2026 GS Locality Pay Table – Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA

By: FEDweek Staff

Salary Table 2026-DCB
Incorporating the 1% General Schedule Increase and a Locality Payment of 33.94%
For the Locality Pay Area of Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA
Total Increase: 1%
Effective January 2026
Annual Rates by Grade and Step

Grade	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5	Step 6	Step 7	Step 8	Step 9	Step 10
1	30249	31263	32269	33271	34274	34862	35857	36859	36900	37835
2	34011	34820	35948	36900	37313	38410	39507	40604	41701	42798
3	37112	38350	39587	40825	42063	43300	44538	45775	47013	48251
4	41659	43048	44437	45826	47215	48604	49993	51382	52771	54160
5	46610	48163	49717	51271	52825	54378	55932	57486	59039	60593
6	51957	53689	55420	57152	58884	60616	62348	64080	65811	67543
7	57736	59661	61586	63510	65435	67360	69284	71209	73134	75059
8	63940	66071	68202	70333	72464	74595	76726	78857	80988	83119
9	70623	72977	75332	77687	80041	82396	84751	87105	89460	91815
10	77771	80363	82954	85546	88138	90730	93321	95913	98505	101097
11	85447	88296	91145	93994	96843	99692	102540	105389	108238	111087
12	102415	105829	109243	112657	116071	119485	122899	126313	129728	133142
13	121785	125845	129904	133964	138024	142084	146143	150203	154263	158322
14	143913	148711	153509	158306	163104	167902	172700	177497	182295	187093
15	169279	174922	180565	186207	191850	197200 *	197200 *	197200 *	197200 *	197200 *

* Rate limited to the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5304 (g)(1)).

See also,

Conversions to Schedule P/C Pending; Acknowledgement Form Draws Attention

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Locality raises are determined by comparisons of local private sector salary rates, not by cost of living. An individual’s rate is based on where he or she works, not where he or she lives.

Federal Pay Systems
The general schedule salary system for white collar federal employees is what is generally referred to the “civil service” pay system even though it now covers only just more than half of the workforce. The wage system for blue collar employees is the next largest while numerous other special salary systems make up the rest.

Separate salary systems are maintained for Senior Executive Service members, the U.S. Postal Service, the Foreign Service, law enforcement officers, most medical personnel of the Veterans Health Administration and high-level officials including administrative law judges, Board of Contract Appeal members, and certain senior professional employees.

Presidential appointees are paid under the Executive Schedule system while federal judges and members of Congress also have separate pay schedules.

2026 FERS Retirement & Thrift Savings Plan Handbook