GS-9 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-9. It lists the salary for GS-9 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 | $52,727 | $61,722 | $70,623 | $72,737 | $77,161 |
| Step 2 | $54,485 | $63,780 | $72,977 | $75,162 | $79,733 |
| Step 3 | $56,243 | $65,838 | $75,332 | $77,587 | $82,306 |
| Step 4 | $58,001 | $67,896 | $77,687 | $80,012 | $84,879 |
| Step 5 | $59,759 | $69,954 | $80,041 | $82,438 | $87,451 |
| Step 6 | $61,517 | $72,012 | $82,396 | $84,863 | $90,024 |
| Step 7 | $63,275 | $74,070 | $84,751 | $87,288 | $92,597 |
| Step 8 | $65,033 | $76,128 | $87,105 | $89,713 | $95,169 |
| Step 9 | $66,791 | $78,186 | $89,460 | $92,138 | $97,742 |
| Step 10 | $68,549 | $80,243 | $91,815 | $94,563 | $100,315 |
GS-9 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-9 have?
GS-9 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-9?
The base GS-9 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-9 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-9 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-9 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-9 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-9 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.