2026 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2026 is $22,584 at Step 1, rising to $28,248 at Step 10. Add the locality pay adjustment for your duty station on top. This page shows the base table first, then every locality-adjusted version of GS-1 for 2026.
2026 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $22,584 | $868.62 | $10.82 | - |
| Step 2 | $23,341 | $897.73 | $11.18 | - |
| Step 3 | $24,092 | $926.62 | $11.54 | - |
| Step 4 | $24,840 | $955.38 | $11.90 | - |
| Step 5 | $25,589 | $984.19 | $12.26 | - |
| Step 6 | $26,028 | $1,001.08 | $12.47 | - |
| Step 7 | $26,771 | $1,029.65 | $12.83 | - |
| Step 8 | $27,519 | $1,058.42 | $13.19 | - |
| Step 9 | $27,550 | $1,059.62 | $13.20 | - |
| Step 10 | $28,248 | $1,086.46 | $13.54 | - |
2026 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2026, before any locality adjustment. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay and hourly rate for every step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $22,584 | $868.62 | $10.82 | - |
| Step 2 | $23,341 | $897.73 | $11.18 | - |
| Step 3 | $24,092 | $926.62 | $11.54 | - |
| Step 4 | $24,840 | $955.38 | $11.90 | - |
| Step 5 | $25,589 | $984.19 | $12.26 | - |
| Step 6 | $26,028 | $1,001.08 | $12.47 | - |
| Step 7 | $26,771 | $1,029.65 | $12.83 | - |
| Step 8 | $27,519 | $1,058.42 | $13.19 | - |
| Step 9 | $27,550 | $1,059.62 | $13.20 | - |
| Step 10 | $28,248 | $1,086.46 | $13.54 | - |
Who is a GS-1?
Typical role. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
Minimum qualifications. No formal education or experience required. Generally filled by workers with basic literacy and ability to follow simple instructions.
Career progression. Promotion to GS-2 typically follows one year of satisfactory service.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-1 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-1 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $33,049 | $41,338 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $31,155 | $38,968 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $30,820 | $38,550 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $30,488 | $38,135 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $30,249 | $37,835 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $30,199 | $37,773 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $29,942 | $37,451 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $29,892 | $37,389 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $29,829 | $37,310 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $29,714 | $37,166 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $29,553 | $36,965 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $29,477 | $36,869 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $29,305 | $36,655 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $29,160 | $36,474 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $29,131 | $36,437 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $28,822 | $36,050 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $28,740 | $35,948 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $28,485 | $35,629 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $28,155 | $35,217 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $27,957 | $34,968 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $27,654 | $34,590 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $27,647 | $34,581 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $27,645 | $34,578 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $27,616 | $34,542 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $27,607 | $34,530 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $27,604 | $34,528 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $27,600 | $34,522 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $27,586 | $34,505 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $27,537 | $34,443 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $27,532 | $34,437 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $27,460 | $34,347 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $27,421 | $34,299 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $27,333 | $34,189 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $27,275 | $34,115 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $27,180 | $33,996 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $27,135 | $33,940 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $27,108 | $33,906 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $27,026 | $33,804 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $27,004 | $33,776 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $26,977 | $33,742 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $26,972 | $33,737 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $26,938 | $33,694 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $26,868 | $33,607 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $26,859 | $33,595 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $26,830 | $33,559 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $26,825 | $33,553 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $26,724 | $33,426 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $26,703 | $33,400 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $26,701 | $33,398 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $26,683 | $33,375 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $26,651 | $33,335 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $26,633 | $33,313 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $26,622 | $33,299 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $26,575 | $33,239 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $26,570 | $33,234 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $26,566 | $33,228 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $26,541 | $33,197 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $26,437 | $33,067 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
How step increases work
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable. You move from Step 1 to Step 4 one year at a time, from Step 4 to Step 7 every two years, and from Step 7 to Step 10 every three years. Managers can award a one-time quality step increase (QSI) to accelerate progression for employees whose performance is rated outstanding.
Browse other grades in 2026
GS-1 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2026 is $22,584 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-1 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-1 Step 10?
If you never get a quality step increase, it takes roughly 18 years to move from Step 1 to Step 10. Steps 1-4 take one year each, Steps 5-7 take two years each, and Steps 8-10 take three years each. A quality step increase can shorten that timeline by one year per QSI. -
How do I get promoted from GS-1 to GS-2?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-1 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-2 vacancy. Open the GS-2 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-1?
GS-1 is roughly equivalent to E-2 Private Second Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.