Buffalo GS Pay Table for 2026
The Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area is one of 58 OPM locality pay areas. In 2026 it adds 22.41% on top of the nationwide base GS table, meaning federal employees in this area earn 22.41% more than the base schedule.
2026 Buffalo GS Pay Table
Locality-adjusted General Schedule pay for Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY.
Covered area: Allegany County, NY, Cattaraugus County, NY, Erie County, NY, Niagara County, NY, Wyoming County, NY.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $27,645 | $28,572 | $29,491 | $30,407 | $31,323 | $31,861 | $32,770 | $33,686 | $33,724 | $34,578 |
| GS-2 | $31,084 | $31,823 | $32,854 | $33,724 | $34,101 | $35,104 | $36,106 | $37,109 | $38,111 | $39,114 |
| GS-3 | $33,917 | $35,048 | $36,179 | $37,311 | $38,442 | $39,573 | $40,704 | $41,835 | $42,966 | $44,097 |
| GS-4 | $38,073 | $39,343 | $40,612 | $41,881 | $43,151 | $44,420 | $45,690 | $46,959 | $48,228 | $49,498 |
| GS-5 | $42,597 | $44,017 | $45,437 | $46,857 | $48,277 | $49,697 | $51,117 | $52,537 | $53,957 | $55,377 |
| GS-6 | $47,484 | $49,067 | $50,650 | $52,232 | $53,815 | $55,398 | $56,981 | $58,563 | $60,146 | $61,729 |
| GS-7 | $52,766 | $54,525 | $56,284 | $58,043 | $59,802 | $61,561 | $63,320 | $65,079 | $66,838 | $68,597 |
| GS-8 | $58,436 | $60,384 | $62,331 | $64,279 | $66,226 | $68,174 | $70,121 | $72,069 | $74,016 | $75,964 |
| GS-9 | $64,543 | $66,695 | $68,847 | $70,999 | $73,151 | $75,303 | $77,455 | $79,607 | $81,759 | $83,911 |
| GS-10 | $71,076 | $73,445 | $75,813 | $78,182 | $80,551 | $82,919 | $85,288 | $87,657 | $90,025 | $92,394 |
| GS-11 | $78,091 | $80,695 | $83,299 | $85,902 | $88,506 | $91,110 | $93,713 | $96,317 | $98,921 | $101,524 |
| GS-12 | $93,598 | $96,719 | $99,839 | $102,959 | $106,079 | $109,200 | $112,320 | $115,440 | $118,560 | $121,680 |
| GS-13 | $111,301 | $115,012 | $118,722 | $122,432 | $126,142 | $129,853 | $133,563 | $137,273 | $140,983 | $144,694 |
| GS-14 | $131,525 | $135,909 | $140,294 | $144,679 | $149,064 | $153,448 | $157,833 | $162,218 | $166,602 | $170,987 |
| GS-15 | $154,707 | $159,864 | $165,021 | $170,178 | $175,335 | $180,492 | $185,649 | $190,807 | $195,964 | $197,200 |
2026 Buffalo pay schedule
Every grade and step below already includes the 22.41% locality adjustment. Click any grade to open its dedicated single-grade pay scale page for Buffalo.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $27,645 | $28,572 | $29,491 | $30,407 | $31,323 | $31,861 | $32,770 | $33,686 | $33,724 | $34,578 |
| GS-2 | $31,084 | $31,823 | $32,854 | $33,724 | $34,101 | $35,104 | $36,106 | $37,109 | $38,111 | $39,114 |
| GS-3 | $33,917 | $35,048 | $36,179 | $37,311 | $38,442 | $39,573 | $40,704 | $41,835 | $42,966 | $44,097 |
| GS-4 | $38,073 | $39,343 | $40,612 | $41,881 | $43,151 | $44,420 | $45,690 | $46,959 | $48,228 | $49,498 |
| GS-5 | $42,597 | $44,017 | $45,437 | $46,857 | $48,277 | $49,697 | $51,117 | $52,537 | $53,957 | $55,377 |
| GS-6 | $47,484 | $49,067 | $50,650 | $52,232 | $53,815 | $55,398 | $56,981 | $58,563 | $60,146 | $61,729 |
| GS-7 | $52,766 | $54,525 | $56,284 | $58,043 | $59,802 | $61,561 | $63,320 | $65,079 | $66,838 | $68,597 |
| GS-8 | $58,436 | $60,384 | $62,331 | $64,279 | $66,226 | $68,174 | $70,121 | $72,069 | $74,016 | $75,964 |
| GS-9 | $64,543 | $66,695 | $68,847 | $70,999 | $73,151 | $75,303 | $77,455 | $79,607 | $81,759 | $83,911 |
| GS-10 | $71,076 | $73,445 | $75,813 | $78,182 | $80,551 | $82,919 | $85,288 | $87,657 | $90,025 | $92,394 |
| GS-11 | $78,091 | $80,695 | $83,299 | $85,902 | $88,506 | $91,110 | $93,713 | $96,317 | $98,921 | $101,524 |
| GS-12 | $93,598 | $96,719 | $99,839 | $102,959 | $106,079 | $109,200 | $112,320 | $115,440 | $118,560 | $121,680 |
| GS-13 | $111,301 | $115,012 | $118,722 | $122,432 | $126,142 | $129,853 | $133,563 | $137,273 | $140,983 | $144,694 |
| GS-14 | $131,525 | $135,909 | $140,294 | $144,679 | $149,064 | $153,448 | $157,833 | $162,218 | $166,602 | $170,987 |
| GS-15 | $154,707 | $159,864 | $165,021 | $170,178 | $175,335 | $180,492 | $185,649 | $190,807 | $195,964 | $197,200 |
Pay snapshot for popular grades
Grade-level salaries
Compare with other top localities
Open a specific grade in Buffalo
Every GS grade has a dedicated single-grade pay scale page for this locality area. Each page shows all 10 steps, annual, biweekly and hourly pay, and the locality add-on broken out.
About the Buffalo locality pay area
The Buffalo Locality Area is one of the official OPM General Schedule locality pay areas. It is defined by a set of counties and independent cities within New York. Any federal employee whose duty station is inside this boundary is paid from this locality table rather than the nationwide base GS schedule.
For 2026, the locality adjustment is 22.41%. That means a GS-1 Step 1 employee in Buffalo earns $27,645, and a senior GS-15 Step 10 employee can earn up to $197,200, subject to the statutory Executive Schedule Level 4 pay cap for the highest grade-step combinations.
Which counties does this pay area cover?
This pay area covers 5 counties and independent cities across New York. Some of the included jurisdictions include Allegany County, NY, Cattaraugus County, NY, Erie County, NY, Niagara County, NY, Wyoming County, NY.
Counties and independent cities in Buffalo
Buffalo pay questions
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What is the 2026 locality adjustment for Buffalo?
For 2026, the locality pay adjustment for Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY is 22.41%. That percentage is added on top of the nationwide base GS table. -
How much does a GS-12 earn in Buffalo?
In 2026, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Buffalo earns $93,598, rising to $121,680 at Step 10. See the GS-12 Buffalo page for the full step breakdown. -
Who is covered by the Buffalo locality area?
This locality table applies to federal employees whose official duty station is located within the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY boundary. It covers 5 counties and independent cities across New York. Telework alone does not change your locality. It is based on the official duty station listed on your SF-50. -
How does this compare to other pay areas?
Buffalo is one of 58 GS locality pay areas nationwide. See the full directory to compare against other cities, or browse the base GS table for the nationwide schedule before locality is added.