2026 GS-11 Pay in Houston
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Houston-The Woodlands, TX earn 35.00% 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 $86,123 in Houston.
2026 GS-11 Pay in Houston
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Houston-The Woodlands, TX.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $86,123 | $3,312.42 | $41.27 | +$22,328 |
| Step 2 | $88,995 | $3,422.88 | $42.64 | +$23,073 |
| Step 3 | $91,866 | $3,533.31 | $44.02 | +$23,817 |
| Step 4 | $94,738 | $3,643.77 | $45.39 | +$24,562 |
| Step 5 | $97,609 | $3,754.19 | $46.77 | +$25,306 |
| Step 6 | $100,481 | $3,864.65 | $48.15 | +$26,051 |
| Step 7 | $103,352 | $3,975.08 | $49.52 | +$26,795 |
| Step 8 | $106,223 | $4,085.50 | $50.90 | +$27,539 |
| Step 9 | $109,095 | $4,195.96 | $52.27 | +$28,284 |
| Step 10 | $111,966 | $4,306.38 | $53.65 | +$29,028 |
2026 GS-11 pay table for Houston
Each step below already includes the 35.00% 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 | $86,123 | $3,312.42 | $41.27 | +$22,328 |
| Step 2 | $88,995 | $3,422.88 | $42.64 | +$23,073 |
| Step 3 | $91,866 | $3,533.31 | $44.02 | +$23,817 |
| Step 4 | $94,738 | $3,643.77 | $45.39 | +$24,562 |
| Step 5 | $97,609 | $3,754.19 | $46.77 | +$25,306 |
| Step 6 | $100,481 | $3,864.65 | $48.15 | +$26,051 |
| Step 7 | $103,352 | $3,975.08 | $49.52 | +$26,795 |
| Step 8 | $106,223 | $4,085.50 | $50.90 | +$27,539 |
| Step 9 | $109,095 | $4,195.96 | $52.27 | +$28,284 |
| Step 10 | $111,966 | $4,306.38 | $53.65 | +$29,028 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Houston pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Houston: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2026, the Houston pay area adds a 35.00% 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 Houston
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Houston earns roughly $3,312 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,306. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in Houston
GS-11 in Houston questions
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How much does a GS-11 make in Houston?
In 2026, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Houston earns $86,123 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $111,966. This is 35.00% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Houston?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Houston in 2026, it is 35.00%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $22,328 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Houston?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Houston earns roughly $3,312 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.