Eastern Tennessee WG Pay Scale 2026 (Wage Area 123)
In the Eastern Tennessee wage area, a WG-10 earns $25.67 at step 1, $26.70 at step 2 and $29.95 at step 5 under schedule 123 (Rest of United States), effective April 19, 2026. Step 2 is about $55,723 a year at 2,087 hours, an estimate.
Below are the WG, WL and WS hourly rates for every grade and step and the counties covered. See WG pay scale 2026 for every wage area.
Maintained by Archie Chang · DCPAS schedules checked October 31, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Eastern Tennessee WG, WL and WS rates, schedule 123
Issued April 14, 2026, effective April 19, 2026, superseding the schedule issued November 25, 2025. GS locality: Rest of United States (RUS). For General Schedule pay in the same locality, see Rest of U.S. GS pay scale 2026.
WG: nonsupervisory grades 1 to 15
| WG (nonsupervisory) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WG-1 | $13.63$28,446 | $14.20$29,635 | $14.77$30,825 | $15.34$32,015 | $15.91$33,204 |
| WG-2 | $14.91$31,117 | $15.51$32,369 | $16.15$33,705 | $16.75$34,957 | $17.38$36,272 |
| WG-3 | $16.24$33,893 | $16.91$35,291 | $17.58$36,689 | $18.28$38,150 | $18.94$39,528 |
| WG-4 | $17.74$37,023 | $18.47$38,547 | $19.18$40,029 | $19.93$41,594 | $20.65$43,097 |
| WG-5 | $19.09$39,841 | $19.88$41,490 | $20.69$43,180 | $21.50$44,871 | $22.29$46,519 |
| WG-6 | $20.41$42,596 | $21.28$44,411 | $22.13$46,185 | $22.97$47,938 | $23.81$49,691 |
| WG-7 | $21.74$45,371 | $22.62$47,208 | $23.52$49,086 | $24.43$50,985 | $25.34$52,885 |
| WG-8 | $23.03$48,064 | $24.01$50,109 | $24.97$52,112 | $25.92$54,095 | $26.87$56,078 |
| WG-9 | $24.38$50,881 | $25.38$52,968 | $26.37$55,034 | $27.40$57,184 | $28.41$59,292 |
| WG-10 | $25.67$53,573 | $26.70$55,723 | $27.80$58,019 | $28.85$60,210 | $29.95$62,506 |
| WG-11 | $26.98$56,307 | $28.11$58,666 | $29.21$60,961 | $30.35$63,340 | $31.47$65,678 |
| WG-12 | $28.34$59,146 | $29.53$61,629 | $30.69$64,050 | $31.87$66,513 | $33.02$68,913 |
| WG-13 | $29.74$62,067 | $30.98$64,655 | $32.20$67,201 | $33.43$69,768 | $34.68$72,377 |
| WG-14 | $31.06$64,822 | $32.32$67,452 | $33.65$70,228 | $34.95$72,941 | $36.19$75,529 |
| WG-15 | $32.37$67,556 | $33.75$70,436 | $35.07$73,191 | $36.43$76,029 | $37.76$78,805 |
WL: leader grades 1 to 15
| WL (leader) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WL-1 | $14.99$31,284 | $15.61$32,578 | $16.25$33,914 | $16.87$35,208 | $17.49$36,502 |
| WL-2 | $16.38$34,185 | $17.05$35,583 | $17.75$37,044 | $18.40$38,401 | $19.10$39,862 |
| WL-3 | $17.88$37,316 | $18.61$38,839 | $19.35$40,383 | $20.09$41,928 | $20.85$43,514 |
| WL-4 | $19.48$40,655 | $20.31$42,387 | $21.08$43,994 | $21.92$45,747 | $22.72$47,417 |
| WL-5 | $21.00$43,827 | $21.89$45,684 | $22.76$47,500 | $23.62$49,295 | $24.50$51,132 |
| WL-6 | $22.47$46,895 | $23.39$48,815 | $24.32$50,756 | $25.23$52,655 | $26.22$54,721 |
| WL-7 | $23.88$49,838 | $24.88$51,925 | $25.90$54,053 | $26.87$56,078 | $27.88$58,186 |
| WL-8 | $25.34$52,885 | $26.39$55,076 | $27.46$57,309 | $28.51$59,500 | $29.58$61,733 |
| WL-9 | $26.76$55,848 | $27.92$58,269 | $29.01$60,544 | $30.11$62,840 | $31.23$65,177 |
| WL-10 | $28.20$58,853 | $29.39$61,337 | $30.55$63,758 | $31.71$66,179 | $32.92$68,704 |
| WL-11 | $29.66$61,900 | $30.95$64,593 | $32.15$67,097 | $33.39$69,685 | $34.61$72,231 |
| WL-12 | $31.16$65,031 | $32.44$67,702 | $33.76$70,457 | $35.04$73,128 | $36.35$75,862 |
| WL-13 | $32.69$68,224 | $34.04$71,041 | $35.41$73,901 | $36.76$76,718 | $38.14$79,598 |
| WL-14 | $34.18$71,334 | $35.58$74,255 | $37.02$77,261 | $38.41$80,162 | $39.84$83,146 |
| WL-15 | $35.62$74,339 | $37.09$77,407 | $38.60$80,558 | $40.08$83,647 | $41.54$86,694 |
WS: supervisory grades 1 to 19
| WS (supervisory) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WS-1 | $21.55$44,975 | $22.45$46,853 | $23.36$48,752 | $24.26$50,631 | $25.14$52,467 |
| WS-2 | $22.76$47,500 | $23.70$49,462 | $24.66$51,465 | $25.63$53,490 | $26.56$55,431 |
