GS-12 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-12. It lists the salary for GS-12 at each step and shows how the total changes across locality pay areas.
| Step | Base | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore | New York-Newark | San Jose-San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $76,463 | $89,508 | $102,415 | $105,481 | $111,896 |
| Step 2 | $79,012 | $92,491 | $105,829 | $108,997 | $115,626 |
| Step 3 | $81,561 | $95,475 | $109,243 | $112,513 | $119,356 |
| Step 4 | $84,110 | $98,459 | $112,657 | $116,030 | $123,087 |
| Step 5 | $86,659 | $101,443 | $116,071 | $119,546 | $126,817 |
| Step 6 | $89,208 | $104,427 | $119,485 | $123,062 | $130,547 |
| Step 7 | $91,757 | $107,411 | $122,899 | $126,579 | $134,277 |
| Step 8 | $94,306 | $110,395 | $126,313 | $130,095 | $138,007 |
| Step 9 | $96,855 | $113,378 | $129,728 | $133,611 | $141,738 |
| Step 10 | $99,404 | $116,362 | $133,142 | $137,128 | $145,468 |
GS-12 in every locality pay area
- Washington-Baltimore
- San Jose-San Francisco
- New York-Newark
- Los Angeles-Long Beach
- Houston-The Woodlands
- San Diego-Chula Vista
- Boston-Worcester
- State of Alaska
- Hartford-East Hartford
- Seattle-Tacoma
- Chicago-Naperville
- Denver-Aurora
- Sacramento-Roseville
- Detroit-Warren
- Philadelphia-Reading
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Portland-Vancouver
- Miami-Port St. Lucie
- Atlanta-
- Phoenix-Mesa
- Milwaukee-Racine
- Buffalo-Cheektowaga
- Richmond
- Raleigh-Durham
- Cleveland-Akron
- State of Hawaii
- Columbus-Marion
- Cincinnati-Wilmington
- Huntsville-Decatur
- Laredo
- Dayton-Springfield
- Pittsburgh-New Castle
- Albany-Schenectady
- Austin-Round Rock
- Colorado Springs
- St. Louis-St. Charles
- Charlotte-Concord
- Las Vegas-Henderson
- Burlington-South Burlington
- Harrisburg-Lebanon
- Tucson-Nogales
- Kansas City-Overland Park
- Davenport-Moline
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk
- San Antonio-New Braunfels
- Albuquerque-Santa Fe
- Birmingham-Hoover
- Omaha-Council Bluffs
- Indianapolis-Carmel
- Des Moines-Ames
- Palm Bay-Melbourne
- Rochester-Batavia
- Spokane-Spokane Valley
- Fresno-Madera
- Corpus Christi-Kingsville
- Reno-Fernley
- Rest of U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How many steps does GS-12 have?
GS-12 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-12?
The base GS-12 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-12 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-12 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-12 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-12 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-12 figures are gross 2026 amounts, before tax, withholding, or deductions.
Source: OPM Salary Table 2026-GS · effective January 11, 2026. Rates current as of July 20, 2026. Reference figures for general information — official pay is set by your agency, DFAS or OPM. See methodology.