2026 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2026 is $31,103 at Step 1, rising to $40,436 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-4 for 2026.
2026 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $31,103 | $1,196.27 | $14.90 | - |
| Step 2 | $32,140 | $1,236.15 | $15.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $33,177 | $1,276.04 | $15.90 | - |
| Step 4 | $34,214 | $1,315.92 | $16.39 | - |
| Step 5 | $35,251 | $1,355.81 | $16.89 | - |
| Step 6 | $36,288 | $1,395.69 | $17.39 | - |
| Step 7 | $37,325 | $1,435.58 | $17.88 | - |
| Step 8 | $38,362 | $1,475.46 | $18.38 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,399 | $1,515.35 | $18.88 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,436 | $1,555.23 | $19.38 | - |
2026 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $31,103 | $1,196.27 | $14.90 | - |
| Step 2 | $32,140 | $1,236.15 | $15.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $33,177 | $1,276.04 | $15.90 | - |
| Step 4 | $34,214 | $1,315.92 | $16.39 | - |
| Step 5 | $35,251 | $1,355.81 | $16.89 | - |
| Step 6 | $36,288 | $1,395.69 | $17.39 | - |
| Step 7 | $37,325 | $1,435.58 | $17.88 | - |
| Step 8 | $38,362 | $1,475.46 | $18.38 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,399 | $1,515.35 | $18.88 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,436 | $1,555.23 | $19.38 | - |
Who is a GS-4?
Typical role. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.
Career progression. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-4 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-4 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $45,516 | $59,174 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $42,907 | $55,781 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $42,446 | $55,183 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $41,989 | $54,589 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $41,659 | $54,160 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $41,591 | $54,071 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $41,236 | $53,610 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $41,168 | $53,521 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $41,081 | $53,408 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $40,922 | $53,202 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $40,701 | $52,915 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $40,596 | $52,777 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $40,359 | $52,470 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $40,160 | $52,211 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $40,120 | $52,158 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $39,694 | $51,604 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $39,582 | $51,459 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $39,230 | $51,002 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $38,776 | $50,412 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $38,502 | $50,056 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $38,086 | $49,514 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $38,076 | $49,502 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $38,073 | $49,498 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $38,033 | $49,445 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $38,020 | $49,429 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $38,017 | $49,425 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $38,011 | $49,417 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $37,992 | $49,393 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $37,924 | $49,304 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $37,918 | $49,296 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $37,818 | $49,166 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $37,765 | $49,097 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $37,644 | $48,940 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $37,563 | $48,835 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $37,432 | $48,665 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $37,370 | $48,584 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $37,333 | $48,535 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $37,221 | $48,390 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $37,190 | $48,349 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $37,153 | $48,301 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $37,146 | $48,293 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $37,100 | $48,232 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $37,003 | $48,107 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $36,991 | $48,091 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $36,950 | $48,038 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $36,944 | $48,030 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $36,804 | $47,848 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $36,776 | $47,812 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $36,773 | $47,807 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $36,748 | $47,775 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $36,705 | $47,719 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $36,680 | $47,686 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $36,664 | $47,666 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $36,599 | $47,581 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $36,593 | $47,573 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $36,586 | $47,565 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $36,552 | $47,520 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $36,409 | $47,334 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
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-4 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2026 is $31,103 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-4 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-4 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-4 to GS-5?
Promotion from GS-4 to GS-5 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-4 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-5 vacancy. Open the GS-5 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-4?
GS-4 is roughly equivalent to E-5 Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.