2026 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2026 is $90,925 at Step 1, rising to $118,204 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-13 for 2026.
2026 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $90,925 | $3,497.12 | $43.57 | - |
| Step 2 | $93,956 | $3,613.69 | $45.02 | - |
| Step 3 | $96,987 | $3,730.27 | $46.47 | - |
| Step 4 | $100,018 | $3,846.85 | $47.92 | - |
| Step 5 | $103,049 | $3,963.42 | $49.38 | - |
| Step 6 | $106,080 | $4,080.00 | $50.83 | - |
| Step 7 | $109,111 | $4,196.58 | $52.28 | - |
| Step 8 | $112,142 | $4,313.15 | $53.73 | - |
| Step 9 | $115,173 | $4,429.73 | $55.19 | - |
| Step 10 | $118,204 | $4,546.31 | $56.64 | - |
2026 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $90,925 | $3,497.12 | $43.57 | - |
| Step 2 | $93,956 | $3,613.69 | $45.02 | - |
| Step 3 | $96,987 | $3,730.27 | $46.47 | - |
| Step 4 | $100,018 | $3,846.85 | $47.92 | - |
| Step 5 | $103,049 | $3,963.42 | $49.38 | - |
| Step 6 | $106,080 | $4,080.00 | $50.83 | - |
| Step 7 | $109,111 | $4,196.58 | $52.28 | - |
| Step 8 | $112,142 | $4,313.15 | $53.73 | - |
| Step 9 | $115,173 | $4,429.73 | $55.19 | - |
| Step 10 | $118,204 | $4,546.31 | $56.64 | - |
Who is a GS-13?
Typical role. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-13 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-13 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $133,060 | $172,980 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $125,431 | $163,062 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $124,085 | $161,313 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $122,749 | $159,575 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $121,785 | $158,322 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $121,585 | $158,062 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $120,548 | $156,715 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $120,348 | $156,455 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $120,094 | $156,124 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $119,630 | $155,521 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $118,984 | $154,682 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $118,675 | $154,280 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $117,984 | $153,382 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $117,402 | $152,625 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $117,284 | $152,471 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $116,038 | $150,852 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $115,711 | $150,426 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $114,684 | $149,091 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $113,356 | $147,365 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $112,556 | $146,325 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $111,338 | $144,741 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $111,310 | $144,705 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $111,301 | $144,694 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $111,183 | $144,540 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $111,147 | $144,493 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $111,138 | $144,481 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $111,119 | $144,457 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $111,065 | $144,386 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $110,865 | $144,126 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $110,847 | $144,102 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $110,556 | $143,724 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $110,401 | $143,523 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $110,047 | $143,062 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $109,810 | $142,755 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $109,428 | $142,259 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $109,246 | $142,022 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $109,137 | $141,880 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $108,810 | $141,455 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $108,719 | $141,337 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $108,610 | $141,195 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $108,592 | $141,171 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $108,455 | $140,994 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $108,173 | $140,627 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $108,137 | $140,580 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $108,019 | $140,426 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $108,001 | $140,403 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $107,592 | $139,871 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $107,510 | $139,764 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $107,501 | $139,753 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $107,428 | $139,658 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $107,301 | $139,493 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $107,228 | $139,398 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $107,182 | $139,339 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $106,991 | $139,091 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $106,973 | $139,067 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $106,955 | $139,043 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $106,855 | $138,913 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $106,437 | $138,370 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
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-13 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2026 is $90,925 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-13 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-13 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-13 to GS-14?
Promotion from GS-13 to GS-14 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-14 vacancy. Open the GS-14 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-13?
GS-13 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.