2026 GS-5 Pay in St. Louis
GS-5 employees with a duty station in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL earn 20.03% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $34,799 on the base table to $41,769 in St. Louis.
2026 GS-5 Pay in St. Louis
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $41,769 | $1,606.50 | $20.01 | +$6,970 |
| Step 2 | $43,162 | $1,660.08 | $20.68 | +$7,203 |
| Step 3 | $44,554 | $1,713.62 | $21.35 | +$7,435 |
| Step 4 | $45,946 | $1,767.15 | $22.02 | +$7,667 |
| Step 5 | $47,339 | $1,820.73 | $22.68 | +$7,900 |
| Step 6 | $48,731 | $1,874.27 | $23.35 | +$8,132 |
| Step 7 | $50,123 | $1,927.81 | $24.02 | +$8,364 |
| Step 8 | $51,516 | $1,981.38 | $24.68 | +$8,597 |
| Step 9 | $52,908 | $2,034.92 | $25.35 | +$8,829 |
| Step 10 | $54,300 | $2,088.46 | $26.02 | +$9,061 |
2026 GS-5 pay table for St. Louis
Each step below already includes the 20.03% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $41,769 | $1,606.50 | $20.01 | +$6,970 |
| Step 2 | $43,162 | $1,660.08 | $20.68 | +$7,203 |
| Step 3 | $44,554 | $1,713.62 | $21.35 | +$7,435 |
| Step 4 | $45,946 | $1,767.15 | $22.02 | +$7,667 |
| Step 5 | $47,339 | $1,820.73 | $22.68 | +$7,900 |
| Step 6 | $48,731 | $1,874.27 | $23.35 | +$8,132 |
| Step 7 | $50,123 | $1,927.81 | $24.02 | +$8,364 |
| Step 8 | $51,516 | $1,981.38 | $24.68 | +$8,597 |
| Step 9 | $52,908 | $2,034.92 | $25.35 | +$8,829 |
| Step 10 | $54,300 | $2,088.46 | $26.02 | +$9,061 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more St. Louis pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in St. Louis: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2026, the St. Louis pay area adds a 20.03% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in St. Louis
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $1,607 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,088. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in St. Louis
GS-5 in St. Louis questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in St. Louis?
In 2026, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns $41,769 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $54,300. This is 20.03% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in St. Louis?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For St. Louis in 2026, it is 20.03%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $6,970 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in St. Louis?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $1,607 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.