Columbus GS Pay Table for 2026
The Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area is one of 58 OPM locality pay areas. In 2026 it adds 22.15% on top of the nationwide base GS table, meaning federal employees in this area earn 22.15% more than the base schedule.
2026 Columbus GS Pay Table
Locality-adjusted General Schedule pay for Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH.
Covered area: Coshocton County, OH, Delaware County, OH, Fairfield County, OH, Fayette County, OH, Franklin County, OH, Guernsey County, OH, Hardin County, OH, Hocking County, OH, Knox County, OH, Licking County, OH, Logan County, OH, Madison County, OH, and more.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $27,586 | $28,511 | $29,428 | $30,342 | $31,257 | $31,793 | $32,701 | $33,614 | $33,652 | $34,505 |
| GS-2 | $31,018 | $31,755 | $32,784 | $33,652 | $34,029 | $35,029 | $36,029 | $37,030 | $38,030 | $39,031 |
| GS-3 | $33,845 | $34,974 | $36,103 | $37,231 | $38,360 | $39,489 | $40,617 | $41,746 | $42,875 | $44,003 |
| GS-4 | $37,992 | $39,259 | $40,526 | $41,792 | $43,059 | $44,326 | $45,592 | $46,859 | $48,126 | $49,393 |
| GS-5 | $42,507 | $43,924 | $45,341 | $46,758 | $48,175 | $49,592 | $51,009 | $52,426 | $53,842 | $55,259 |
| GS-6 | $47,383 | $48,963 | $50,542 | $52,121 | $53,701 | $55,280 | $56,860 | $58,439 | $60,018 | $61,598 |
| GS-7 | $52,654 | $54,409 | $56,165 | $57,920 | $59,675 | $61,430 | $63,186 | $64,941 | $66,696 | $68,452 |
| GS-8 | $58,312 | $60,255 | $62,199 | $64,142 | $66,086 | $68,029 | $69,972 | $71,916 | $73,859 | $75,803 |
| GS-9 | $64,406 | $66,553 | $68,701 | $70,848 | $72,996 | $75,143 | $77,290 | $79,438 | $81,585 | $83,733 |
| GS-10 | $70,925 | $73,289 | $75,652 | $78,016 | $80,380 | $82,743 | $85,107 | $87,470 | $89,834 | $92,198 |
| GS-11 | $77,926 | $80,524 | $83,122 | $85,720 | $88,318 | $90,916 | $93,514 | $96,113 | $98,711 | $101,309 |
| GS-12 | $93,400 | $96,513 | $99,627 | $102,740 | $105,854 | $108,968 | $112,081 | $115,195 | $118,308 | $121,422 |
| GS-13 | $111,065 | $114,767 | $118,470 | $122,172 | $125,874 | $129,577 | $133,279 | $136,981 | $140,684 | $144,386 |
| GS-14 | $131,245 | $135,621 | $139,996 | $144,372 | $148,747 | $153,122 | $157,498 | $161,873 | $166,249 | $170,624 |
| GS-15 | $154,378 | $159,524 | $164,670 | $169,817 | $174,963 | $180,109 | $185,255 | $190,401 | $195,547 | $197,200 |
2026 Columbus pay schedule
Every grade and step below already includes the 22.15% locality adjustment. Click any grade to open its dedicated single-grade pay scale page for Columbus.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $27,586 | $28,511 | $29,428 | $30,342 | $31,257 | $31,793 | $32,701 | $33,614 | $33,652 | $34,505 |
| GS-2 | $31,018 | $31,755 | $32,784 | $33,652 | $34,029 | $35,029 | $36,029 | $37,030 | $38,030 | $39,031 |
| GS-3 | $33,845 | $34,974 | $36,103 | $37,231 | $38,360 | $39,489 | $40,617 | $41,746 | $42,875 | $44,003 |
| GS-4 | $37,992 | $39,259 | $40,526 | $41,792 | $43,059 | $44,326 | $45,592 | $46,859 | $48,126 | $49,393 |
| GS-5 | $42,507 | $43,924 | $45,341 | $46,758 | $48,175 | $49,592 | $51,009 | $52,426 | $53,842 | $55,259 |
| GS-6 | $47,383 | $48,963 | $50,542 | $52,121 | $53,701 | $55,280 | $56,860 | $58,439 | $60,018 | $61,598 |
| GS-7 | $52,654 | $54,409 | $56,165 | $57,920 | $59,675 | $61,430 | $63,186 | $64,941 | $66,696 | $68,452 |
| GS-8 | $58,312 | $60,255 | $62,199 | $64,142 | $66,086 | $68,029 | $69,972 | $71,916 | $73,859 | $75,803 |
| GS-9 | $64,406 | $66,553 | $68,701 | $70,848 | $72,996 | $75,143 | $77,290 | $79,438 | $81,585 | $83,733 |
| GS-10 | $70,925 | $73,289 | $75,652 | $78,016 | $80,380 | $82,743 | $85,107 | $87,470 | $89,834 | $92,198 |
| GS-11 | $77,926 | $80,524 | $83,122 | $85,720 | $88,318 | $90,916 | $93,514 | $96,113 | $98,711 | $101,309 |
| GS-12 | $93,400 | $96,513 | $99,627 | $102,740 | $105,854 | $108,968 | $112,081 | $115,195 | $118,308 | $121,422 |
| GS-13 | $111,065 | $114,767 | $118,470 | $122,172 | $125,874 | $129,577 | $133,279 | $136,981 | $140,684 | $144,386 |
| GS-14 | $131,245 | $135,621 | $139,996 | $144,372 | $148,747 | $153,122 | $157,498 | $161,873 | $166,249 | $170,624 |
| GS-15 | $154,378 | $159,524 | $164,670 | $169,817 | $174,963 | $180,109 | $185,255 | $190,401 | $195,547 | $197,200 |
Pay snapshot for popular grades
Grade-level salaries
Compare with other top localities
Open a specific grade in Columbus
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 Columbus locality pay area
The Columbus 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 Ohio. 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 22.15%. That means a GS-1 Step 1 employee in Columbus earns $27,586, 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 23 counties and independent cities across Ohio. Some of the included jurisdictions include Coshocton County, OH, Delaware County, OH, Fairfield County, OH, Fayette County, OH, Franklin County, OH, Guernsey County, OH, Hardin County, OH, Hocking County, OH, Knox County, OH, Licking County, OH, Logan County, OH, Madison County, OH, and more.
Counties and independent cities in Columbus
Columbus pay questions
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What is the 2026 locality adjustment for Columbus?
For 2026, the locality pay adjustment for Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH is 22.15%. That percentage is added on top of the nationwide base GS table. -
How much does a GS-12 earn in Columbus?
In 2026, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Columbus earns $93,400, rising to $121,422 at Step 10. See the GS-12 Columbus page for the full step breakdown. -
Who is covered by the Columbus locality area?
This locality table applies to federal employees whose official duty station is located within the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH boundary. It covers 23 counties and independent cities across Ohio. 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?
Columbus 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.