2026 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2026 is $34,799 at Step 1, rising to $45,239 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-5 for 2026.
2026 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $34,799 | $1,338.42 | $16.67 | - |
| Step 2 | $35,959 | $1,383.04 | $17.23 | - |
| Step 3 | $37,119 | $1,427.65 | $17.79 | - |
| Step 4 | $38,279 | $1,472.27 | $18.34 | - |
| Step 5 | $39,439 | $1,516.88 | $18.90 | - |
| Step 6 | $40,599 | $1,561.50 | $19.45 | - |
| Step 7 | $41,759 | $1,606.12 | $20.01 | - |
| Step 8 | $42,919 | $1,650.73 | $20.56 | - |
| Step 9 | $44,079 | $1,695.35 | $21.12 | - |
| Step 10 | $45,239 | $1,739.96 | $21.68 | - |
2026 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $34,799 | $1,338.42 | $16.67 | - |
| Step 2 | $35,959 | $1,383.04 | $17.23 | - |
| Step 3 | $37,119 | $1,427.65 | $17.79 | - |
| Step 4 | $38,279 | $1,472.27 | $18.34 | - |
| Step 5 | $39,439 | $1,516.88 | $18.90 | - |
| Step 6 | $40,599 | $1,561.50 | $19.45 | - |
| Step 7 | $41,759 | $1,606.12 | $20.01 | - |
| Step 8 | $42,919 | $1,650.73 | $20.56 | - |
| Step 9 | $44,079 | $1,695.35 | $21.12 | - |
| Step 10 | $45,239 | $1,739.96 | $21.68 | - |
Who is a GS-5?
Typical role. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Career progression. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-5 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-5 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $50,925 | $66,203 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $48,005 | $62,407 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $47,490 | $61,738 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $46,979 | $61,073 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $46,610 | $60,593 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $46,533 | $60,494 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $46,137 | $59,978 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $46,060 | $59,878 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $45,963 | $59,752 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $45,785 | $59,521 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $45,538 | $59,200 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $45,420 | $59,046 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $45,155 | $58,702 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $44,932 | $58,413 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $44,887 | $58,354 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $44,410 | $57,734 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $44,285 | $57,571 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $43,892 | $57,060 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $43,384 | $56,399 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $43,078 | $56,001 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $42,611 | $55,395 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $42,601 | $55,382 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $42,597 | $55,377 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $42,552 | $55,318 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $42,538 | $55,300 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $42,535 | $55,296 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $42,528 | $55,287 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $42,507 | $55,259 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $42,430 | $55,160 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $42,423 | $55,151 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $42,312 | $55,006 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $42,253 | $54,929 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $42,117 | $54,753 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $42,027 | $54,635 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $41,881 | $54,445 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $41,811 | $54,355 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $41,769 | $54,300 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $41,644 | $54,138 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $41,609 | $54,092 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $41,567 | $54,038 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $41,560 | $54,029 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $41,508 | $53,961 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $41,400 | $53,821 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $41,386 | $53,803 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $41,341 | $53,744 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $41,334 | $53,735 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $41,178 | $53,531 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $41,146 | $53,491 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $41,143 | $53,486 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $41,115 | $53,450 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $41,066 | $53,387 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $41,038 | $53,350 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $41,021 | $53,328 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $40,948 | $53,233 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $40,941 | $53,224 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $40,934 | $53,215 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $40,896 | $53,165 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $40,736 | $52,957 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
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-5 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2026 is $34,799 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-5 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-5 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-5 to GS-6?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-6 vacancy. Open the GS-6 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-5?
GS-5 is roughly equivalent to E-6 Staff Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.