Rest of U.S. GS Pay Scale 2026
The 2026 General Schedule locality adjustment for duty stations in Rest of U.S. is +17.06%, 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
Rest of U.S. is the baseline 2026 locality pay area covering all domestic duty stations not included in any of the 57 named metropolitan areas, with a +17.06% adjustment. Rather than representing a specific city, Rest of U.S. covers thousands of small towns, military ranges, national parks, and rural federal installations across 40+ states. Any federal employee outside a named MSA boundary receives this rate on their GS base pay.
Source: OPM 2026 locality area definitionCalculate Any Grade & Step for Rest of U.S.
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 (Rest of U.S.)
Click any salary to calculateBuild-time pre-computed adjusted annual salaries for Rest of U.S. (+17.06%). 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 | $40,736 | $61,722 | $106,437 | $147,945 |
| Step 2 | $42,094 | $63,780 | $109,985 | $152,877 |
| Step 3 | $43,452 | $65,838 | $113,533 | $157,809 |
| Step 4 | $44,809 | $67,896 | $117,081 | $162,740 |
| Step 5 | $46,167 | $69,954 | $120,629 | $167,672 |
| Step 6 | $47,525 | $72,012 | $124,177 | $172,604 |
| Step 7 | $48,883 | $74,070 | $127,725 | $177,536 |
| Step 8 | $50,241 | $76,128 | $131,273 | $182,467 |
| Step 9 | $51,599 | $78,186 | $134,822 | $187,399 |
| Step 10 | $52,957 | $80,243 | $138,370 | $192,331 |
⛔ 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 Rest of U.S. (+17.06%) 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 | Rest of U.S. (+17.06%) | RUS (+17.06%) | DC (+33.94%) | SF (+46.34%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5↗ | $34,799 | $40,736 | $40,736 | $46,610 | $50,925 |
| GS-9↗ | $52,727 | $61,722 | $61,722 | $70,623 | $77,161 |
| GS-11↗ | $63,795 | $74,678 | $74,678 | $85,447 | $93,358 |
| GS-12↗ | $76,463 | $89,508 | $89,508 | $102,415 | $111,896 |
| GS-13↗ | $90,925 | $106,437 | $106,437 | $121,785 | $133,060 |
Worked Examples (Rest of U.S.)
Example A — Mid-Level Specialist (GS-9, Step 1) in Rest of U.S. (+17.06%)
Open in Live Engine ↗Base Salary: $52,727.00. Locality Adjustment: $52,727 × 17.06% = $8,995.00. Total Adjusted Annual Salary: $61,722.00. Applying the federal 2,087 divisor: $61,722.00 ÷ 2,087 = $29.57/hour. Biweekly Gross Check (80h): $29.57 × 80 = $2,365.60. Monthly Equivalent: $5,143.50.
Example B — Senior Specialist (GS-13, Step 5) in Rest of U.S. (+17.06%)
Open in Live Engine ↗Base Salary: $103,049.00. Locality Adjustment: $103,049 × 17.06% = $17,580.00. Total Adjusted Annual Salary: $120,629.00. Hourly Rate: $120,629.00 ÷ 2,087 = $57.80/hour. Biweekly Gross Check: $57.80 × 80 = $4,624.00. Monthly Equivalent: $10,052.42.
Rest of U.S. Locality Boundaries & Federal Employers
OPM Code: RUSAll counties and locations within the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii not explicitly covered by the other 57 named OPM locality pay areas.
- Department of the Interior (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, USFWS)
- Department of Agriculture (US Forest Service, NRCS, Farm Service Agency)
- Department of Defense (various remote test centers and depots)
- Department of Justice (BOP federal correctional institutions)
Check SF-50 Box 39 to confirm locality code is 'RUS'; if your agency duty station was recently annexed into a named metropolitan locality by OPM, an SF-50 update is required to receive the higher rate.
All steps through GS-15 Step 10 ($192,331 raw) remain below the Executive Schedule Level IV cap of $197,200.
Compare to Other Metros
The 6 OPM locality pay areas closest to Rest of U.S. (+17.06%) by percentage.
All 58 OPM Locality Pay Areas
Jump to any of the 58 OPM locality pay areas. Your current selection (Rest of U.S.) is highlighted.
Need Custom Overtime, FERS High-3, or LEO Rates for Rest of U.S.?
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.
Rest of U.S. GS Pay FAQs
Common questions about federal GS pay, locality adjustments, and the EX-IV cap for Rest of U.S..
How is the Rest of U.S. locality pay percentage calculated?
The Rest of U.S. (+17.06%) 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 Rest of U.S. before the EX-IV pay cap binds?
No GS grade and step combination in Rest of U.S. hits the Executive Schedule Level IV cap of $197,200 in 2026.
Does the 2026 1.0% raise apply to Rest of U.S.?
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 Rest of U.S.. Only the locality percentage differs between areas; the base GS pay table is identical.
Will Rest of U.S. locality pay increase in 2027?
Locality percentages were frozen at 2025 levels for 2026. The 2027 locality percentages for Rest of U.S. 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.