FederalPay.org
FederalPay.org
General Schedule (GS) Payscale in Washington for 2026
Click any county to view locality pay tables
The General Schedule (GS) payscale is the federal government payscale used to determine the salaries of over 70% of federal civilian employees.
Under the GS payscale, an employee's base pay depends on two factors - the GS Paygrade of their job, and the Paygrade Step they have achieved (depending on seniority or performance). This base pay is then modified based on a "Locality Pay Adjustment", which adjusts the GS payscale based on cost-of-living in different areas within the United States.
Washington has one or more Locality Pay Adjustment areas with special locality pay adjustment rates. This page lists the locality-adjusted yearly GS pay scales for each area, with starting pay for a GS-1 broken down by county in the interactive map. For a detailed calculation of your pay as a GS employee in Washington, see our General Schedule Pay Calculator.
The SEATTLE-TACOMA, WA General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in Seattle and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 31.57% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $29,714 | $30,710 | $31,698 | $32,682 | $33,667 | $34,245 | $35,223 | $36,207 | $36,248 | $37,166 |
| GS-2 | $33,410 | $34,204 | $35,312 | $36,248 | $36,653 | $37,730 | $38,808 | $39,885 | $40,963 | $42,041 |
| GS-3 | $36,455 | $37,671 | $38,887 | $40,103 | $41,318 | $42,534 | $43,750 | $44,965 | $46,181 | $47,397 |
| GS-4 | $40,922 | $42,287 | $43,651 | $45,015 | $46,380 | $47,744 | $49,109 | $50,473 | $51,837 | $53,202 |
| GS-5 | $45,785 | $47,311 | $48,837 | $50,364 | $51,890 | $53,416 | $54,942 | $56,469 | $57,995 | $59,521 |
| GS-6 | $51,037 | $52,739 | $54,440 | $56,141 | $57,842 | $59,543 | $61,245 | $62,946 | $64,647 | $66,348 |
| GS-7 | $56,715 | $58,605 | $60,496 | $62,387 | $64,277 | $66,168 | $68,059 | $69,949 | $71,840 | $73,731 |
| GS-8 | $62,809 | $64,902 | $66,995 | $69,089 | $71,182 | $73,275 | $75,369 | $77,462 | $79,555 | $81,648 |
| GS-9 | $69,373 | $71,686 | $73,999 | $76,312 | $78,625 | $80,938 | $83,251 | $85,564 | $87,877 | $90,190 |
| GS-10 | $76,395 | $78,941 | $81,487 | $84,032 | $86,578 | $89,124 | $91,670 | $94,216 | $96,762 | $99,308 |
| GS-11 | $83,935 | $86,734 | $89,532 | $92,331 | $95,129 | $97,928 | $100,726 | $103,525 | $106,323 | $109,122 |
| GS-12 | $100,602 | $103,956 | $107,310 | $110,664 | $114,017 | $117,371 | $120,725 | $124,078 | $127,432 | $130,786 |
| GS-13 | $119,630 | $123,618 | $127,606 | $131,594 | $135,582 | $139,569 | $143,557 | $147,545 | $151,533 | $155,521 |
| GS-14 | $141,367 | $146,080 | $150,792 | $155,505 | $160,218 | $164,931 | $169,644 | $174,357 | $179,069 | $183,782 |
| GS-15 | $166,283 | $171,826 | $177,370 | $182,913 | $188,456 | $193,999 | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* |
The Seattle locality pay rate also applies to Bellevue, Bremerton, Everett, Kent, Oak Harbor, Seattle, Tacoma, and other cities within the region.
