The General Schedule (GS) is the predominant pay scale for federal employees, organizing positions into 15 grades (GS-1 to GS-15) based on the level of difficulty, responsibility, and qualifications required. To explore how the GS scale compares with non-GS federal agencies, explore our Federal Pay Directory.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) applies "Locality Pay" to adjust base salaries based on the local cost of labor in specific geographic areas. High-cost areas like Seattle, Washington, or San Francisco receive higher percentage adjustments to remain competitive with the private sector. Discover how OPM sets these rates in our Locality Pay Calculation Guide.

Because the cost of living fluctuates drastically between regions, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sets specific locality pay adjustments based on your geographic duty station. These adjustments are calculated as a percentage increase applied on top of your base General Schedule pay. Read our in-depth walkthrough on Locality Pay Formulas & Methodology.

Yes. Certain highly technical or hard-to-fill occupations (like specific IT, engineering, or medical roles) may qualify for OPM Special Salary Rates. These rates override the standard locality pay if the special rate is higher. See if your job series qualifies in our comprehensive Special Salary Rates (SSR) Guide.

Overtime rules shift as you climb the GS ladder. For higher grades, such as a GS-13, overtime is generally capped under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In many cases, high-grade employees are paid their standard "straight time" hourly rate for overtime hours, rather than traditional time-and-a-half. Learn the specific rules in our Overtime, Comp Time, and Credit Hours Guide and our Premium Pay Guide.

Within each of the 15 GS grades are 10 "steps." Employees move up these steps automatically based on time-in-service and acceptable performance, which increases base pay. Track the full 18-year career timeline in our WGI Timeline Guide, or explore hiring incentives and sign-on bonuses in our 3R Incentives Guide.

While there are other federal pay systems—such as the Federal Wage System (FWS) for trades/crafts jobs or the Senior Executive Service (SES)—this calculator is strictly designed for the General Schedule. Explore non-GS pay structures in our Federal Pay Systems Overview and our GS vs. FWS Comparison Guide.

Within-Grade Increases (WGIs) are tied to time-in-service. Moving from Steps 1 to 2, 2 to 3, and 3 to 4 takes 1 year each. Steps 4 to 7 take 2 years each, and Steps 7 to 10 take 3 years each (18 years total). Discover advancement details in our WGI Step Timeline Guide, and see how new hires can negotiate advanced steps in our Superior Qualifications Guide.

When you are promoted to a higher GS grade, OPM rules guarantee that your new salary will be set at a rate that exceeds your current base pay by at least the value of two step increases at your old grade. See worked step calculations and case studies in our Two-Step Promotion Rule Guide.

Yes. Your standard Locality Pay is considered part of your "basic pay." This means it counts toward your High-3 average salary for calculating your Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension, and it is the figure used when calculating your TSP match. Learn how FERS deductions impact your net take-home pay in our FERS Contribution Impact Guide, and review leave payouts in our Annual Leave Lump-Sum Guide.

Yes. Under federal law, the maximum payable rate for any GS employee (Base Pay + Locality Pay) is legally capped at the rate for Level IV of the Executive Schedule (EX-IV). If your locality adjustment pushes your salary above this cap, pay is flattened. Read how salary compression impacts senior grades in our Federal Pay Caps Guide.

Your Locality Pay is determined by your official duty station, not where your house is located. If you transfer to a new role in a different geographic area, your Base Pay remains unchanged, but Locality Pay shifts to match your new location. Check out our Relocation Math Guide to discover why a higher locality pay rate can sometimes still result in a net purchasing power loss.