Free FERS Tool · 2026

2026 GS Pay Scale — Charlotte

Locality-adjusted General Schedule pay for Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC, the OPM pay area covering Charlotte. Every grade and step below is base pay plus the 19.67% locality add-on, computed with OPM's own formula.

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

19.67%

Locality rate

$108,810

GS-13 Step 1

+$2,373

vs. Rest of U.S.

#38

Of 58 areas

What Charlotte locality pay is worth

Charlotte carries a locality rate of 19.67%, which ranks #38 of 58 areas on this site. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that is worth $2,373 a year more than the same grade and step in the Rest of U.S. area ($108,810 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 — Charlotte (19.67%)

Annual locality-adjusted salary by grade and step. Figures are rounded to the dollar.

Grade	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5	Step 6	Step 7	Step 8	Step 9	Step 10
GS-1	$27,026	$27,932	$28,831	$29,726	$30,622	$31,148	$32,037	$32,932	$32,969	$33,804
GS-2	$30,388	$31,111	$32,118	$32,969	$33,338	$34,318	$35,298	$36,278	$37,258	$38,238
GS-3	$33,158	$34,264	$35,370	$36,475	$37,581	$38,687	$39,793	$40,898	$42,004	$43,110
GS-4	$37,221	$38,462	$39,703	$40,944	$42,185	$43,426	$44,667	$45,908	$47,149	$48,390
GS-5	$41,644	$43,032	$44,420	$45,808	$47,197	$48,585	$49,973	$51,361	$52,749	$54,138
GS-6	$46,421	$47,969	$49,516	$51,063	$52,611	$54,158	$55,705	$57,253	$58,800	$60,347
GS-7	$51,585	$53,305	$55,024	$56,744	$58,464	$60,183	$61,903	$63,623	$65,342	$67,062
GS-8	$57,128	$59,032	$60,936	$62,840	$64,744	$66,648	$68,552	$70,456	$72,360	$74,264
GS-9	$63,098	$65,202	$67,306	$69,410	$71,514	$73,617	$75,721	$77,825	$79,929	$82,033
GS-10	$69,485	$71,801	$74,116	$76,432	$78,748	$81,063	$83,379	$85,694	$88,010	$90,326
GS-11	$76,343	$78,889	$81,434	$83,980	$86,525	$89,070	$91,616	$94,161	$96,707	$99,252
GS-12	$91,503	$94,554	$97,604	$100,654	$103,705	$106,755	$109,806	$112,856	$115,906	$118,957
GS-13	$108,810	$112,437	$116,064	$119,692	$123,319	$126,946	$130,573	$134,200	$137,828	$141,455
GS-14	$128,581	$132,867	$137,154	$141,440	$145,727	$150,014	$154,300	$158,587	$162,873	$167,160
GS-15	$151,244	$156,285	$161,327	$166,369	$171,411	$176,452	$181,494	$186,536	$191,577	$196,619

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 × 0.1967)
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 Charlotte, plus the Rest of U.S. baseline.

Rest of U.S.17.06%Las Vegas19.57%Burlington19.45%Harrisburg19.43%St. Louis20.03%Tucson19.28%

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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