paybygrade

GS-10 Pay Scale 2026: Salary by Step and Locality

GS-10 · step 1 to 102026 · official
Base salary, step 1
$58,064/ year
Step 10 base$75,479
Step 1, Rest of U.S. (+17.06%)$67,970
Step 1, Washington, DC area (+33.94%)$77,771
Official2026 General Schedule: a 1.0% increase to the base table in January 2026, with locality percentages unchanged from 2025 (OPM 2026 salary tables).
Proposed2027: the President's alternative pay plan of August 2026 proposes no General Schedule increase for 2027. It becomes final with the pay order expected in December; until then the 2026 tables stay in force.

GS-10 base pay by step

StepAnnualHourlyWashingtonNew YorkLos AngelesSan JoseHoustonRest of United States (Consisting of those portions of the United States and its territories and possessions as listed in 5 CFR 591.205 not located within another locality pay area.)
Step 1$58,064$27.82$77,771$80,099$79,240$84,971$78,386$67,970
Step 2$59,999$28.75$80,363$82,769$81,881$87,803$80,999$70,235
Step 3$61,934$29.68$82,954$85,438$84,521$90,634$83,611$72,500
Step 4$63,869$30.60$85,546$88,107$87,162$93,466$86,223$74,765
Step 5$65,804$31.53$88,138$90,777$89,803$96,298$88,835$77,030
Step 6$67,739$32.46$90,730$93,446$92,443$99,129$91,448$79,295
Step 7$69,674$33.38$93,321$96,115$95,084$101,961$94,060$81,560
Step 8$71,609$34.31$95,913$98,785$97,725$104,793$96,672$83,825
Step 9$73,544$35.24$98,505$101,454$100,365$107,624$99,284$86,091
Step 10$75,479$36.17$101,097$104,123$103,006$110,456$101,897$88,356

Annual salary in US dollars. Hourly = base hourly rate from OPM's 2026 table (2,087 hours a year), before locality pay. Locality columns: Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (+33.94%); New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (+37.95%); Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (+36.47%); San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (+46.34%); Houston-The Woodlands, TX (+35%); Rest of United States (Consisting of those portions of the United States and its territories and possessions as listed in 5 CFR 591.205 not located within another locality pay area.) (+17.06%).

Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 General Schedule salary tables. Checked October 17, 2026. Unofficial copy for general information. Verify with OPM.

Who is paid at GS-10

GS-10 is used less often, mainly for some technical, law enforcement and medical jobs. Each grade has 10 steps; employees usually move up a step after 1, 2 or 3 years of acceptable work, depending on the step.

