10 it is the WG step 2 rate of the same grade plus 30 percent of the WG-10 step 2 rate. For WS-11 through WS-18 it is the WS-10 step 2 rate plus a set percentage of the difference between the WS-10 and WS-19 step 2 rates. WS-19 is tied to a General Schedule rate, so WS-19 can be lower than WS-18. The rates DCPAS publishes for many schedules differ from this formula, so use the published table on each area page:

“(3) For grade WS-19, the third rate in effect for General Schedule grade GS-14 at the time of the area wage schedule adjustment. The WS-19 rate shall include any cost of living allowance payable for the area under 5 U.S.C. 5941.”
5 CFR 532.203(d)(3)

Every area page lists WG, WL and WS side by side.

Steps and waiting periods

The five steps are set from one prevailing rate, which is step 2:

“(1) Each grade of a regular wage schedule for nonsupervisor prevailing rate employees shall have 5 steps with— (A) the first step at 96 percent of the prevailing rate; (B) the second step at 100 percent of the prevailing rate; (C) the third step at 104 percent of the prevailing rate; (D) the fourth step at 108 percent of the prevailing rate; and (E) the fifth step at 112 percent of the prevailing rate.”
5 U.S.C. 5343(e)(1)
“Employees are paid the full prevailing rate at step 2 of each grade level.”
OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System
“Step 5, the highest step in the FWS, is 12 percent above the prevailing rate of pay.”
OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System

An employee on a regular wage schedule moves up on a time schedule, if the work performance rating allows:

“A prevailing rate employee under a regular wage schedule who has a work performance rating of satisfactory or better, as determined by the head of the agency, shall advance automatically to the next higher step within the grade at the beginning of the first applicable pay period following his completion of— (A) 26 calendar weeks of service in step 1; (B) 78 calendar weeks of service in step 2; and (C) 104 calendar weeks of service in each of steps 3 and 4.”
5 U.S.C. 5343(e)(2)
“(a) An employee paid under a regular Federal Wage System schedule with a work performance rating of satisfactory or better shall advance automatically to the next higher step within the grade in accordance with section 5343(e)(2) of title 5, United States Code.”
5 CFR 532.417(a)
“(d) Effective date. A within-grade increase shall be effective at the beginning of the first applicable pay period following the day an employee becomes eligible for the increase.”
5 CFR 532.417(d)

5 CFR 532.417 also says what counts as creditable service and which pay actions do not count as an equivalent increase, so use it, or your agency HR office, to find your own date.

How wage areas and wage surveys work

“Wage area means that geographic area within which a single set of regular wage schedules is applied uniformly by Federal installations to covered occupations.”
5 CFR 532.201
“Lead agency means the agency designated by the Office of Personnel Management to plan and conduct wage surveys, analyze wage survey data, and determine and issue required wage schedules for a wage area.”
5 CFR 532.201
“OPM has identified DOD as the lead agency for each local wage area.”
OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System
“OPM does not conduct local wage surveys.”
OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System

The rates in a wage area come from surveys of local private-sector pay. Wage schedules are issued area by area, so effective dates differ from one area page to the next. How adjustments take effect, according to OPM:

“Wage adjustments become effective in accordance with what is commonly referred to as the 45-day law.”
OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System

The criteria for drawing the areas are in 5 CFR 532.211. Pay for the white-collar General Schedule works differently; see the GS pay calculator.

The 2025 wage area redefinition

OPM changed the criteria for appropriated fund wage areas in a final rule published in the Federal Register on January 21, 2025.

“This rule is effective October 1, 2025.”
Federal Register, 90 FR 7428 (January 21, 2025)
“This final rule affects about 10 percent of FWS appropriated fund workers, and there will be 118 separate appropriated fund wage areas versus 130 today.”
Federal Register, 90 FR 7428 (January 21, 2025)
“However, there will also be fewer wage surveys to conduct each year because 12 wage areas will be abolished, and their survey counties moved to neighboring wage areas.”
Federal Register, 90 FR 7428 (January 21, 2025)
“For example, the Anniston-Gadsden, AL, wage area will be abolished and most of its counties will be added to the Birmingham-Cullman-Talladega, AL, wage area.”
Federal Register, 90 FR 7428 (January 21, 2025)

DCPAS describes the effect on its schedule page:

“This redefinition impacts approximately 230 counties and aligns the FWS wage area criteria more closely with the General Schedule (GS) locality pay area criteria.”
DCPAS Wage and Salary Division announcement

This page lists the 118 areas DCPAS shows with current schedules. If your county moved to another area, use the county lists on the area pages to confirm which one covers you.

