Denver-Aurora, CO GS Pay Scale 2026
The 2026 General Schedule locality adjustment for duty stations in Denver-Aurora, CO is +30.52%, applied on top of OPM's official 2026 GS base pay table, capped at Executive Schedule Level IV ($197,200). This page covers all 15 GS grades and all 10 within-grade steps for this specific locality pay area.
Last updated: · Source: OPM Salary Table 2026-GS · Executive Order 14368
Denver-Aurora is a major Rocky Mountain federal center with a +30.52% OPM locality adjustment in 2026. Known as the 'second federal capital' due to the concentration of civil service personnel at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood and Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, this area hosts regional headquarters for public lands, USGS, EPA Region 8, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Source: OPM 2026 locality area definitionCalculate Any Grade & Step for Denver-Aurora, CO
Select your exact GS Grade and Step to open the full interactive calculator pre-loaded for this locality.
Spotlight: GS-5, GS-9, GS-13, GS-15 Across All 10 Steps (Denver-Aurora, CO)
Click any salary to calculateBuild-time pre-computed adjusted annual salaries for Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%). Values capped at EX-IV $197,200. Click any salary to load overtime, biweekly check, and FERS pension estimates in the interactive engine.
| Step | GS-5 ↗ | GS-9 ↗ | GS-13 ↗ | GS-15 ↗ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $45,420 | $68,819 | $118,675 | $164,956 |
| Step 2 | $46,934 | $71,114 | $122,631 | $170,455 |
| Step 3 | $48,448 | $73,408 | $126,587 | $175,954 |
| Step 4 | $49,962 | $75,703 | $130,543 | $181,453 |
| Step 5 | $51,476 | $77,997 | $134,500 | $186,952 |
| Step 6 | $52,990 | $80,292 | $138,456 | $192,450 |
| Step 7 | $54,504 | $82,587 | $142,412 | $197,200⛔ |
| Step 8 | $56,018 | $84,881 | $146,368 | $197,200⛔ |
| Step 9 | $57,532 | $87,176 | $150,324 | $197,200⛔ |
| Step 10 | $59,046 | $89,470 | $154,280 | $197,200⛔ |
⛔ Cell flagged amber when the unadjusted locality-adjusted salary would exceed the $197,200 Executive Schedule Level IV cap.
Quick Reference: Step 1 Across 5 Common Comparison Points
Compare Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%) against Rest of U.S., Washington DC, and San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland at GS-5, GS-9, GS-11, GS-12, and GS-13 Step 1.
| Grade (Step 1) | Base Pay | Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%) | RUS (+17.06%) | DC (+33.94%) | SF (+46.34%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5↗ | $34,799 | $45,420 | $40,736 | $46,610 | $50,925 |
| GS-9↗ | $52,727 | $68,819 | $61,722 | $70,623 | $77,161 |
| GS-11↗ | $63,795 | $83,265 | $74,678 | $85,447 | $93,358 |
| GS-12↗ | $76,463 | $99,800 | $89,508 | $102,415 | $111,896 |
| GS-13↗ | $90,925 | $118,675 | $106,437 | $121,785 | $133,060 |
Worked Examples (Denver-Aurora, CO)
Example A — Mid-Level Specialist (GS-9, Step 1) in Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%)
Open in Live Engine ↗Base Salary: $52,727.00. Locality Adjustment: $52,727 × 30.52% = $16,092.00. Total Adjusted Annual Salary: $68,819.00. Applying the federal 2,087 divisor: $68,819.00 ÷ 2,087 = $32.98/hour. Biweekly Gross Check (80h): $32.98 × 80 = $2,638.40. Monthly Equivalent: $5,734.92.
Example B — Senior Specialist (GS-13, Step 5) in Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%)
Open in Live Engine ↗Base Salary: $103,049.00. Locality Adjustment: $103,049 × 30.52% = $31,451.00. Total Adjusted Annual Salary: $134,500.00. Hourly Rate: $134,500.00 ÷ 2,087 = $64.45/hour. Biweekly Gross Check: $64.45 × 80 = $5,156.00. Monthly Equivalent: $11,208.33.
Denver-Aurora, CO Locality Boundaries & Federal Employers
OPM Code: DENAdams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Park, Weld in CO.
- General Services Administration (Denver Federal Center)
- Department of the Interior (USGS, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation)
- United States Space Force (Buckley SFB)
- EPA Region 8 Headquarters
- US Mint (Denver)
Remote employees based in mountain foothills communities should verify whether their county falls within the 13-county Denver boundary or reverts to Rest of U.S.
Executive Schedule Level IV ($197,200) restricts GS-15 Step 8 ($198,178 raw) through Step 10 ($214,446 raw) to exactly $197,200.
Compare to Other Metros
The 6 OPM locality pay areas closest to Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%) by percentage.
All 58 OPM Locality Pay Areas
Jump to any of the 58 OPM locality pay areas. Your current selection (Denver-Aurora, CO) is highlighted.
Need Custom Overtime, FERS High-3, or LEO Rates for Denver-Aurora, CO?
Launch our full interactive 2026 Federal Pay Calculator with real-time sliders, Title 5 statutory overtime cap enforcement, and copyable pay breakdown for all 58 localities.
Denver-Aurora, CO GS Pay FAQs
Common questions about federal GS pay, locality adjustments, and the EX-IV cap for Denver-Aurora, CO.
How is the Denver-Aurora, CO locality pay percentage calculated?
The Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%) locality pay percentage is derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Metropolitan Statistical Area wage surveys. OPM compares federal and non-federal pay in the area and caps the resulting differential at the national Employment Cost Index (ECI) to comply with 5 U.S.C. § 5304.
What is the highest GS grade I can reach in Denver-Aurora, CO before the EX-IV pay cap binds?
For Denver-Aurora, CO (+30.52%), the EX-IV cap binds starting at GS-15, Step 7. The highest GS grade and step combination that remains uncapped is GS-15, Step 6.
Does the 2026 1.0% raise apply to Denver-Aurora, CO?
Yes. The 2026 1.0% across-the-board base pay increase authorized by Executive Order 14368 applies uniformly to all 58 OPM locality pay areas, including Denver-Aurora, CO. Only the locality percentage differs between areas; the base GS pay table is identical.
Will Denver-Aurora, CO locality pay increase in 2027?
Locality percentages were frozen at 2025 levels for 2026. The 2027 locality percentages for Denver-Aurora, CO and the other 57 areas will depend on the President's Pay Agent decision following the Federal Salary Council recommendation in late 2026. Check back here after the December 2026 Executive Order for the official 2027 figures.