Free FERS Tool · 2026

2026 GS Pay Scale — Raleigh

Locality-adjusted General Schedule pay for Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC, the OPM pay area covering Raleigh. Every grade and step below is base pay plus the 22.24% locality add-on, computed with OPM's own formula.

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

22.24%

Locality rate

$111,147

GS-13 Step 1

+$4,710

vs. Rest of U.S.

#25

Of 58 areas

What Raleigh locality pay is worth

Raleigh carries a locality rate of 22.24%, which ranks #25 of 58 areas on this site. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that is worth $4,710 a year more than the same grade and step in the Rest of U.S. area ($111,147 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 — Raleigh (22.24%)

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	$27,607	$28,532	$29,450	$30,364	$31,280	$31,817	$32,725	$33,639	$33,677	$34,530
GS-2	$31,040	$31,779	$32,808	$33,677	$34,054	$35,055	$36,056	$37,057	$38,058	$39,059
GS-3	$33,870	$35,000	$36,129	$37,259	$38,388	$39,518	$40,647	$41,777	$42,906	$44,036
GS-4	$38,020	$39,288	$40,556	$41,823	$43,091	$44,358	$45,626	$46,894	$48,161	$49,429
GS-5	$42,538	$43,956	$45,374	$46,792	$48,210	$49,628	$51,046	$52,464	$53,882	$55,300
GS-6	$47,418	$48,999	$50,579	$52,160	$53,740	$55,321	$56,901	$58,482	$60,063	$61,643
GS-7	$52,693	$54,449	$56,206	$57,963	$59,719	$61,476	$63,232	$64,989	$66,745	$68,502
GS-8	$58,355	$60,300	$62,245	$64,189	$66,134	$68,079	$70,024	$71,969	$73,914	$75,858
GS-9	$64,453	$66,602	$68,751	$70,900	$73,049	$75,198	$77,347	$79,496	$81,645	$83,794
GS-10	$70,977	$73,343	$75,708	$78,073	$80,439	$82,804	$85,169	$87,535	$89,900	$92,266
GS-11	$77,983	$80,583	$83,183	$85,783	$88,383	$90,983	$93,583	$96,183	$98,783	$101,383
GS-12	$93,468	$96,584	$99,700	$102,816	$105,932	$109,048	$112,164	$115,280	$118,396	$121,511
GS-13	$111,147	$114,852	$118,557	$122,262	$125,967	$129,672	$133,377	$137,082	$140,787	$144,493
GS-14	$131,342	$135,721	$140,099	$144,478	$148,857	$153,235	$157,614	$161,992	$166,371	$170,750
GS-15	$154,492	$159,642	$164,792	$169,942	$175,092	$180,242	$185,392	$190,542	$195,692	$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 × 0.2224)
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 Raleigh, plus the Rest of U.S. baseline.

Rest of U.S.17.06%Cleveland22.23%Hawaii22.21%Richmond22.28%Columbus22.15%Buffalo22.41%

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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