WG pay adjustments in fiscal year 2026 and 2027

OPM described the limits on fiscal year 2026 wage adjustments in a December 18, 2025 memo:

“As extended, section 737(a) provides that pay increases for certain prevailing rate employees in FY 2026 may not exceed 1.00 percent—the sum of the January 2026 General Schedule (GS) across-the-board percentage adjustment and the difference between the overall average percentage locality payments for GS employees in FY 2025 and FY 2026.”
OPM CPM 2025-20 (December 18, 2025)
“Section 737(b) provides that, notwithstanding section 737(a), pay adjustments for certain prevailing rate employees in FY 2026 may not be less than the January 2026 pay adjustments received by GS employees where they work.”
OPM CPM 2025-20 (December 18, 2025)
“In addition, as a result of section 737(b), certain prevailing rate wage areas will have more than one wage schedule in effect during FY 2026.”
OPM CPM 2025-20 (December 18, 2025)
“The adjustment of a wage rate required pursuant to a change in an applicable Federal, State, or local minimum wage rate is not subject to the limitation in section 737(a).”
OPM CPM 2025-20 (December 18, 2025)
“The wage rates on certain FY 2026 wage schedules are effective retroactively to the normal effective date prescribed on the wage schedule by the lead agency.”
OPM CPM 2025-20 (December 18, 2025)

After the final 2026 appropriations act, OPM issued an update on February 23, 2026:

“The new FY 2026 Act continues the pay limitation provisions of section 737(a) and the floor pay adjustments required by section 737(b) with no changes.”
OPM CPM 2026-05 (February 23, 2026)

For 2027, the President transmitted an alternative plan for pay adjustments on August 26, 2026:

“I have determined that for 2027, base pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates.”
House Document 119-189, letter of August 26, 2026

The letter transmits a plan for employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems. Any FY 2027 limit would come from appropriations law (for FY 2026 it was section 737), and as of October 31, 2026 we have not confirmed an OPM memo on fiscal year 2027 prevailing rate adjustments. See federal pay raise 2027 for the General Schedule.

Special rate schedules and the $15 minimum

DCPAS publishes special rate schedules alongside the regular ones:

“The latest Special Rate Schedules for AF per OPM Compensation Policy Memorandum 2022-02, "Achieving a $15 Per Hour Minimum Pay Rate for Federal Employees" can be found under each corresponding wage area by selecting "Special" under the type of schedule below.”
DCPAS Wage and Salary Division announcement

Where an area page shows a note about a special rate schedule, the regular table on that page is not the whole picture for the lowest grades. Open the special schedule on the DCPAS page to see the payable rates.

DCPAS labels 2 schedules as for reference only because of CPM 2022-02, with all personnel paid from a special rate schedule instead: Dothan, AL (schedule 003, special schedule M003); Puerto Rico (schedule 151, special schedule M151). The range at the top of this page leaves those out.

WG pay scale by state and wage area

One page per wage area, listed under each state it touches (a wage area that crosses a state line appears under each state).

Alaska

Alabama

Arkansas

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Minnesota

Missouri

Mississippi

Montana

North Dakota

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Mexico

Nevada

New York

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Utah

West Virginia

Wyoming

WG pay scale questions

What is the WG pay scale?

It is the hourly pay table for the Federal Wage System, the pay system for federal trade, craft and laboring employees. WG is the nonsupervisory grade series, with 15 grades and 5 steps, and each wage area has its own schedule set from local private-sector pay. Under 5 CFR 532.203(a)(1), WG is an appropriated fund nonsupervisory grade.

How much does a WG-10 make in 2026?

At step 2, the lowest regular WG-10 rate in the schedules on this page is $26.01 an hour (about $54,283 a year at 2,087 hours) in Northern Mississippi (schedule 077). The highest is $41.71 an hour (about $87,049 a year at 2,087 hours) in Alaska (schedule 007). Left out are the two schedules that DCPAS lists as for reference only (see the note on special rate schedules). By law step 1 is set at 96 percent and step 5 at 112 percent of the prevailing rate, which is step 2; in some schedules the printed rates differ from those percentages. The annual figures are estimates, not a pay offer.

