GS-2 Pay Scale 2026
GS-2 pay in 2026 ranges from $25,393 (step 1) to $31,953 (step 10) before locality pay. Choose your step and locality area to see your annual, monthly, biweekly and hourly pay.
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About the GS-2 Pay Scale 2026
GS-2 is one of the 15 grades of the federal General Schedule. Pay depends on the step (1 to 10) and on the locality pay area of the duty station. All figures come from the Office of Personnel Management salary tables effective January 2026, which include the 1% base pay increase.
How to use it
- Choose your step within GS-2, from 1 to 10.
- Choose your locality pay area, or Rest of U.S. if your duty station is not in a listed area.
- Read your annual salary and the monthly, biweekly and hourly amounts.
GS-2 base pay by step (2026)
General Schedule base rates for GS-2, before locality pay, with the waiting period to reach each step:
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Waiting period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $25,393 | $2,116 | $973.60 | $12.17 | — |
| Step 2 | $25,997 | $2,166 | $996.80 | $12.46 | 1 year at step 1 |
| Step 3 | $26,839 | $2,237 | $1,028.80 | $12.86 | 1 year at step 2 |
| Step 4 | $27,550 | $2,296 | $1,056.00 | $13.20 | 1 year at step 3 |
| Step 5 | $27,858 | $2,322 | $1,068.00 | $13.35 | 2 years at step 4 |
| Step 6 | $28,677 | $2,390 | $1,099.20 | $13.74 | 2 years at step 5 |
| Step 7 | $29,496 | $2,458 | $1,130.40 | $14.13 | 2 years at step 6 |
| Step 8 | $30,315 | $2,526 | $1,162.40 | $14.53 | 3 years at step 7 |
| Step 9 | $31,134 | $2,594 | $1,193.60 | $14.92 | 3 years at step 8 |
| Step 10 | $31,953 | $2,663 | $1,224.80 | $15.31 | 3 years at step 9 |
GS-2 salary by locality (2026)
GS-2 annual pay with locality in every pay area, from the official OPM tables:
| Locality area | Rate | Step 1 | Step 3 | Step 5 | Step 7 | Step 10 | Step 1 hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 32.36% | $33,610 | $35,524 | $36,873 | $39,041 | $42,293 | $16.10 |
| Albuquerque | 18.33% | $30,048 | $31,759 | $32,964 | $34,903 | $37,810 | $14.40 |
| Atlanta | 23.79% | $31,434 | $33,224 | $34,485 | $36,513 | $39,555 | $15.06 |
| Birmingham | 18.24% | $30,025 | $31,734 | $32,939 | $34,876 | $37,781 | $14.39 |
| Boston | 32.58% | $33,666 | $35,583 | $36,934 | $39,106 | $42,363 | $16.13 |
| Buffalo | 22.41% | $31,084 | $32,854 | $34,101 | $36,106 | $39,114 | $14.89 |
| Burlington | 19.45% | $30,332 | $32,059 | $33,276 | $35,233 | $38,168 | $14.53 |
| Charlotte | 19.67% | $30,388 | $32,118 | $33,338 | $35,298 | $38,238 | $14.56 |
| Chicago | 30.86% | $33,229 | $35,122 | $36,455 | $38,598 | $41,814 | $15.92 |
| Cincinnati | 21.93% | $30,962 | $32,725 | $33,967 | $35,964 | $38,960 | $14.84 |
| Cleveland | 22.23% | $31,038 | $32,805 | $34,051 | $36,053 | $39,056 | $14.87 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $30,510 | $32,247 | $33,471 | $35,439 | $38,392 | $14.62 |
| Columbus | 22.15% | $31,018 | $32,784 | $34,029 | $36,029 | $39,031 | $14.86 |
| Corpus Christi | 17.63% | $29,870 | $31,571 | $32,769 | $34,696 | $37,586 | $14.31 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $32,315 | $34,155 | $35,452 | $37,537 | $40,663 | $15.48 |
| Davenport | 18.93% | $30,200 | $31,920 | $33,132 | $35,080 | $38,002 | $14.47 |
| Dayton | 21.42% | $30,832 | $32,588 | $33,825 | $35,814 | $38,797 | $14.77 |
| Denver | 30.52% | $33,143 | $35,030 | $36,360 | $38,498 | $41,705 | $15.88 |
| Detroit | 29.12% | $32,787 | $34,655 | $35,970 | $38,085 | $41,258 | $15.71 |
| Fresno | 17.65% | $29,875 | $31,576 | $32,775 | $34,702 | $37,593 | $14.31 |
| Harrisburg | 19.43% | $30,327 | $32,054 | $33,271 | $35,227 | $38,161 | $14.53 |
| Hartford | 32.08% | $33,539 | $35,449 | $36,795 | $38,958 | $42,204 | $16.07 |
| Hawaii | 22.21% | $31,033 | $32,800 | $34,045 | $36,047 | $39,050 | $14.87 |
| Houston | 35.00% | $34,281 | $36,233 | $37,608 | $39,820 | $43,137 | $16.43 |
| Huntsville | 21.91% | $30,957 | $32,719 | $33,962 | $35,959 | $38,954 | $14.83 |
| Indianapolis | 18.15% | $30,002 | $31,710 | $32,914 | $34,850 | $37,752 | $14.38 |
