Washington DC GS Pay Table for 2026
The Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area is one of 58 OPM locality pay areas. In 2026 it adds 33.94% on top of the nationwide base GS table, meaning federal employees in this area earn 33.94% more than the base schedule.
2026 Washington DC GS Pay Table
Locality-adjusted General Schedule pay for Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA.
Covered area: District of Columbia, DC, Allegany County, MD, Anne Arundel County, MD, Baltimore County, MD, Calvert County, MD, Caroline County, MD, Carroll County, MD, Charles County, MD, Dorchester County, MD, Frederick County, MD, Harford County, MD, Howard County, MD, 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 | $30,249 | $31,263 | $32,269 | $33,271 | $34,274 | $34,862 | $35,857 | $36,859 | $36,900 | $37,835 |
| GS-2 | $34,011 | $34,820 | $35,948 | $36,900 | $37,313 | $38,410 | $39,507 | $40,604 | $41,701 | $42,798 |
| GS-3 | $37,112 | $38,350 | $39,587 | $40,825 | $42,063 | $43,300 | $44,538 | $45,775 | $47,013 | $48,251 |
| GS-4 | $41,659 | $43,048 | $44,437 | $45,826 | $47,215 | $48,604 | $49,993 | $51,382 | $52,771 | $54,160 |
| GS-5 | $46,610 | $48,163 | $49,717 | $51,271 | $52,825 | $54,378 | $55,932 | $57,486 | $59,039 | $60,593 |
| GS-6 | $51,957 | $53,689 | $55,420 | $57,152 | $58,884 | $60,616 | $62,348 | $64,080 | $65,811 | $67,543 |
| GS-7 | $57,736 | $59,661 | $61,586 | $63,510 | $65,435 | $67,360 | $69,284 | $71,209 | $73,134 | $75,059 |
| GS-8 | $63,940 | $66,071 | $68,202 | $70,333 | $72,464 | $74,595 | $76,726 | $78,857 | $80,988 | $83,119 |
| GS-9 | $70,623 | $72,977 | $75,332 | $77,687 | $80,041 | $82,396 | $84,751 | $87,105 | $89,460 | $91,815 |
| GS-10 | $77,771 | $80,363 | $82,954 | $85,546 | $88,138 | $90,730 | $93,321 | $95,913 | $98,505 | $101,097 |
| GS-11 | $85,447 | $88,296 | $91,145 | $93,994 | $96,843 | $99,692 | $102,540 | $105,389 | $108,238 | $111,087 |
| GS-12 | $102,415 | $105,829 | $109,243 | $112,657 | $116,071 | $119,485 | $122,899 | $126,313 | $129,728 | $133,142 |
| GS-13 | $121,785 | $125,845 | $129,904 | $133,964 | $138,024 | $142,084 | $146,143 | $150,203 | $154,263 | $158,322 |
| GS-14 | $143,913 | $148,711 | $153,509 | $158,306 | $163,104 | $167,902 | $172,700 | $177,497 | $182,295 | $187,093 |
| GS-15 | $169,279 | $174,922 | $180,565 | $186,207 | $191,850 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
2026 Washington DC pay schedule
Every grade and step below already includes the 33.94% locality adjustment. Click any grade to open its dedicated single-grade pay scale page for Washington DC.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $30,249 | $31,263 | $32,269 | $33,271 | $34,274 | $34,862 | $35,857 | $36,859 | $36,900 | $37,835 |
| GS-2 | $34,011 | $34,820 | $35,948 | $36,900 | $37,313 | $38,410 | $39,507 | $40,604 | $41,701 | $42,798 |
| GS-3 | $37,112 | $38,350 | $39,587 | $40,825 | $42,063 | $43,300 | $44,538 | $45,775 | $47,013 | $48,251 |
| GS-4 | $41,659 | $43,048 | $44,437 | $45,826 | $47,215 | $48,604 | $49,993 | $51,382 | $52,771 | $54,160 |
| GS-5 | $46,610 | $48,163 | $49,717 | $51,271 | $52,825 | $54,378 | $55,932 | $57,486 | $59,039 | $60,593 |
| GS-6 | $51,957 | $53,689 | $55,420 | $57,152 | $58,884 | $60,616 | $62,348 | $64,080 | $65,811 | $67,543 |
| GS-7 | $57,736 | $59,661 | $61,586 | $63,510 | $65,435 | $67,360 | $69,284 | $71,209 | $73,134 | $75,059 |
| GS-8 | $63,940 | $66,071 | $68,202 | $70,333 | $72,464 | $74,595 | $76,726 | $78,857 | $80,988 | $83,119 |
| GS-9 | $70,623 | $72,977 | $75,332 | $77,687 | $80,041 | $82,396 | $84,751 | $87,105 | $89,460 | $91,815 |
| GS-10 | $77,771 | $80,363 | $82,954 | $85,546 | $88,138 | $90,730 | $93,321 | $95,913 | $98,505 | $101,097 |
| GS-11 | $85,447 | $88,296 | $91,145 | $93,994 | $96,843 | $99,692 | $102,540 | $105,389 | $108,238 | $111,087 |
| GS-12 | $102,415 | $105,829 | $109,243 | $112,657 | $116,071 | $119,485 | $122,899 | $126,313 | $129,728 | $133,142 |
| GS-13 | $121,785 | $125,845 | $129,904 | $133,964 | $138,024 | $142,084 | $146,143 | $150,203 | $154,263 | $158,322 |
| GS-14 | $143,913 | $148,711 | $153,509 | $158,306 | $163,104 | $167,902 | $172,700 | $177,497 | $182,295 | $187,093 |
| GS-15 | $169,279 | $174,922 | $180,565 | $186,207 | $191,850 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
Pay snapshot for popular grades
Grade-level salaries
Compare with other top localities
Open a specific grade in Washington DC
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 Washington DC locality pay area
The Washington DC 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 District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania. 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 33.94%. That means a GS-1 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns $30,249, 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 55 counties and independent cities across District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania. Some of the included jurisdictions include District of Columbia, DC, Allegany County, MD, Anne Arundel County, MD, Baltimore County, MD, Calvert County, MD, Caroline County, MD, Carroll County, MD, Charles County, MD, Dorchester County, MD, Frederick County, MD, Harford County, MD, Howard County, MD, and more.
Counties and independent cities in Washington DC
Washington DC pay questions
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What is the 2026 locality adjustment for Washington DC?
For 2026, the locality pay adjustment for Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA is 33.94%. That percentage is added on top of the nationwide base GS table. -
How much does a GS-12 earn in Washington DC?
In 2026, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns $102,415, rising to $133,142 at Step 10. See the GS-12 Washington DC page for the full step breakdown. -
Who is covered by the Washington DC locality area?
This locality table applies to federal employees whose official duty station is located within the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA boundary. It covers 55 counties and independent cities across District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania. 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?
Washington DC 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.