2026 GS-12 Pay Scale
The GS-12 base salary range for 2026 is $76,463 at Step 1, rising to $99,404 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-12 for 2026.
2026 GS-12 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-12 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $76,463 | $2,940.88 | $36.64 | - |
| Step 2 | $79,012 | $3,038.92 | $37.86 | - |
| Step 3 | $81,561 | $3,136.96 | $39.08 | - |
| Step 4 | $84,110 | $3,235.00 | $40.30 | - |
| Step 5 | $86,659 | $3,333.04 | $41.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $89,208 | $3,431.08 | $42.74 | - |
| Step 7 | $91,757 | $3,529.12 | $43.97 | - |
| Step 8 | $94,306 | $3,627.15 | $45.19 | - |
| Step 9 | $96,855 | $3,725.19 | $46.41 | - |
| Step 10 | $99,404 | $3,823.23 | $47.63 | - |
2026 GS-12 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-12 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 | $76,463 | $2,940.88 | $36.64 | - |
| Step 2 | $79,012 | $3,038.92 | $37.86 | - |
| Step 3 | $81,561 | $3,136.96 | $39.08 | - |
| Step 4 | $84,110 | $3,235.00 | $40.30 | - |
| Step 5 | $86,659 | $3,333.04 | $41.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $89,208 | $3,431.08 | $42.74 | - |
| Step 7 | $91,757 | $3,529.12 | $43.97 | - |
| Step 8 | $94,306 | $3,627.15 | $45.19 | - |
| Step 9 | $96,855 | $3,725.19 | $46.41 | - |
| Step 10 | $99,404 | $3,823.23 | $47.63 | - |
Who is a GS-12?
Typical role. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-12 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-12 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-12 Step 1 | GS-12 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $111,896 | $145,468 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $105,481 | $137,128 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $104,349 | $135,657 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $103,225 | $134,195 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $102,415 | $133,142 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $102,246 | $132,923 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $101,375 | $131,790 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $101,206 | $131,571 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $100,992 | $131,293 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $100,602 | $130,786 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $100,059 | $130,080 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $99,800 | $129,742 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $99,218 | $128,987 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $98,729 | $128,350 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $98,630 | $128,221 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $97,582 | $126,859 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $97,307 | $126,502 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $96,443 | $125,378 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $95,326 | $123,927 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $94,654 | $123,052 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $93,629 | $121,720 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $93,606 | $121,690 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $93,598 | $121,680 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $93,499 | $121,551 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $93,468 | $121,511 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $93,461 | $121,502 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $93,445 | $121,482 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $93,400 | $121,422 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $93,231 | $121,203 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $93,216 | $121,183 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $92,971 | $120,865 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $92,841 | $120,696 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $92,543 | $120,309 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $92,344 | $120,050 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $92,023 | $119,633 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $91,870 | $119,434 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $91,779 | $119,315 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $91,503 | $118,957 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $91,427 | $118,857 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $91,335 | $118,738 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $91,320 | $118,718 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $91,205 | $118,569 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $90,968 | $118,261 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $90,937 | $118,221 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $90,838 | $118,092 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $90,823 | $118,072 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $90,479 | $117,625 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $90,410 | $117,535 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $90,402 | $117,525 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $90,341 | $117,446 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $90,234 | $117,307 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $90,173 | $117,227 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $90,135 | $117,177 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $89,974 | $116,969 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $89,959 | $116,949 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $89,943 | $116,929 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $89,859 | $116,820 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $89,508 | $116,362 |
Top and bottom GS-12 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-12 pay scale
GS-12 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
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-12 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-12 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-12 in 2026 is $76,463 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-12 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-12 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-12 to GS-13?
Promotion from GS-12 to GS-13 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-13 vacancy. Open the GS-13 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-12?
GS-12 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.