| Kansas City | 18.97% | $30,210 | $31,930 | $33,143 | $35,091 | $38,014 | $14.48 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $30,875 | $32,634 | $33,873 | $35,864 | $38,852 | $14.79 |
| Las Vegas | 19.57% | $30,362 | $32,091 | $33,310 | $35,268 | $38,206 | $14.55 |
| Los Angeles | 36.47% | $34,654 | $36,627 | $38,018 | $40,253 | $43,606 | $16.60 |
| Miami | 24.67% | $31,657 | $33,460 | $34,731 | $36,773 | $39,836 | $15.17 |
| Milwaukee | 22.42% | $31,086 | $32,856 | $34,104 | $36,109 | $39,117 | $14.90 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $32,407 | $34,252 | $35,552 | $37,643 | $40,778 | $15.53 |
| New York | 37.95% | $35,030 | $37,024 | $38,430 | $40,690 | $44,079 | $16.78 |
| Omaha | 18.23% | $30,022 | $31,732 | $32,937 | $34,873 | $37,778 | $14.39 |
| Palm Bay | 17.93% | $29,946 | $31,651 | $32,853 | $34,785 | $37,682 | $14.35 |
| Philadelphia | 28.99% | $32,754 | $34,620 | $35,934 | $38,047 | $41,216 | $15.69 |
| Phoenix | 22.45% | $31,094 | $32,864 | $34,112 | $36,118 | $39,126 | $14.90 |
| Pittsburgh | 21.03% | $30,733 | $32,483 | $33,717 | $35,699 | $38,673 | $14.73 |
| Portland | 26.13% | $32,028 | $33,852 | $35,137 | $37,203 | $40,302 | $15.35 |
| Raleigh | 22.24% | $31,040 | $32,808 | $34,054 | $36,056 | $39,059 | $14.87 |
| Reno | 17.52% | $29,842 | $31,541 | $32,739 | $34,664 | $37,551 | $14.30 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $29,725 | $31,418 | $32,611 | $34,528 | $37,404 | $14.24 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $31,051 | $32,819 | $34,065 | $36,068 | $39,072 | $14.88 |
| Sacramento | 29.76% | $32,950 | $34,826 | $36,149 | $38,274 | $41,462 | $15.79 |
| San Antonio | 18.78% | $30,162 | $31,879 | $33,090 | $35,035 | $37,954 | $14.45 |
| San Diego | 33.72% | $33,956 | $35,889 | $37,252 | $39,442 | $42,728 | $16.27 |
| San Francisco | 46.34% | $37,160 | $39,276 | $40,767 | $43,164 | $46,760 | $17.81 |
| Seattle | 31.57% | $33,410 | $35,312 | $36,653 | $38,808 | $42,041 | $16.01 |
| Tucson | 19.28% | $30,289 | $32,014 | $33,229 | $35,183 | $38,114 | $14.51 |
| Virginia Beach | 18.80% | $30,167 | $31,885 | $33,095 | $35,041 | $37,960 | $14.45 |
| Washington DC | 33.94% | $34,011 | $35,948 | $37,313 | $39,507 | $42,798 | $16.30 |
GS-2 compared with nearby grades
Step 1 and step 10 pay for nearby grades, base and Rest of U.S.:
How GS-2 pay works
- Base pay is the same nationwide; locality pay of 17.06% to 46.34% is added by duty station.
- Step increases at GS-2 are worth $604 of base pay each.
- Hourly rate = annual salary ÷ 2,087. Biweekly pay = hourly rate × 80.
- Retirement: locality pay counts toward your high-3. Estimate your pension with the FERS retirement calculator.
- Full tables for all grades are in the 2026 GS pay scale.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a GS-2 make in 2026?
GS-2 base pay in 2026 ranges from $25,393 at step 1 to $31,953 at step 10. With locality pay most employees earn more: $29,725 to $37,404 in the Rest of U.S. area and $34,011 to $42,798 in Washington, DC.
How much does a GS-2 make an hour?
The GS-2 base hourly rate is $12.17 at step 1 and $15.31 at step 10. In the Rest of U.S. locality area it is $14.24 to $17.92 an hour.
What is GS-2 step 1 pay with locality?
GS-2 step 1 pays $29,725 in the Rest of U.S. area (17.06%), $34,011 in Washington, DC (33.94%) and $37,160 in San Francisco (46.34%), the highest locality area.
How long does it take to reach GS-2 step 10?
18 years with acceptable performance: 1 year each for steps 2, 3 and 4, 2 years each for steps 5, 6 and 7, and 3 years each for steps 8, 9 and 10. Each step at GS-2 adds $604 to base pay.
What is the GS-2 biweekly pay?
GS-2 step 1 biweekly gross pay is $973.60 on base pay and $1,139.20 in the Rest of U.S. area. Biweekly pay is the hourly rate times 80 hours.
How much is a promotion from GS-2 to GS-3?
Under the two-step promotion rule, add two GS-2 step increases to your base pay and move to the lowest GS-3 step that equals or exceeds it. From GS-2 step 1 ($25,393) that is GS-3 step 1 ($27,708 base), a raise of $2,315 before locality pay.
Official sources
Last reviewed: November 2026. Reference only. Confirm your official rate with OPM or your agency; special rate tables are not included.