GS-15 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-15. It lists the salary for GS-15 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 | $126,384 | $147,945 | $169,279 | $174,347 | $184,950 |
| Step 2 | $130,597 | $152,877 | $174,922 | $180,159 | $191,116 |
| Step 3 | $134,810 | $157,809 | $180,565 | $185,970 | $197,200 |
| Step 4 | $139,023 | $162,740 | $186,207 | $191,782 | $197,200 |
| Step 5 | $143,236 | $167,672 | $191,850 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
| Step 6 | $147,449 | $172,604 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
| Step 7 | $151,662 | $177,536 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
| Step 8 | $155,875 | $182,467 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
| Step 9 | $160,088 | $187,399 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
| Step 10 | $164,301 | $192,331 | $197,200 | $197,200 | $197,200 |
GS-15 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-15 have?
GS-15 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-15?
The base GS-15 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-15 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-15 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-15 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-15 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-15 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.