GS-6 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-6. It lists the salary for GS-6 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 | $38,791 | $45,409 | $51,957 | $53,512 | $56,767 |
| Step 2 | $40,084 | $46,922 | $53,689 | $55,296 | $58,659 |
| Step 3 | $41,377 | $48,436 | $55,420 | $57,080 | $60,551 |
| Step 4 | $42,670 | $49,950 | $57,152 | $58,863 | $62,443 |
| Step 5 | $43,963 | $51,463 | $58,884 | $60,647 | $64,335 |
| Step 6 | $45,256 | $52,977 | $60,616 | $62,431 | $66,228 |
| Step 7 | $46,549 | $54,490 | $62,348 | $64,214 | $68,120 |
| Step 8 | $47,842 | $56,004 | $64,080 | $65,998 | $70,012 |
| Step 9 | $49,135 | $57,517 | $65,811 | $67,782 | $71,904 |
| Step 10 | $50,428 | $59,031 | $67,543 | $69,565 | $73,796 |
GS-6 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-6 have?
GS-6 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-6?
The base GS-6 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-6 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-6 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-6 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-6 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-6 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.