| WS-3 | $24.15$50,401 | $25.17$52,530 | $26.17$54,617 | $27.17$56,704 | $28.17$58,791 |
| WS-4 | $25.48$53,177 | $26.54$55,389 | $27.57$57,539 | $28.65$59,793 | $29.74$62,067 |
| WS-5 | $26.76$55,848 | $27.92$58,269 | $29.01$60,544 | $30.11$62,840 | $31.23$65,177 |
| WS-6 | $28.11$58,666 | $29.24$61,024 | $30.45$63,549 | $31.60$65,949 | $32.79$68,433 |
| WS-7 | $29.40$61,358 | $30.62$63,904 | $31.86$66,492 | $33.06$68,996 | $34.29$71,563 |
| WS-8 | $30.74$64,154 | $32.01$66,805 | $33.28$69,455 | $34.58$72,168 | $35.84$74,798 |
| WS-9 | $32.04$66,867 | $33.39$69,685 | $34.72$72,461 | $36.01$75,153 | $37.40$78,054 |
| WS-10 | $33.36$69,622 | $34.73$72,482 | $36.13$75,403 | $37.51$78,283 | $38.88$81,143 |
| WS-11 | $34.59$72,189 | $36.00$75,132 | $37.46$78,179 | $38.88$81,143 | $40.32$84,148 |
| WS-12 | $36.18$75,508 | $37.69$78,659 | $39.17$81,748 | $40.69$84,920 | $42.21$88,092 |
| WS-13 | $38.19$79,703 | $39.75$82,958 | $41.35$86,297 | $42.99$89,720 | $44.57$93,018 |
| WS-14 | $40.59$84,711 | $42.24$88,155 | $43.94$91,703 | $45.62$95,209 | $47.30$98,715 |
| WS-15 | $42.95$89,637 | $44.75$93,393 | $46.52$97,087 | $48.32$100,844 | $50.09$104,538 |
| WS-16 | $45.37$94,687 | $47.27$98,652 | $49.14$102,555 | $51.04$106,520 | $52.94$110,486 |
| WS-17 | $48.57$101,366 | $50.55$105,498 | $52.59$109,755 | $54.58$113,908 | $56.62$118,166 |
| WS-18 | $52.30$109,150 | $54.49$113,721 | $56.66$118,249 | $58.81$122,736 | $60.98$127,265 |
| WS-19 | $52.72$110,027 | $54.92$114,618 | $57.12$119,209 | $59.31$123,780 | $61.51$128,371 |
Counties covered by schedule 123
Harlan County, KY; Letcher County, KY; Alleghany County, NC; Ashe County, NC; Watauga County, NC; Carter County, TN; Cocke County, TN; Greene County, TN; Hancock County, TN; Hawkins County, TN; Johnson County, TN; Sullivan County, TN; Unicoi County, TN; Washington County, TN; Bristol city, VA; Buchanan County, VA; Grayson County, VA; Lee County, VA; Russell County, VA; Scott County, VA; Smyth County, VA; Tazewell County, VA; Washington County, VA
Other wage areas in Kentucky and North Carolina and Tennessee and Virginia
- Evansville-Henderson, IN WG-10 step 2 $32.07
- Lexington, KY WG-10 step 2 $30.32
- Louisville, KY WG-10 step 2 $32.80
- Cincinnati, OH WG-10 step 2 $32.87
- Nashville, TN WG-10 step 2 $30.27
- West Virginia WG-10 step 2 $32.23
- Asheville, NC WG-10 step 2 $28.19
- Central North Carolina WG-10 step 2 $29.72
- Charlotte-Concord, NC WG-10 step 2 $28.94
- Southeastern North Carolina WG-10 step 2 $33.89
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA WG-10 step 2 $29.45
- Huntsville, AL WG-10 step 2 $30.27
- Memphis, TN WG-10 step 2 $31.27
- Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC WG-10 step 2 $36.18
- Richmond, VA WG-10 step 2 $33.00
- Roanoke, VA WG-10 step 2 $28.31
Eastern Tennessee WG pay questions
What is the WG-10 rate in Eastern Tennessee?
Under schedule 123 (Rest of United States), WG-10 is $25.67 at step 1, $26.70 at step 2 and $29.95 at step 5. At 2,087 hours a year, step 2 is about $55,723, an estimate.
When did the Eastern Tennessee wage schedule take effect?
DCPAS issued schedule 123 on April 14, 2026 with an effective date of April 19, 2026. It replaced the schedule issued November 25, 2025. New schedules follow each local wage survey, so check DCPAS for a newer one.
Are these the rates paid in Eastern Tennessee?
These are the regular schedule rates. DCPAS marks schedule 123 as impacted by OPM CPM 2022-02 (the $15 per hour minimum pay rate for federal employees) and points to special rate schedule M123 for the payable rates. The rates shown are the regular schedule. Find the special schedules on the DCPAS site under "Special".
Which counties does the Eastern Tennessee wage area cover?
DCPAS lists 23 counties or areas for schedule 123; the full list is on this page. OPM's final rule on wage area criteria took effect on October 1, 2025, and DCPAS says it affects approximately 230 counties, so check the list if your county may have moved.
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)