United States · Federal pay 2026 · Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha GS pay scale 2026
Locality pay in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha is 22.42% in 2026, so GS pay runs from $27,647 a year (GS-1 step 1) to $197,200 (GS-15 step 10). A GS-12 step 1 earns $93,606, $4,098 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.
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha · GS-12 step 1
$93,606 a year
$7,800.50 a month · $3,600.23 every two weeks, before tax
$17,143 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 | $27,647 | $28,574 | $29,493 | $30,409 | $31,326 | $31,863 | $32,773 | $33,689 | $33,727 | $34,581 |
| GS-2 | $31,086 | $31,826 | $32,856 | $33,727 | $34,104 | $35,106 | $36,109 | $37,112 | $38,114 | $39,117 |
| GS-3 | $33,920 | $35,051 | $36,182 | $37,314 | $38,445 | $39,576 | $40,707 | $41,838 | $42,969 | $44,101 |
| GS-4 | $38,076 | $39,346 | $40,615 | $41,885 | $43,154 | $44,424 | $45,693 | $46,963 | $48,232 | $49,502 |
| GS-5 | $42,601 | $44,021 | $45,441 | $46,861 | $48,281 | $49,701 | $51,121 | $52,541 | $53,962 | $55,382 |
| GS-6 | $47,488 | $49,071 | $50,654 | $52,237 | $53,820 | $55,402 | $56,985 | $58,568 | $60,151 | $61,734 |
| GS-7 | $52,770 | $54,530 | $56,289 | $58,048 | $59,807 | $61,566 | $63,325 | $65,085 | $66,844 | $68,603 |
| GS-8 | $58,441 | $60,389 | $62,336 | $64,284 | $66,232 | $68,179 | $70,127 | $72,075 | $74,022 | $75,970 |
| GS-9 | $64,548 | $66,701 | $68,853 | $71,005 | $73,157 | $75,309 | $77,461 | $79,613 | $81,766 | $83,918 |
| GS-10 | $71,082 | $73,451 | $75,820 | $78,188 | $80,557 | $82,926 | $85,295 | $87,664 | $90,033 | $92,401 |
| GS-11 | $78,098 | $80,702 | $83,306 | $85,909 | $88,513 | $91,117 | $93,721 | $96,325 | $98,929 | $101,533 |
| GS-12 | $93,606 | $96,726 | $99,847 | $102,967 | $106,088 | $109,208 | $112,329 | $115,449 | $118,570 | $121,690 |
| GS-13 | $111,310 | $115,021 | $118,731 | $122,442 | $126,153 | $129,863 | $133,574 | $137,284 | $140,995 | $144,705 |
| GS-14 | $131,535 | $135,920 | $140,306 | $144,691 | $149,076 | $153,461 | $157,846 | $162,231 | $166,616 | $171,001 |
| GS-15 | $154,719 | $159,877 | $165,034 | $170,192 | $175,350 | $180,507 | $185,665 | $190,822 | $195,980 | $197,200* |
* Held at the 2026 pay cap of $197,200 (level IV of the Executive Schedule).
How does Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha GS pay compare?
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha has the 22nd 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 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | Base table | Rest of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $42,601 | $34,799 | $40,736 |
| GS-7 | $52,770 | $43,106 | $50,460 |
| GS-9 | $64,548 | $52,727 | $61,722 |
| GS-11 | $78,098 | $63,795 | $74,678 |
| GS-12 | $93,606 | $76,463 | $89,508 |
| GS-13 | $111,310 | $90,925 | $106,437 |
| GS-14 | $131,535 | $107,446 | $125,776 |
| GS-15 | $154,719 | $126,384 | $147,945 |
1 cell is held at the $197,200 cap: GS-15 step 10. It gets less than the full 22.42%.
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%
- Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines 18.01%
- 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%
- 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 Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha.
- 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 Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha
What is the locality pay for Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha in 2026?
22.42%, for the area OPM calls “Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI”. That ranks 22 of the 58 locality areas. It is added to the base table, so a GS-9 step 1 earns $64,548 here against $52,727 on the base table.
How much does a GS-12 make in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha?
From $93,606 a year at step 1 to $121,690 at step 10 in 2026. Step 5 is $106,088.
What is GS-13 pay in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha?
$111,310 at step 1, $126,153 at step 5 and $144,705 at step 10, a year.
What does a GS-7 earn in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha?
$52,770 a year at step 1 ($2,029.62 every two weeks before tax) and $68,603 at step 10.
Is GS pay in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha capped?
1 cell is held at the $197,200 cap: GS-15 step 10. It gets less than the full 22.42%.
Will GS pay in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha 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.