The PORTLAND-VANCOUVER-SALEM, OR-WA General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in Portland and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 26.13% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $28,485 | $29,440 | $30,387 | $31,331 | $32,275 | $32,829 | $33,766 | $34,710 | $34,749 | $35,629 |
| GS-2 | $32,028 | $32,790 | $33,852 | $34,749 | $35,137 | $36,170 | $37,203 | $38,236 | $39,269 | $40,302 |
| GS-3 | $34,948 | $36,114 | $37,279 | $38,444 | $39,610 | $40,775 | $41,941 | $43,106 | $44,272 | $45,437 |
| GS-4 | $39,230 | $40,538 | $41,846 | $43,154 | $44,462 | $45,770 | $47,078 | $48,386 | $49,694 | $51,002 |
| GS-5 | $43,892 | $45,355 | $46,818 | $48,281 | $49,744 | $51,208 | $52,671 | $54,134 | $55,597 | $57,060 |
| GS-6 | $48,927 | $50,558 | $52,189 | $53,820 | $55,451 | $57,081 | $58,712 | $60,343 | $61,974 | $63,605 |
| GS-7 | $54,370 | $56,182 | $57,995 | $59,807 | $61,620 | $63,432 | $65,245 | $67,057 | $68,870 | $70,682 |
| GS-8 | $60,212 | $62,219 | $64,225 | $66,232 | $68,239 | $70,246 | $72,252 | $74,259 | $76,266 | $78,272 |
| GS-9 | $66,505 | $68,722 | $70,939 | $73,157 | $75,374 | $77,591 | $79,809 | $82,026 | $84,243 | $86,461 |
| GS-10 | $73,236 | $75,677 | $78,117 | $80,558 | $82,999 | $85,439 | $87,880 | $90,320 | $92,761 | $95,202 |
| GS-11 | $80,465 | $83,147 | $85,830 | $88,513 | $91,196 | $93,879 | $96,561 | $99,244 | $101,927 | $104,610 |
| GS-12 | $96,443 | $99,658 | $102,873 | $106,088 | $109,303 | $112,518 | $115,733 | $118,948 | $122,163 | $125,378 |
| GS-13 | $114,684 | $118,507 | $122,330 | $126,153 | $129,976 | $133,799 | $137,622 | $141,445 | $145,268 | $149,091 |
| GS-14 | $135,522 | $140,040 | $144,558 | $149,076 | $153,594 | $158,112 | $162,629 | $167,147 | $171,665 | $176,183 |
| GS-15 | $159,408 | $164,722 | $170,036 | $175,350 | $180,664 | $185,977 | $191,291 | $196,605 | $197,200* | $197,200* |
The Portland locality pay rate also applies to Vancouver, and other cities within the region.
The SPOKANE-SPOKANE VALLEY-COEUR D'ALENE, WA-ID General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in Spokane and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 17.67% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,575 | $27,465 | $28,349 | $29,229 | $30,111 | $30,627 | $31,501 | $32,382 | $32,418 | $33,239 |
| GS-2 | $29,880 | $30,591 | $31,581 | $32,418 | $32,781 | $33,744 | $34,708 | $35,672 | $36,635 | $37,599 |
| GS-3 | $32,604 | $33,691 | $34,779 | $35,866 | $36,953 | $38,040 | $39,128 | $40,215 | $41,302 | $42,389 |
| GS-4 | $36,599 | $37,819 | $39,039 | $40,260 | $41,480 | $42,700 | $43,920 | $45,141 | $46,361 | $47,581 |
| GS-5 | $40,948 | $42,313 | $43,678 | $45,043 | $46,408 | $47,773 | $49,138 | $50,503 | $51,868 | $53,233 |
| GS-6 | $45,645 | $47,167 | $48,688 | $50,210 | $51,731 | $53,253 | $54,774 | $56,296 | $57,817 | $59,339 |
| GS-7 | $50,723 | $52,414 | $54,105 | $55,796 | $57,487 | $59,177 | $60,868 | $62,559 | $64,250 | $65,941 |
| GS-8 | $56,173 | $58,045 | $59,918 | $61,790 | $63,662 | $65,534 | $67,406 | $69,278 | $71,150 | $73,022 |
| GS-9 | $62,044 | $64,112 | $66,181 | $68,250 | $70,318 | $72,387 | $74,456 | $76,524 | $78,593 | $80,662 |
| GS-10 | $68,324 | $70,601 | $72,878 | $75,155 | $77,432 | $79,708 | $81,985 | $84,262 | $86,539 | $88,816 |
| GS-11 | $75,068 | $77,570 | $80,073 | $82,576 | $85,079 | $87,582 | $90,085 | $92,587 | $95,090 | $97,593 |
| GS-12 | $89,974 | $92,973 | $95,973 | $98,972 | $101,972 | $104,971 | $107,970 | $110,970 | $113,969 | $116,969 |
| GS-13 | $106,991 | $110,558 | $114,125 | $117,691 | $121,258 | $124,824 | $128,391 | $131,957 | $135,524 | $139,091 |
| GS-14 | $126,432 | $130,647 | $134,862 | $139,077 | $143,291 | $147,506 | $151,721 | $155,936 | $160,151 | $164,366 |
| GS-15 | $148,716 | $153,673 | $158,631 | $163,588 | $168,546 | $173,503 | $178,461 | $183,418 | $188,376 | $193,333 |
The Spokane locality pay rate also applies to Spokane, and other cities within the region.
