GS Pay Grades 2026: Take Home Pay for Every Grade
Compare annual salary and estimated net pay for all 15 General Schedule grades. Salaries shown with Rest of US (17.06%) locality adjustment. Select any grade for the full step-by-step breakdown.
Entry-level clerical, mailroom
Clerical, data entry
Technical aide, clerk-typist
Administrative assistant
Entry-level professional, admin specialist
Technician, senior clerk
Entry-level analyst, IT specialist
Technician, trades specialist
Mid-level analyst, engineer, nurse
Trades supervisor
Professional specialist, program analyst
Senior analyst, team lead, program specialist
Senior specialist, supervisory analyst
Senior manager, branch chief, expert specialist
Division director, senior executive, top expert
All 15 GS Grades — 2026 Salary Range (Rest of US)
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 5 | Step 10 | Typical Roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,437 | $29,954 | $33,067 | Entry-level clerical, mailroom |
| GS-2 | $29,725 | $32,611 | $37,404 | Clerical, data entry |
| GS-3 | $32,435 | $36,762 | $42,170 | Technical aide, clerk-typist |
| GS-4 | $36,409 | $41,265 | $47,334 | Administrative assistant |
| GS-5 | $40,736 | $46,167 | $52,957 | Entry-level professional, admin specialist |
| GS-6 | $45,409 | $51,463 | $59,031 | Technician, senior clerk |
| GS-7 | $50,460 | $57,188 | $65,599 | Entry-level analyst, IT specialist |
| GS-8 | $55,882 | $63,332 | $72,644 | Technician, trades specialist |
| GS-9 | $61,722 | $69,954 | $80,243 | Mid-level analyst, engineer, nurse |
| GS-10 | $67,970 | $77,030 | $88,356 | Trades supervisor |
| GS-11 | $74,678 | $84,638 | $97,087 | Professional specialist, program analyst |
| GS-12 | $89,508 | $101,443 | $116,362 | Senior analyst, team lead, program specialist |
| GS-13 | $106,437 | $120,629 | $138,370 | Senior specialist, supervisory analyst |
| GS-14 | $125,776 | $142,549 | $163,514 | Senior manager, branch chief, expert specialist |
| GS-15 | $147,945 | $167,672 | $192,331 | Division director, senior executive, top expert |
How the GS Pay System Works
The General Schedule (GS) is the predominant pay scale for federal civilian employees, covering approximately 1.5 million workers. It consists of 15 grades (GS-1 through GS-15), each with 10 step increases. Pay is set by two components: the base GS pay table (set by Congress, adjusted annually) and a locality pay adjustment that varies by geographic area.
In 2026, the base GS table received a 1% across-the-board increase. Locality pay percentages were frozen at 2025 levels per Executive Order. The highest locality adjustment is San Francisco at 46.34%; the lowest is the Rest of US (RUS) baseline at 17.06%. All salary figures on this page use the RUS locality rate. See the Locality Pay Explained guide for details on all 58 areas.
Take-home pay is significantly less than gross salary due to mandatory deductions: FERS pension contributions (0.8%–4.4% depending on hire date), Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500), Medicare (1.45%), federal income tax, and state income tax. Optional deductions include TSP retirement savings and FEHB health insurance premiums. Use the calculator for a personalized estimate based on your specific situation.