2026 GS-2 Pay Scale
The GS-2 base salary range for 2026 is $25,393 at Step 1, rising to $31,953 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-2 for 2026.
2026 GS-2 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-2 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $25,393 | $976.65 | $12.17 | - |
| Step 2 | $25,997 | $999.88 | $12.46 | - |
| Step 3 | $26,839 | $1,032.27 | $12.86 | - |
| Step 4 | $27,550 | $1,059.62 | $13.20 | - |
| Step 5 | $27,858 | $1,071.46 | $13.35 | - |
| Step 6 | $28,677 | $1,102.96 | $13.74 | - |
| Step 7 | $29,496 | $1,134.46 | $14.13 | - |
| Step 8 | $30,315 | $1,165.96 | $14.53 | - |
| Step 9 | $31,134 | $1,197.46 | $14.92 | - |
| Step 10 | $31,953 | $1,228.96 | $15.31 | - |
2026 GS-2 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-2 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 | $25,393 | $976.65 | $12.17 | - |
| Step 2 | $25,997 | $999.88 | $12.46 | - |
| Step 3 | $26,839 | $1,032.27 | $12.86 | - |
| Step 4 | $27,550 | $1,059.62 | $13.20 | - |
| Step 5 | $27,858 | $1,071.46 | $13.35 | - |
| Step 6 | $28,677 | $1,102.96 | $13.74 | - |
| Step 7 | $29,496 | $1,134.46 | $14.13 | - |
| Step 8 | $30,315 | $1,165.96 | $14.53 | - |
| Step 9 | $31,134 | $1,197.46 | $14.92 | - |
| Step 10 | $31,953 | $1,228.96 | $15.31 | - |
Who is a GS-2?
Typical role. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
Minimum qualifications. High school or equivalent, or three months of general experience.
Career progression. Most GS-2 employees advance to GS-3 after one year.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-2 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-2 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-2 Step 1 | GS-2 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $37,160 | $46,760 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $35,030 | $44,079 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $34,654 | $43,606 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $34,281 | $43,137 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $34,011 | $42,798 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $33,956 | $42,728 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $33,666 | $42,363 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $33,610 | $42,293 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $33,539 | $42,204 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $33,410 | $42,041 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $33,229 | $41,814 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $33,143 | $41,705 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $32,950 | $41,462 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $32,787 | $41,258 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $32,754 | $41,216 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $32,407 | $40,778 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $32,315 | $40,663 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $32,028 | $40,302 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $31,657 | $39,836 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $31,434 | $39,555 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $31,094 | $39,126 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $31,086 | $39,117 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $31,084 | $39,114 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $31,051 | $39,072 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $31,040 | $39,059 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $31,038 | $39,056 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $31,033 | $39,050 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $31,018 | $39,031 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $30,962 | $38,960 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $30,957 | $38,954 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $30,875 | $38,852 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $30,832 | $38,797 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $30,733 | $38,673 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $30,667 | $38,590 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $30,560 | $38,455 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $30,510 | $38,392 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $30,479 | $38,353 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $30,388 | $38,238 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $30,362 | $38,206 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $30,332 | $38,168 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $30,327 | $38,161 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $30,289 | $38,114 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $30,210 | $38,014 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $30,200 | $38,002 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $30,167 | $37,960 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $30,162 | $37,954 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $30,048 | $37,810 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $30,025 | $37,781 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $30,022 | $37,778 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $30,002 | $37,752 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $29,966 | $37,708 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $29,946 | $37,682 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $29,933 | $37,666 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $29,880 | $37,599 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $29,875 | $37,593 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $29,870 | $37,586 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $29,842 | $37,551 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $29,725 | $37,404 |
Top and bottom GS-2 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-2 pay scale
GS-2 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
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-2 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-2 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-2 in 2026 is $25,393 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-2 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-2 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-2 to GS-3?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-2 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-3 vacancy. Open the GS-3 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-2?
GS-2 is roughly equivalent to E-3 Private First Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.