United States · Federal pay 2026 · Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA
Portland-Vancouver-Salem GS pay scale 2026
Locality pay in Portland-Vancouver-Salem is 26.13% in 2026, so GS pay runs from $28,485 a year (GS-1 step 1) to $197,200 (GS-15 step 10). A GS-12 step 1 earns $96,443, $6,935 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.
Portland-Vancouver-Salem · GS-12 step 1
$96,443 a year
$8,036.92 a month · $3,709.35 every two weeks, before tax
$19,980 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 | $28,485 | $29,440 | $30,387 | $31,331 | $32,275 | $32,829 | $33,766 | $34,710 | $34,749 | $35,629 |
| GS-2 | $32,028 | $32,790 | $33,852 | $34,749 | $35,137 | $36,170 | $37,203 | $38,236 | $39,269 | $40,302 |
| GS-3 | $34,948 | $36,114 | $37,279 | $38,444 | $39,610 | $40,775 | $41,941 | $43,106 | $44,272 | $45,437 |
| GS-4 | $39,230 | $40,538 | $41,846 | $43,154 | $44,462 | $45,770 | $47,078 | $48,386 | $49,694 | $51,002 |
| GS-5 | $43,892 | $45,355 | $46,818 | $48,281 | $49,744 | $51,208 | $52,671 | $54,134 | $55,597 | $57,060 |
| GS-6 | $48,927 | $50,558 | $52,189 | $53,820 | $55,451 | $57,081 | $58,712 | $60,343 | $61,974 | $63,605 |
| GS-7 | $54,370 | $56,182 | $57,995 | $59,807 | $61,620 | $63,432 | $65,245 | $67,057 | $68,870 | $70,682 |
| GS-8 | $60,212 | $62,219 | $64,225 | $66,232 | $68,239 | $70,246 | $72,252 | $74,259 | $76,266 | $78,272 |
| GS-9 | $66,505 | $68,722 | $70,939 | $73,157 | $75,374 | $77,591 | $79,809 | $82,026 | $84,243 | $86,461 |
| GS-10 | $73,236 | $75,677 | $78,117 | $80,558 | $82,999 | $85,439 | $87,880 | $90,320 | $92,761 | $95,202 |
| GS-11 | $80,465 | $83,147 | $85,830 | $88,513 | $91,196 | $93,879 | $96,561 | $99,244 | $101,927 | $104,610 |
| GS-12 | $96,443 | $99,658 | $102,873 | $106,088 | $109,303 | $112,518 | $115,733 | $118,948 | $122,163 | $125,378 |
| GS-13 | $114,684 | $118,507 | $122,330 | $126,153 | $129,976 | $133,799 | $137,622 | $141,445 | $145,268 | $149,091 |
| GS-14 | $135,522 | $140,040 | $144,558 | $149,076 | $153,594 | $158,112 | $162,629 | $167,147 | $171,665 | $176,183 |
| GS-15 | $159,408 | $164,722 | $170,036 | $175,350 | $180,664 | $185,977 | $191,291 | $196,605 | $197,200* | $197,200* |
* Held at the 2026 pay cap of $197,200 (level IV of the Executive Schedule).
How does Portland-Vancouver-Salem GS pay compare?
Portland-Vancouver-Salem has the 18th 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 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem | Base table | Rest of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $43,892 | $34,799 | $40,736 |
| GS-7 | $54,370 | $43,106 | $50,460 |
| GS-9 | $66,505 | $52,727 | $61,722 |
| GS-11 | $80,465 | $63,795 | $74,678 |
| GS-12 | $96,443 | $76,463 | $89,508 |
| GS-13 | $114,684 | $90,925 | $106,437 |
| GS-14 | $135,522 | $107,446 | $125,776 |
| GS-15 | $159,408 | $126,384 | $147,945 |
2 cells are held at the $197,200 cap: GS-15 step 9, GS-15 step 10. They get less than the full 26.13%.
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%
- 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%
- 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 Portland-Vancouver-Salem.
- 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 Portland-Vancouver-Salem
What is the locality pay for Portland-Vancouver-Salem in 2026?
26.13%, for the area OPM calls “Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA”. That ranks 18 of the 58 locality areas. It is added to the base table, so a GS-9 step 1 earns $66,505 here against $52,727 on the base table.
How much does a GS-12 make in Portland-Vancouver-Salem?
From $96,443 a year at step 1 to $125,378 at step 10 in 2026. Step 5 is $109,303.
What is GS-13 pay in Portland-Vancouver-Salem?
$114,684 at step 1, $129,976 at step 5 and $149,091 at step 10, a year.
What does a GS-7 earn in Portland-Vancouver-Salem?
$54,370 a year at step 1 ($2,091.15 every two weeks before tax) and $70,682 at step 10.
Is GS pay in Portland-Vancouver-Salem capped?
2 cells are held at the $197,200 cap: GS-15 step 9, GS-15 step 10. They get less than the full 26.13%.
Will GS pay in Portland-Vancouver-Salem 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.