GS-3 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-3. It lists the salary for GS-3 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 | $27,708 | $32,435 | $37,112 | $38,223 | $40,548 |
| Step 2 | $28,632 | $33,517 | $38,350 | $39,498 | $41,900 |
| Step 3 | $29,556 | $34,598 | $39,587 | $40,773 | $43,252 |
| Step 4 | $30,480 | $35,680 | $40,825 | $42,047 | $44,604 |
| Step 5 | $31,404 | $36,762 | $42,063 | $43,322 | $45,957 |
| Step 6 | $32,328 | $37,843 | $43,300 | $44,596 | $47,309 |
| Step 7 | $33,252 | $38,925 | $44,538 | $45,871 | $48,661 |
| Step 8 | $34,176 | $40,006 | $45,775 | $47,146 | $50,013 |
| Step 9 | $35,100 | $41,088 | $47,013 | $48,420 | $51,365 |
| Step 10 | $36,024 | $42,170 | $48,251 | $49,695 | $52,718 |
GS-3 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-3 have?
GS-3 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-3?
The base GS-3 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-3 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-3 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-3 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-3 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-3 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.