GS-5 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-5. It lists the salary for GS-5 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 | $34,799 | $40,736 | $46,610 | $48,005 | $50,925 |
| Step 2 | $35,959 | $42,094 | $48,163 | $49,605 | $52,622 |
| Step 3 | $37,119 | $43,452 | $49,717 | $51,206 | $54,320 |
| Step 4 | $38,279 | $44,809 | $51,271 | $52,806 | $56,017 |
| Step 5 | $39,439 | $46,167 | $52,825 | $54,406 | $57,715 |
| Step 6 | $40,599 | $47,525 | $54,378 | $56,006 | $59,413 |
| Step 7 | $41,759 | $48,883 | $55,932 | $57,607 | $61,110 |
| Step 8 | $42,919 | $50,241 | $57,486 | $59,207 | $62,808 |
| Step 9 | $44,079 | $51,599 | $59,039 | $60,807 | $64,505 |
| Step 10 | $45,239 | $52,957 | $60,593 | $62,407 | $66,203 |
GS-5 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-5 have?
GS-5 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-5?
The base GS-5 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-5 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-5 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-5 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-5 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-5 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.