2026 GS-11 Pay in Chicago
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 30.86% 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 $83,482 in Chicago.
2026 GS-11 Pay in Chicago
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $83,482 | $3,210.85 | $40.00 | +$19,687 |
| Step 2 | $86,266 | $3,317.92 | $41.33 | +$20,344 |
| Step 3 | $89,049 | $3,424.96 | $42.67 | +$21,000 |
| Step 4 | $91,832 | $3,532.00 | $44.00 | +$21,656 |
| Step 5 | $94,616 | $3,639.08 | $45.34 | +$22,313 |
| Step 6 | $97,399 | $3,746.12 | $46.67 | +$22,969 |
| Step 7 | $100,182 | $3,853.15 | $48.00 | +$23,625 |
| Step 8 | $102,966 | $3,960.23 | $49.34 | +$24,282 |
| Step 9 | $105,749 | $4,067.27 | $50.67 | +$24,938 |
| Step 10 | $108,533 | $4,174.35 | $52.00 | +$25,595 |
2026 GS-11 pay table for Chicago
Each step below already includes the 30.86% 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 | $83,482 | $3,210.85 | $40.00 | +$19,687 |
| Step 2 | $86,266 | $3,317.92 | $41.33 | +$20,344 |
| Step 3 | $89,049 | $3,424.96 | $42.67 | +$21,000 |
| Step 4 | $91,832 | $3,532.00 | $44.00 | +$21,656 |
| Step 5 | $94,616 | $3,639.08 | $45.34 | +$22,313 |
| Step 6 | $97,399 | $3,746.12 | $46.67 | +$22,969 |
| Step 7 | $100,182 | $3,853.15 | $48.00 | +$23,625 |
| Step 8 | $102,966 | $3,960.23 | $49.34 | +$24,282 |
| Step 9 | $105,749 | $4,067.27 | $50.67 | +$24,938 |
| Step 10 | $108,533 | $4,174.35 | $52.00 | +$25,595 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Chicago pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Chicago: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2026, the Chicago pay area adds a 30.86% 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 Chicago
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $3,211 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,174. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in Chicago
GS-11 in Chicago questions
-
How much does a GS-11 make in Chicago?
In 2026, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns $83,482 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $108,533. This is 30.86% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Chicago?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Chicago in 2026, it is 30.86%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $19,687 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Chicago?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $3,211 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.