paybygrade

Sources

Last updated: October 17, 2026

paybygrade uses only official public documents. Works of the U.S. federal government are not protected by copyright (17 U.S.C. 105), so the figures can be reused; we redraw them in our own tables and link to the original. We do not use any agency seal, logo or insignia, and no agency has reviewed or endorsed this site.

Military basic pay

  • Executive Order “Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay”, Schedule 8, Pay of the Uniformed Services, effective January 1, 2026. Federal Register, Vol. 90, No. 244, December 23, 2025, document 2025-23844: federalregister.gov, PDF on govinfo.gov. Each of the 541 amounts in our tables was checked against this schedule.
  • 2027 projection: 37 U.S.C. 1009 (raise formula) and the Congressional Research Service report IN12706 on the fiscal year 2027 defense bill.
  • Drill pay rule: 37 U.S.C. 206.

VA rates

  • Veterans disability compensation rates, effective December 1, 2025: va.gov.
  • Special monthly compensation rates: va.gov.
  • Survivor (DIC) rates: va.gov.
  • Veterans Pension rates: va.gov.
  • Combined ratings: 38 CFR 4.25 and 4.26, eCFR.

General Schedule

  • OPM 2026 salary tables, base and 58 locality pay areas, annual and hourly: opm.gov.
  • Step increase waiting periods: 5 CFR 531.405, eCFR.
  • Federal holidays and leave year dates for 2026 and 2027: opm.gov.

How we keep the numbers right

Our scripts read the official files directly and stop if a number looks wrong: for example, if pay goes down with more years of service, or if a locality table does not match its percentage. When an agency publishes new figures, we update the tables and the date shown under them.