What is the difference between WG, WL and WS?

WG is the nonsupervisory grade, WL is the leader grade and WS is the supervisory grade. WG and WL schedules have 15 grades and WS has 19. By rule, the WL step 2 rate is 110 percent of the WG step 2 rate for the same grade in the area (5 CFR 532.203(c)). For WS, 5 CFR 532.203(d) sets the step 2 (payline) rate: for WS-1 through WS-10, the WG step 2 rate of the same grade plus 30 percent of the WG-10 step 2 rate; for WS-11 through WS-18, the WS-10 step 2 rate plus a set percentage of the difference between the WS-10 and WS-19 step 2 rates; and for WS-19, the third rate of GS-14. The rates DCPAS publishes for many schedules differ from this formula, so use the published table.

How long does it take to move up a step?

For an employee on a regular wage schedule with a satisfactory or better work performance rating, 5 U.S.C. 5343(e)(2) sets 26 calendar weeks in step 1, 78 calendar weeks in step 2, and 104 calendar weeks in each of steps 3 and 4. Step 5 is the top step. Creditable service and some exceptions are in 5 CFR 532.417, so check it or ask your agency HR office for your own date.

Did the WG pay scale go up in 2026?

OPM says section 737(a) of the 2026 appropriations law caps FY 2026 prevailing rate pay increases at 1.00 percent and section 737(b) sets a floor equal to the January 2026 GS adjustment, which was also 1.00 percent. Each wage area has its own effective date during the year, so the effective date on each area page is the one that matters. OPM adds: "The adjustment of a wage rate required pursuant to a change in an applicable Federal, State, or local minimum wage rate is not subject to the limitation in section 737(a)." Some areas have more than one schedule.

Will WG pay go up in 2027?

Not yet known for wage employees. The President wrote on August 26, 2026 that for 2027 "base pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates." The letter transmits a plan for employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems. Any FY 2027 limit would come from appropriations law (for FY 2026 it was section 737), and as of October 31, 2026 we have not confirmed an OPM memo for fiscal year 2027, so check OPM and DCPAS for new schedules. Wage schedules also change during the year by area after each local wage survey.

Why do some wage areas list more than one schedule?

A wage area can overlap more than one General Schedule locality pay area. OPM says that "as a result of section 737(b), certain prevailing rate wage areas will have more than one wage schedule in effect during FY 2026." Each area page leads with the schedule that covers the wage area's survey area (the counties surveyed, listed in 5 CFR 532 Appendix C) and lists the others below it. Pick the schedule for the GS locality where your duty station is; the county list under each schedule shows where it applies.

Are the rates here what a WG employee is actually paid?

They are the regular schedule rates DCPAS publishes. DCPAS notes that some schedules are affected by OPM CPM 2022-02, the $15 per hour minimum pay rate for federal employees, and points readers to a special rate schedule (an M-numbered schedule) for the payable rates of the lowest grades. Where that applies, or where a regular rate is below $15.00, the area page and the checker say so, and the special schedules are on the DCPAS site.

Related federal pay pages

Compare with the GS pay scale 2026, estimate General Schedule pay with the GS pay calculator, read federal pay raise 2027, or browse all federal employee tools.

Sources (checked October 31, 2026): DCPAS Wage and Salary Division, appropriated fund wage schedules · 5 CFR 532.203, structure of regular wage schedules (eCFR) · 5 CFR 532.201, definitions (eCFR) · 5 CFR 532.211, criteria for appropriated fund wage areas (eCFR) · 5 CFR 532.417, within-grade increases (eCFR) · 5 U.S.C. 5343, prevailing rate determinations · 5 U.S.C. 5342, definitions · 5 U.S.C. 5504, biweekly pay periods; computation of pay · Federal Register, January 21, 2025 (90 FR 7428), final rule on wage area criteria · OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System · OPM CPM 2025-20, Fiscal Year 2026 Prevailing Rate Pay Adjustments · OPM CPM 2026-05, Update to Fiscal Year 2026 Prevailing Rate Pay Adjustments · House Document 119-189, Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments (January 2027)