2026 GS Pay Calculator

How to calculate your GS pay

• Pick your locality pay area from the dropdown, or use state + county to narrow it down.
• Choose your GS grade (GS-1 through GS-15).
• Choose your step (1 through 10).
• The calculator returns your 2026 annual, biweekly and hourly salary.
• The result panel also breaks out your base GS pay and the locality add-on.

How GS pay is calculated

Your GS paycheck is driven by three numbers: grade, step and locality. The calculator works like this:

1. Look up the base annual salary for your grade and step in the 2026 base GS table.
2. Look up the locality pay percentage for your duty station.
3. Multiply the base salary by 1 + locality percent.
4. Divide by 26 for biweekly pay, or by 2,087 for the hourly rate.

For example, a GS-12 Step 5 employee with a base salary of about $85,000 and a 33% locality adjustment earns $85,000 × 1.33 = $113,050 per year. That's roughly $113,050 ÷ 26 = $4,348 per biweekly pay period, before taxes and deductions.

Why your actual paycheck may differ

Your paycheck reflects gross pay minus federal taxes, state taxes, retirement contributions (FERS or CSRS), Thrift Savings Plan contributions, health insurance premiums, dental, vision and life insurance. Expect net take-home to run roughly 60% to 75% of gross depending on your situation.

What to check next

• Open your locality pay area page for the full grade-by-grade table.
• Open the 2026 base GS table to see the nationwide schedule.
• See the raise history to understand how your pay has changed year over year.
• Drill into a specific grade like GS-12 or GS-13.

GS calculator questions

• What does this calculator estimate?

  This tool estimates your gross General Schedule salary based on the current 2026 base GS table and the locality percentage for your duty station. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, hourly rate, the base portion of your salary and the locality add-on.
• What does this calculator not include?

  The estimate does not include overtime pay, night differentials, Sunday premium, availability pay, law enforcement availability pay (LEAP), special salary rates, retention incentives, cash awards, taxes, TSP or FERS contributions, or health insurance deductions. It is a gross salary estimate only. Your take-home will be lower.
• How do I know which locality pay area I'm in?

  Locality pay is based on your official duty station, not your home address. If you don't know which pay area your duty station falls in, use the State and County dropdowns to look it up. Your HR specialist can confirm your pay area from your SF-50.
• Why does the calculator show a different number than my paycheck?

  Your paycheck reflects gross pay minus taxes, retirement deductions (FERS or CSRS), Thrift Savings Plan contributions, health insurance premiums, life insurance and dental/vision premiums. The calculator estimates your gross annual salary, not your net take-home.
• Does this include the latest GS raise?

  Yes. The calculator always uses the most recent OPM tables. For 2026, that means the 2026 base schedule with the 2026 locality percentages already applied.