FRESNO-MADERA-HANFORD, CA — 17.65% locality adjustment · Ranks 55th of 58 pay areas
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $26,570 | $27,461 | $28,344 | $29,224 | $30,105 | $30,622 | $31,496 | $32,376 | $32,413 | $33,234 |
| GS-2 | $29,875 | $30,585 | $31,576 | $32,413 | $32,775 | $33,738 | $34,702 | $35,666 | $36,629 | $37,593 |
| GS-3 | $32,598 | $33,686 | $34,773 | $35,860 | $36,947 | $38,034 | $39,121 | $40,208 | $41,295 | $42,382 |
| GS-4 | $36,593 | $37,813 | $39,033 | $40,253 | $41,473 | $42,693 | $43,913 | $45,133 | $46,353 | $47,573 |
| GS-5 | $40,941 | $42,306 | $43,671 | $45,035 | $46,400 | $47,765 | $49,129 | $50,494 | $51,859 | $53,224 |
| GS-6 | $45,638 | $47,159 | $48,680 | $50,201 | $51,722 | $53,244 | $54,765 | $56,286 | $57,807 | $59,329 |
| GS-7 | $50,714 | $52,405 | $54,095 | $55,786 | $57,477 | $59,167 | $60,858 | $62,549 | $64,239 | $65,930 |
| GS-8 | $56,164 | $58,036 | $59,907 | $61,779 | $63,651 | $65,523 | $67,395 | $69,266 | $71,138 | $73,010 |
| GS-9 | $62,033 | $64,102 | $66,170 | $68,238 | $70,306 | $72,375 | $74,443 | $76,511 | $78,580 | $80,648 |
| GS-10 | $68,312 | $70,589 | $72,865 | $75,142 | $77,418 | $79,695 | $81,971 | $84,248 | $86,525 | $88,801 |
| GS-11 | $75,055 | $77,557 | $80,060 | $82,562 | $85,064 | $87,567 | $90,069 | $92,572 | $95,074 | $97,577 |
| GS-12 | $89,959 | $92,958 | $95,957 | $98,955 | $101,954 | $104,953 | $107,952 | $110,951 | $113,950 | $116,949 |
| GS-13 | $106,973 | $110,539 | $114,105 | $117,671 | $121,237 | $124,803 | $128,369 | $131,935 | $135,501 | $139,067 |
| GS-14 | $126,410 | $130,624 | $134,839 | $139,053 | $143,267 | $147,481 | $151,696 | $155,910 | $160,124 | $164,338 |
| GS-15 | $148,691 | $153,647 | $158,604 | $163,561 | $168,517 | $173,474 | $178,430 | $183,387 | $188,344 | $193,300 |
Your Fresno locality salary feeds directly into your FERS High-3 average, which sets your pension for life. Use the GS Pay Calculator to see your exact salary and projected pension by grade, step, and locality.
The FRESNO-MADERA-HANFORD, CA pay area carries a 17.65% locality adjustment for 2026, making it one of the lowest federal pay areas (#55 of 58). A GS-13 Step 1 employee here earns $106,973 annually, compared to $90,925 in the national base table — a difference of $16,048 per year.
Locality pay is calculated as: Base Pay × (1 + 17.65%). The resulting salary applies to all General Schedule employees assigned to a duty station within the FRESNO-MADERA-HANFORD, CA geographic area as defined by OPM. Locality adjustments are effective each January alongside the across-the-board base pay increase.
Within the Pacific & Non-Contiguous region, Fresno sits 11.74 points below the Pacific & Non-Contiguous average of 29.39%. Measured against the Rest of U.S. baseline (17.06%), a GS-13 Step 1 in Fresno earns $536 more per year — $106,973 versus $106,437. Across the grade range, Step 1 salaries here run $40,941 at GS-5, $62,033 at GS-9, $106,973 at GS-13, and $148,691 at GS-15.
GS locality pay is capped at the Executive Schedule Level IV rate ($197,200 in 2026) regardless of grade, step, or locality percentage. No GS-15 step reaches the $197,200 statutory cap in Fresno, so every step increase translates into full salary through GS-15 Step 10. See the full interactive GS pay scale to compare all 58 locality pay areas side by side.
2026 locality-adjusted salaries for the grades that cover most of the federal workforce. Jump to a grade:
A GS-7 in Fresno — a common entry point for new graduates and many technician roles — starts at $50,714 on Step 1, reaches $57,477 at Step 5, and tops out at $65,930 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $43,106 national base rate.
A GS-9 in Fresno — the typical first promotion step for specialists and analysts — starts at $62,033 on Step 1, reaches $70,306 at Step 5, and tops out at $80,648 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $52,727 national base rate.
A GS-11 in Fresno — the full performance level for many professional series — starts at $75,055 on Step 1, reaches $85,064 at Step 5, and tops out at $97,577 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $63,795 national base rate.
A GS-12 in Fresno — the journeyman level across much of the federal workforce — starts at $89,959 on Step 1, reaches $101,954 at Step 5, and tops out at $116,949 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $76,463 national base rate.
A GS-13 in Fresno — the most common senior non-supervisory grade — starts at $106,973 on Step 1, reaches $121,237 at Step 5, and tops out at $139,067 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $90,925 national base rate.
A GS-14 in Fresno — the supervisory and senior technical expert level — starts at $126,410 on Step 1, reaches $143,267 at Step 5, and tops out at $164,338 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $107,446 national base rate.
A GS-15 in Fresno — the highest regular grade below the Senior Executive Service — starts at $148,691 on Step 1, reaches $168,517 at Step 5, and tops out at $193,300 on Step 10, after the 17.65% Fresno locality adjustment is applied to the $126,384 national base rate.
All 15 grades and 10 steps for Fresno are in the full table above, and the FERS Estimator converts any Fresno salary into projected lifetime pension income.
Other Pacific & Non-Contiguous locality pay areas, closest to the Fresno rate first. The figure in parentheses is the difference from Fresno’s 17.65% adjustment.
Comparing offers across localities? The GS Pay Calculator models any grade, step, and locality combination, and the FERS Estimator shows what each option is worth as lifetime pension income. See all 58 pay areas for the full list.