United States · Federal pay 2026 · Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines GS pay scale 2026
Locality pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines is 18.01% in 2026, so GS pay runs from $26,651 a year (GS-1 step 1) to $193,892 (GS-15 step 10). A GS-12 step 1 earns $90,234, $726 more than in the Rest of U.S. area.
Pick a grade and step, or read the whole table below. Every figure is OPM’s own for this locality.
Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines · GS-12 step 1
$90,234 a year
$7,519.50 a month · $3,470.54 every two weeks, before tax
$13,771 of it is locality pay on top of the $76,463 base.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,651 | $27,545 | $28,431 | $29,314 | $30,198 | $30,716 | $31,592 | $32,475 | $32,512 | $33,335 |
| GS-2 | $29,966 | $30,679 | $31,673 | $32,512 | $32,875 | $33,842 | $34,808 | $35,775 | $36,741 | $37,708 |
| GS-3 | $32,698 | $33,789 | $34,879 | $35,969 | $37,060 | $38,150 | $39,241 | $40,331 | $41,422 | $42,512 |
| GS-4 | $36,705 | $37,928 | $39,152 | $40,376 | $41,600 | $42,823 | $44,047 | $45,271 | $46,495 | $47,719 |
| GS-5 | $41,066 | $42,435 | $43,804 | $45,173 | $46,542 | $47,911 | $49,280 | $50,649 | $52,018 | $53,387 |
| GS-6 | $45,777 | $47,303 | $48,829 | $50,355 | $51,881 | $53,407 | $54,932 | $56,458 | $57,984 | $59,510 |
| GS-7 | $50,869 | $52,565 | $54,261 | $55,957 | $57,653 | $59,348 | $61,044 | $62,740 | $64,436 | $66,132 |
| GS-8 | $56,336 | $58,213 | $60,091 | $61,968 | $63,846 | $65,723 | $67,601 | $69,478 | $71,356 | $73,233 |
| GS-9 | $62,223 | $64,298 | $66,372 | $68,447 | $70,522 | $72,596 | $74,671 | $76,745 | $78,820 | $80,895 |
| GS-10 | $68,521 | $70,805 | $73,088 | $75,372 | $77,655 | $79,939 | $82,222 | $84,506 | $86,789 | $89,073 |
| GS-11 | $75,284 | $77,795 | $80,305 | $82,815 | $85,325 | $87,835 | $90,345 | $92,855 | $95,365 | $97,875 |
| GS-12 | $90,234 | $93,242 | $96,250 | $99,258 | $102,266 | $105,274 | $108,282 | $111,291 | $114,299 | $117,307 |
| GS-13 | $107,301 | $110,877 | $114,454 | $118,031 | $121,608 | $125,185 | $128,762 | $132,339 | $135,916 | $139,493 |
| GS-14 | $126,797 | $131,024 | $135,251 | $139,478 | $143,705 | $147,933 | $152,160 | $156,387 | $160,614 | $164,841 |
| GS-15 | $149,146 | $154,118 | $159,089 | $164,061 | $169,033 | $174,005 | $178,976 | $183,948 | $188,920 | $193,892 |
How does Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines GS pay compare?
Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines has the 51st highest locality pay of the 58 areas. Step 1 of some grades, beside the base table and the Rest of U.S. area:
| Grade, step 1 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | Base table | Rest of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $41,066 | $34,799 | $40,736 |
| GS-7 | $50,869 | $43,106 | $50,460 |
| GS-9 | $62,223 | $52,727 | $61,722 |
| GS-11 | $75,284 | $63,795 | $74,678 |
| GS-12 | $90,234 | $76,463 | $89,508 |
| GS-13 | $107,301 | $90,925 | $106,437 |
| GS-14 | $126,797 | $107,446 | $125,776 |
| GS-15 | $149,146 | $126,384 | $147,945 |
No cell reaches the $197,200 cap in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines: every grade and step gets the full 18.01%.
What is the locality pay in other areas?
- Alaska 32.36%
- Albany-Schenectady 20.77%
- Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas 18.33%
- Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs 23.79%
- Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown 20.35%
- Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega 18.24%
- Boston-Worcester-Providence 32.58%
- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean 22.41%
- Burlington-South Burlington-Barre 19.45%
- Charlotte-Concord 19.67%
- Chicago-Naperville 30.86%
- Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville 21.93%
- Cleveland-Akron-Canton 22.23%
- Colorado Springs 20.15%
- Columbus-Marion-Zanesville 22.15%
- Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice 17.63%
- Dallas-Fort Worth 27.26%
- Davenport-Moline 18.93%
- Dayton-Springfield-Kettering 21.42%
- Denver-Aurora 30.52%
- Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor 29.12%
- Fresno-Madera-Hanford 17.65%
- Harrisburg-Lebanon 19.43%
- Hartford-East Hartford 32.08%
- Hawaii 22.21%
- Houston-The Woodlands 35%
- Huntsville-Decatur 21.91%
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie 18.15%
- Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City 18.97%
- Laredo 21.59%
- Las Vegas-Henderson 19.57%
- Los Angeles-Long Beach 36.47%
- Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale 24.67%
- Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha 22.42%
- Minneapolis-St. Paul 27.62%
- New York-Newark 37.95%
- Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont 18.23%
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville 17.93%
- Philadelphia-Reading-Camden 28.99%
- Phoenix-Mesa 22.45%
- Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton 21.03%
- Portland-Vancouver-Salem 26.13%
- Raleigh-Durham-Cary 22.24%
- Reno-Fernley 17.52%
- Richmond 22.28%
- Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls 17.88%
- Sacramento-Roseville 29.76%
- San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall 18.78%
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 33.72%
- San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland 46.34%
- Seattle-Tacoma 31.57%
- Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene 17.67%
- St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington 20.03%
- Tucson-Nogales 19.28%
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk 18.8%
- Washington-Baltimore-Arlington 33.94%
- Rest of U.S. 17.06%
What does this leave out?
- Special rates for some jobs (such as law enforcement officers) and other pay plans.
- Which counties are in this locality: check with your agency.
- Tax and deductions: the GS pay calculator works out take-home pay.
What else can I work out?
- GS pay calculator Salary and take-home pay for any grade and step in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines.
- GS pay scale 2026 The General Schedule base table and every locality’s own table.
- Military pay calculator Basic pay, BAH, BAS and take-home pay for your rank, years of service, ZIP code and home state.
- Military and federal pay Every military and federal pay calculator and chart in one place.
Questions about GS pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines
What is the locality pay for Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines in 2026?
18.01%, for the area OPM calls “Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA”. That ranks 51 of the 58 locality areas. It is added to the base table, so a GS-9 step 1 earns $62,223 here against $52,727 on the base table.
How much does a GS-12 make in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines?
From $90,234 a year at step 1 to $117,307 at step 10 in 2026. Step 5 is $102,266.
What is GS-13 pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines?
$107,301 at step 1, $121,608 at step 5 and $139,493 at step 10, a year.
What does a GS-7 earn in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines?
$50,869 a year at step 1 ($1,956.50 every two weeks before tax) and $66,132 at step 10.
Is GS pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines capped?
No cell reaches the $197,200 cap in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines: every grade and step gets the full 18.01%.
Will GS pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines change in 2027?
Not decided yet. The President’s plan proposes a pay freeze for 2027, with base and locality pay staying at their 2026 rates: “I have determined that for 2027, base pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates.” That is a proposal, not final.