2026 GS-6 Pay Scale
The GS-6 base salary range for 2026 is $38,791 at Step 1, rising to $50,428 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-6 for 2026.
2026 GS-6 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-6 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,791 | $1,491.96 | $18.59 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,084 | $1,541.69 | $19.21 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,377 | $1,591.42 | $19.83 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,670 | $1,641.15 | $20.45 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,963 | $1,690.88 | $21.07 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,256 | $1,740.62 | $21.68 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,549 | $1,790.35 | $22.30 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,842 | $1,840.08 | $22.92 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,135 | $1,889.81 | $23.54 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,428 | $1,939.54 | $24.16 | - |
2026 GS-6 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-6 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 | $38,791 | $1,491.96 | $18.59 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,084 | $1,541.69 | $19.21 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,377 | $1,591.42 | $19.83 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,670 | $1,641.15 | $20.45 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,963 | $1,690.88 | $21.07 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,256 | $1,740.62 | $21.68 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,549 | $1,790.35 | $22.30 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,842 | $1,840.08 | $22.92 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,135 | $1,889.81 | $23.54 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,428 | $1,939.54 | $24.16 | - |
Who is a GS-6?
Typical role. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, or a master's degree for some series.
Career progression. Promoted to GS-7 after one year of creditable experience in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-6 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-6 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2026, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-6 Step 1 | GS-6 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $56,767 | $73,796 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $53,512 | $69,565 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $52,938 | $68,819 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $52,368 | $68,078 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $51,957 | $67,543 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $51,871 | $67,432 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $51,429 | $66,857 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $51,344 | $66,747 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $51,235 | $66,605 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $51,037 | $66,348 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $50,762 | $65,990 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $50,630 | $65,819 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $50,335 | $65,435 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $50,087 | $65,113 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $50,037 | $65,047 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $49,505 | $64,356 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $49,365 | $64,175 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $48,927 | $63,605 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $48,361 | $62,869 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $48,019 | $62,425 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $47,500 | $61,749 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $47,488 | $61,734 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $47,484 | $61,729 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $47,434 | $61,663 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $47,418 | $61,643 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $47,414 | $61,638 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $47,406 | $61,628 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $47,383 | $61,598 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $47,298 | $61,487 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $47,290 | $61,477 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $47,166 | $61,315 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $47,100 | $61,230 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $46,949 | $61,033 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $46,848 | $60,902 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $46,685 | $60,690 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $46,607 | $60,589 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $46,561 | $60,529 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $46,421 | $60,347 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $46,382 | $60,297 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $46,336 | $60,236 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $46,328 | $60,226 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $46,270 | $60,151 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $46,150 | $59,994 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $46,134 | $59,974 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $46,084 | $59,908 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $46,076 | $59,898 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $45,901 | $59,671 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $45,866 | $59,626 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $45,863 | $59,621 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $45,832 | $59,581 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $45,777 | $59,510 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $45,746 | $59,470 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $45,727 | $59,445 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $45,645 | $59,339 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $45,638 | $59,329 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $45,630 | $59,318 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $45,587 | $59,263 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $45,409 | $59,031 |
Top and bottom GS-6 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-6 pay scale
GS-6 is part of the 2026 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
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-6 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-6 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-6 in 2026 is $38,791 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-6 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-6 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-6 to GS-7?
Promotion from GS-6 to GS-7 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-6 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-7 vacancy. Open the GS-7 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-6?
GS-6 is roughly equivalent to O-1 Second Lieutenant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.