Free FERS Tool · 2026

2026 GS Pay Scale — Austin

Locality-adjusted General Schedule pay for Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX, the OPM pay area covering Austin. Every grade and step below is base pay plus the 20.35% locality add-on, computed with OPM's own formula.

2026 rules · statutory figures last checked October 31, 2026 · Sources: OPM · GSA

20.35%

Locality rate

$109,428

GS-13 Step 1

+$2,991

vs. Rest of U.S.

#35

Of 58 areas

What Austin locality pay is worth

Austin carries a locality rate of 20.35%, which ranks #35 of 58 areas on this site. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that is worth $2,991 a year more than the same grade and step in the Rest of U.S. area ($109,428 against $106,437).

Locality pay is not a bonus — it is part of basic pay. That matters for retirement: it counts toward your High-3 average salary, and therefore toward your FERS pension. A move between pay areas late in your career can move your High-3 in either direction.

Locality pay counts toward your High-3. Because it is basic pay, the difference above compounds into your annuity — not just your paycheck. Calculate your High-3 →

2026 pay table — Austin (20.35%)

Annual locality-adjusted salary by grade and step. Figures are rounded to the dollar. Cells shown in amber are capped at the Executive Schedule Level IV limit of $197,200 — 1 of 150 cells in this area hit that ceiling.

Grade	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5	Step 6	Step 7	Step 8	Step 9	Step 10
GS-1	$27,180	$28,091	$28,995	$29,895	$30,796	$31,325	$32,219	$33,119	$33,156	$33,996
GS-2	$30,560	$31,287	$32,301	$33,156	$33,527	$34,513	$35,498	$36,484	$37,470	$38,455
GS-3	$33,347	$34,459	$35,571	$36,683	$37,795	$38,907	$40,019	$41,131	$42,243	$43,355
GS-4	$37,432	$38,680	$39,929	$41,177	$42,425	$43,673	$44,921	$46,169	$47,417	$48,665
GS-5	$41,881	$43,277	$44,673	$46,069	$47,465	$48,861	$50,257	$51,653	$53,049	$54,445
GS-6	$46,685	$48,241	$49,797	$51,353	$52,909	$54,466	$56,022	$57,578	$59,134	$60,690
GS-7	$51,878	$53,608	$55,337	$57,066	$58,796	$60,525	$62,255	$63,984	$65,714	$67,443
GS-8	$57,453	$59,367	$61,282	$63,197	$65,112	$67,027	$68,941	$70,856	$72,771	$74,686
GS-9	$63,457	$65,573	$67,688	$69,804	$71,920	$74,036	$76,151	$78,267	$80,383	$82,499
GS-10	$69,880	$72,209	$74,538	$76,866	$79,195	$81,524	$83,853	$86,181	$88,510	$90,839
GS-11	$76,777	$79,337	$81,897	$84,457	$87,017	$89,577	$92,136	$94,696	$97,256	$99,816
GS-12	$92,023	$95,091	$98,159	$101,226	$104,294	$107,362	$110,430	$113,497	$116,565	$119,633
GS-13	$109,428	$113,076	$116,724	$120,372	$124,019	$127,667	$131,315	$134,963	$138,611	$142,259
GS-14	$129,311	$133,622	$137,933	$142,244	$146,555	$150,866	$155,177	$159,488	$163,799	$168,110
GS-15	$152,103	$157,173	$162,244	$167,314	$172,385	$177,455	$182,525	$187,596	$192,666	$197,200

How this table is calculated

OPM publishes a base General Schedule table and a locality percentage for each pay area. The locality add-on is the base rate multiplied by the area percentage and rounded to the nearest dollar; the two are then summed and the result capped at Executive Schedule Level IV.

add-on = round(base × 0.2035)
total = min(base + add-on, $197,200)

5 U.S.C. § 5304 · 5 CFR § 531.214

Compare with other pay areas

Areas with a locality rate closest to Austin, plus the Rest of U.S. baseline.

Rest of U.S.17.06%Colorado Springs20.15%St. Louis20.03%Albany20.77%Charlotte19.67%Pittsburgh21.03%

All 58 pay areas

Alaska32.36%Albany20.77%Albuquerque18.33%Atlanta23.79%Austin20.35%Birmingham18.24%Boston32.58%Buffalo22.41%Burlington19.45%Charlotte19.67%Chicago30.86%Cincinnati21.93%Cleveland22.23%Colorado Springs20.15%Columbus22.15%Corpus Christi17.63%Dallas-Fort Worth27.26%Davenport18.93%Dayton21.42%Denver30.52%Des Moines18.01%Detroit29.12%Fresno17.65%Harrisburg19.43%Hartford32.08%Hawaii22.21%Houston35.00%Huntsville21.91%Indianapolis18.15%Kansas City18.97%Laredo21.59%Las Vegas19.57%Los Angeles36.47%Miami24.67%Milwaukee22.42%Minneapolis27.62%New York37.95%Omaha18.23%Palm Bay17.93%Philadelphia28.99%Phoenix22.45%Pittsburgh21.03%Portland26.13%Raleigh22.24%Reno17.52%Rest of U.S.17.06%Richmond22.28%Rochester17.88%Sacramento29.76%San Antonio18.78%San Diego33.72%San Francisco46.34%Seattle31.57%Spokane17.67%St. Louis20.03%Tucson19.28%Virginia Beach18.80%Washington, DC33.94%

Need a different grade, step, or a biweekly figure? Use the GS pay calculator → — it covers every area, shows the base/locality split, and flags the pay cap.

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