Any federal employees in Washington who do not live in an area for which a specific Locality Pay Adjustment has been set will receive the generic "Rest of the United States" locality pay adjustment of 17.06% (shown in the table below).
| GS Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,437 | $27,323 | $28,202 | $29,078 | $29,954 | $30,468 | $31,338 | $32,214 | $32,250 | $33,067 |
| GS-2 | $29,725 | $30,432 | $31,418 | $32,250 | $32,611 | $33,569 | $34,528 | $35,487 | $36,445 | $37,404 |
| GS-3 | $32,435 | $33,517 | $34,598 | $35,680 | $36,762 | $37,843 | $38,925 | $40,006 | $41,088 | $42,170 |
| GS-4 | $36,409 | $37,623 | $38,837 | $40,051 | $41,265 | $42,479 | $43,693 | $44,907 | $46,120 | $47,334 |
| GS-5 | $40,736 | $42,094 | $43,452 | $44,809 | $46,167 | $47,525 | $48,883 | $50,241 | $51,599 | $52,957 |
| GS-6 | $45,409 | $46,922 | $48,436 | $49,950 | $51,463 | $52,977 | $54,490 | $56,004 | $57,517 | $59,031 |
| GS-7 | $50,460 | $52,142 | $53,824 | $55,506 | $57,188 | $58,871 | $60,553 | $62,235 | $63,917 | $65,599 |
| GS-8 | $55,882 | $57,745 | $59,607 | $61,469 | $63,332 | $65,194 | $67,057 | $68,919 | $70,781 | $72,644 |
| GS-9 | $61,722 | $63,780 | $65,838 | $67,896 | $69,954 | $72,012 | $74,070 | $76,128 | $78,186 | $80,243 |
| GS-10 | $67,970 | $70,235 | $72,500 | $74,765 | $77,030 | $79,295 | $81,560 | $83,825 | $86,091 | $88,356 |
| GS-11 | $74,678 | $77,168 | $79,658 | $82,148 | $84,638 | $87,128 | $89,618 | $92,107 | $94,597 | $97,087 |
| GS-12 | $89,508 | $92,491 | $95,475 | $98,459 | $101,443 | $104,427 | $107,411 | $110,395 | $113,378 | $116,362 |
| GS-13 | $106,437 | $109,985 | $113,533 | $117,081 | $120,629 | $124,177 | $127,725 | $131,273 | $134,822 | $138,370 |
| GS-14 | $125,776 | $129,969 | $134,162 | $138,356 | $142,549 | $146,742 | $150,935 | $155,128 | $159,321 | $163,514 |
| GS-15 | $147,945 | $152,877 | $157,809 | $162,740 | $167,672 | $172,604 | $177,536 | $182,467 | $187,399 | $192,331 |
The Rest of U.S. locality pay rate also applies to Yakima, and other cities within the region.
* For some high-paygrade workers pay under the GS scale may be capped at $197,200, which is the SES (Senior Executive Scale)'s Level 4 pay for the current year (5 U.S.C. 5304 (g)(1)).
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