GS-10 pay in every locality area

Locality areaLocalityStep 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6Step 7Step 8Step 9Step 10
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA46.34%84,97187,80390,63493,46696,29899,129101,961104,793107,624110,456
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA37.95%80,09982,76985,43888,10790,77793,44696,11598,785101,454104,123
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA36.47%79,24081,88184,52187,16289,80392,44395,08497,725100,365103,006
Houston-The Woodlands, TX35%78,38680,99983,61186,22388,83591,44894,06096,67299,284101,897
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA33.94%77,77180,36382,95485,54688,13890,73093,32195,91398,505101,097
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA33.72%77,64380,23182,81885,40687,99390,58193,16895,75698,343100,931
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT32.58%76,98179,54782,11284,67887,24389,80892,37494,93997,505100,070
State of Alaska32.36%76,85479,41581,97684,53787,09889,65992,22194,78297,34399,904
Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA32.08%76,69179,24781,80284,35886,91489,47092,02594,58197,13799,693
Seattle-Tacoma, WA31.57%76,39578,94181,48784,03286,57889,12491,67094,21696,76299,308
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI30.86%75,98378,51581,04783,57986,11188,64391,17593,70896,24098,772
Denver-Aurora, CO30.52%75,78578,31180,83683,36285,88788,41390,93993,46495,99098,515
Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV29.76%75,34477,85580,36682,87685,38787,89890,40992,92095,43197,942
Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI29.12%74,97277,47179,96982,46884,96687,46589,96392,46294,96097,458
Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD28.99%74,89777,39379,88982,38584,88187,37789,87292,36894,86497,360
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI27.62%74,10176,57179,04081,51083,97986,44988,91891,38793,85796,326
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK27.26%73,89276,35578,81781,28083,74286,20588,66791,13093,59296,055
Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA26.13%73,23675,67778,11780,55882,99985,43987,88090,32092,76195,202
Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL24.67%72,38874,80177,21379,62582,03884,45086,86389,27591,68794,100
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL23.79%71,87774,27376,66879,06381,45983,85486,24988,64591,04093,435
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ22.45%71,09973,46975,83878,20880,57782,94685,31687,68590,05592,424
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI22.42%71,08273,45175,82078,18880,55782,92685,29587,66490,03392,401
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY22.41%71,07673,44575,81378,18280,55182,91985,28887,65790,02592,394
Richmond, VA22.28%71,00173,36775,73378,09980,46582,83185,19787,56389,93092,296
Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC22.24%70,97773,34375,70878,07380,43982,80485,16987,53589,90092,266
Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA22.23%70,97273,33775,70278,06780,43282,79785,16387,52889,89392,258
State of Hawaii22.21%70,96073,32575,69078,05480,41982,78485,14987,51389,87892,243
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH22.15%70,92573,28975,65278,01680,38082,74385,10787,47089,83492,198
Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN21.93%70,79773,15775,51677,87580,23582,59484,95487,31389,67292,032
Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN21.91%70,78673,14575,50477,86380,22282,58184,94087,29989,65792,016
Laredo, TX21.59%70,60072,95375,30677,65880,01182,36484,71787,06989,42291,775
Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH21.42%70,50172,85175,20077,55079,89982,24984,59886,94889,29791,647
Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV21.03%70,27572,61774,95977,30179,64381,98584,32686,66889,01091,352
Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA20.77%70,12472,46174,79877,13579,47181,80884,14586,48288,81991,156
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX20.35%69,88072,20974,53876,86679,19581,52483,85386,18188,51090,839
Colorado Springs, CO20.15%69,76472,08974,41476,73979,06481,38883,71386,03888,36390,688
St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL20.03%69,69472,01774,33976,66278,98581,30783,63085,95288,27590,597
Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC19.67%69,48571,80174,11676,43278,74881,06383,37985,69488,01090,326
Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ19.57%69,42771,74174,05476,36878,68280,99683,30985,62387,93790,250
Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, VT19.45%69,35771,66973,98076,29278,60380,91483,22685,53787,84890,160
Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA19.43%69,34671,65773,96876,27978,59080,90183,21285,52387,83490,145
Tucson-Nogales, AZ19.28%69,25971,56773,87576,18378,49180,79983,10785,41587,72390,031
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS18.97%69,07971,38173,68375,98578,28780,58982,89185,19387,49589,797
Davenport-Moline, IA-IL18.93%69,05671,35773,65875,95978,26180,56282,86385,16587,46689,767
Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC18.8%68,98071,27973,57875,87678,17580,47482,77385,07187,37089,669
San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX18.78%68,96871,26773,56575,86478,16280,46082,75985,05787,35689,654
Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM18.33%68,70770,99773,28775,57677,86680,15682,44584,73587,02589,314
Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL18.24%68,65570,94373,23175,51977,80780,09582,38384,67086,95889,246
Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA18.23%68,64970,93773,22575,51277,80080,08882,37684,66386,95189,239
Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN18.15%68,60370,88973,17575,46177,74780,03482,32084,60686,89289,178
Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA18.01%68,52170,80573,08875,37277,65579,93982,22284,50686,78989,073
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL17.93%68,47570,75773,03975,32177,60379,88582,16784,44886,73089,012
Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY17.88%68,44670,72773,00875,28977,57079,85182,13284,41386,69488,975
Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID17.67%68,32470,60172,87875,15577,43279,70881,98584,26286,53988,816
Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA17.65%68,31270,58972,86575,14277,41879,69581,97184,24886,52588,801
Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX17.63%68,30170,57772,85375,12977,40579,68181,95884,23486,51088,786
Reno-Fernley, NV17.52%68,23770,51172,78575,05977,33379,60781,88184,15586,42988,703
Rest of United States (Consisting of those portions of the United States and its territories and possessions as listed in 5 CFR 591.205 not located within another locality pay area.)17.06%67,97070,23572,50074,76577,03079,29581,56083,82586,09188,356

Sorted from the highest locality percentage to the lowest. Annual salary in US dollars. Source: OPM 2026 locality pay tables, opm.gov.

Unofficial estimates for general information only. Not financial, tax or legal advice. Your actual pay, allowances and benefits are set by OPM and your agency. Always verify with the official source.

Questions

How much does a GS-10 make in 2026?

The 2026 GS-10 base salary runs from $58,064 at step 1 to $75,479 at step 10. With locality pay, step 1 is $67,970 in the Rest of U.S. area and $77,771 in the Washington, DC area.

What is the hourly rate for GS-10?

The 2026 base hourly rate for GS-10 is $27.82 at step 1 and $36.17 at step 10, before locality pay.

Will GS-10 pay go up in 2027?

The President's alternative pay plan of August 2026 proposes no General Schedule increase for 2027. The decision becomes final with the pay order expected in December 2026.

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