2026 GS-11 Pay in Boston
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT earn 32.58% on top of the base GS-11 pay scale. That means a GS-11 Step 1 salary jumps from $63,795 on the base table to $84,579 in Boston.
2026 GS-11 Pay in Boston
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $84,579 | $3,253.04 | $40.53 | +$20,784 |
| Step 2 | $87,399 | $3,361.50 | $41.88 | +$21,477 |
| Step 3 | $90,219 | $3,469.96 | $43.23 | +$22,170 |
| Step 4 | $93,039 | $3,578.42 | $44.58 | +$22,863 |
| Step 5 | $95,859 | $3,686.88 | $45.93 | +$23,556 |
| Step 6 | $98,679 | $3,795.35 | $47.28 | +$24,249 |
| Step 7 | $101,499 | $3,903.81 | $48.63 | +$24,942 |
| Step 8 | $104,319 | $4,012.27 | $49.99 | +$25,635 |
| Step 9 | $107,139 | $4,120.73 | $51.34 | +$26,328 |
| Step 10 | $109,959 | $4,229.19 | $52.69 | +$27,021 |
2026 GS-11 pay table for Boston
Each step below already includes the 32.58% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-11 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $84,579 | $3,253.04 | $40.53 | +$20,784 |
| Step 2 | $87,399 | $3,361.50 | $41.88 | +$21,477 |
| Step 3 | $90,219 | $3,469.96 | $43.23 | +$22,170 |
| Step 4 | $93,039 | $3,578.42 | $44.58 | +$22,863 |
| Step 5 | $95,859 | $3,686.88 | $45.93 | +$23,556 |
| Step 6 | $98,679 | $3,795.35 | $47.28 | +$24,249 |
| Step 7 | $101,499 | $3,903.81 | $48.63 | +$24,942 |
| Step 8 | $104,319 | $4,012.27 | $49.99 | +$25,635 |
| Step 9 | $107,139 | $4,120.73 | $51.34 | +$26,328 |
| Step 10 | $109,959 | $4,229.19 | $52.69 | +$27,021 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Boston pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Boston: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2026, the Boston pay area adds a 32.58% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-11 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A PhD or equivalent doctoral degree, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-9 level.
Promotion path. Typical career ladder peak for entry-level hires; competitive promotion to GS-12 requires vacancy and supervisory selection.
The rough military equivalent for GS-11 is O-4 Major, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-11 in Boston
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Boston earns roughly $3,253 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,229. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in Boston
GS-11 in Boston questions
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How much does a GS-11 make in Boston?
In 2026, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Boston earns $84,579 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $109,959. This is 32.58% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Boston?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Boston in 2026, it is 32.58%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $20,784 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Boston?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Boston earns roughly $3,253 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.