2026 GS-11 Pay in Philadelphia
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD earn 28.99% 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 $82,289 in Philadelphia.
2026 GS-11 Pay in Philadelphia
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $82,289 | $3,164.96 | $39.43 | +$18,494 |
| Step 2 | $85,033 | $3,270.50 | $40.74 | +$19,111 |
| Step 3 | $87,776 | $3,376.00 | $42.06 | +$19,727 |
| Step 4 | $90,520 | $3,481.54 | $43.37 | +$20,344 |
| Step 5 | $93,264 | $3,587.08 | $44.69 | +$20,961 |
| Step 6 | $96,007 | $3,692.58 | $46.00 | +$21,577 |
| Step 7 | $98,751 | $3,798.12 | $47.32 | +$22,194 |
| Step 8 | $101,494 | $3,903.62 | $48.63 | +$22,810 |
| Step 9 | $104,238 | $4,009.15 | $49.95 | +$23,427 |
| Step 10 | $106,982 | $4,114.69 | $51.26 | +$24,044 |
2026 GS-11 pay table for Philadelphia
Each step below already includes the 28.99% 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 | $82,289 | $3,164.96 | $39.43 | +$18,494 |
| Step 2 | $85,033 | $3,270.50 | $40.74 | +$19,111 |
| Step 3 | $87,776 | $3,376.00 | $42.06 | +$19,727 |
| Step 4 | $90,520 | $3,481.54 | $43.37 | +$20,344 |
| Step 5 | $93,264 | $3,587.08 | $44.69 | +$20,961 |
| Step 6 | $96,007 | $3,692.58 | $46.00 | +$21,577 |
| Step 7 | $98,751 | $3,798.12 | $47.32 | +$22,194 |
| Step 8 | $101,494 | $3,903.62 | $48.63 | +$22,810 |
| Step 9 | $104,238 | $4,009.15 | $49.95 | +$23,427 |
| Step 10 | $106,982 | $4,114.69 | $51.26 | +$24,044 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Philadelphia pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Philadelphia: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2026, the Philadelphia pay area adds a 28.99% 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 Philadelphia
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns roughly $3,165 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,115. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in Philadelphia
GS-11 in Philadelphia questions
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How much does a GS-11 make in Philadelphia?
In 2026, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns $82,289 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $106,982. This is 28.99% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Philadelphia?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Philadelphia in 2026, it is 28.99%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $18,494 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Philadelphia?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns roughly $3,165 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.