NEW YORK-NEWARK, NY-NJ-CT-PA — 37.95% locality adjustment · Ranks 2nd 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 | $31,155 | $32,199 | $33,235 | $34,267 | $35,300 | $35,906 | $36,931 | $37,962 | $38,005 | $38,968 |
| GS-2 | $35,030 | $35,863 | $37,024 | $38,005 | $38,430 | $39,560 | $40,690 | $41,820 | $42,949 | $44,079 |
| GS-3 | $38,223 | $39,498 | $40,773 | $42,047 | $43,322 | $44,596 | $45,871 | $47,146 | $48,420 | $49,695 |
| GS-4 | $42,907 | $44,337 | $45,768 | $47,198 | $48,629 | $50,059 | $51,490 | $52,920 | $54,351 | $55,781 |
| GS-5 | $48,005 | $49,605 | $51,206 | $52,806 | $54,406 | $56,006 | $57,607 | $59,207 | $60,807 | $62,407 |
| GS-6 | $53,512 | $55,296 | $57,080 | $58,863 | $60,647 | $62,431 | $64,214 | $65,998 | $67,782 | $69,565 |
| GS-7 | $59,465 | $61,447 | $63,429 | $65,412 | $67,394 | $69,376 | $71,359 | $73,341 | $75,323 | $77,306 |
| GS-8 | $65,855 | $68,049 | $70,244 | $72,439 | $74,634 | $76,828 | $79,023 | $81,218 | $83,413 | $85,608 |
| GS-9 | $72,737 | $75,162 | $77,587 | $80,012 | $82,438 | $84,863 | $87,288 | $89,713 | $92,138 | $94,563 |
| GS-10 | $80,099 | $82,769 | $85,438 | $88,107 | $90,777 | $93,446 | $96,115 | $98,785 | $101,454 | $104,123 |
| GS-11 | $88,005 | $90,939 | $93,874 | $96,808 | $99,742 | $102,676 | $105,610 | $108,545 | $111,479 | $114,413 |
| GS-12 | $105,481 | $108,997 | $112,513 | $116,030 | $119,546 | $123,062 | $126,579 | $130,095 | $133,611 | $137,128 |
| GS-13 | $125,431 | $129,612 | $133,794 | $137,975 | $142,156 | $146,337 | $150,519 | $154,700 | $158,881 | $163,062 |
| GS-14 | $148,222 | $153,163 | $158,104 | $163,046 | $167,987 | $172,929 | $177,870 | $182,811 | $187,753 | $192,694 |
| GS-15 | $174,347 | $180,159 | $185,970 | $191,782 | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* |
* One or more steps are capped at $197,200 (Executive Schedule Level IV, 5 CFR 531.606).
Your New York City 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 NEW YORK-NEWARK, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area carries a 37.95% locality adjustment for 2026, making it one of the top 10 highest federal pay areas (#2 of 58). A GS-13 Step 1 employee here earns $125,431 annually, compared to $90,925 in the national base table — a difference of $34,506 per year.
Locality pay is calculated as: Base Pay × (1 + 37.95%). The resulting salary applies to all General Schedule employees assigned to a duty station within the NEW YORK-NEWARK, NY-NJ-CT-PA geographic area as defined by OPM. Locality adjustments are effective each January alongside the across-the-board base pay increase. This pay area is also commonly searched as NYC and the New York–Newark area.
Within the Northeast region, New York City sits 12.69 points above the Northeast average of 25.26%. Measured against the Rest of U.S. baseline (17.06%), a GS-13 Step 1 in New York City earns $18,994 more per year — $125,431 versus $106,437. Across the grade range, Step 1 salaries here run $48,005 at GS-5, $72,737 at GS-9, $125,431 at GS-13, and $174,347 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. In New York City, GS-15 steps 5–10 are capped at $197,200, so the published step increases stop translating into real pay at that point. 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 New York City — a common entry point for new graduates and many technician roles — starts at $59,465 on Step 1, reaches $67,394 at Step 5, and tops out at $77,306 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $43,106 national base rate.
A GS-9 in New York City — the typical first promotion step for specialists and analysts — starts at $72,737 on Step 1, reaches $82,438 at Step 5, and tops out at $94,563 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $52,727 national base rate.
A GS-11 in New York City — the full performance level for many professional series — starts at $88,005 on Step 1, reaches $99,742 at Step 5, and tops out at $114,413 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $63,795 national base rate.
A GS-12 in New York City — the journeyman level across much of the federal workforce — starts at $105,481 on Step 1, reaches $119,546 at Step 5, and tops out at $137,128 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $76,463 national base rate.
A GS-13 in New York City — the most common senior non-supervisory grade — starts at $125,431 on Step 1, reaches $142,156 at Step 5, and tops out at $163,062 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $90,925 national base rate.
A GS-14 in New York City — the supervisory and senior technical expert level — starts at $148,222 on Step 1, reaches $167,987 at Step 5, and tops out at $192,694 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $107,446 national base rate.
A GS-15 in New York City — the highest regular grade below the Senior Executive Service — starts at $174,347 on Step 1, reaches $197,200 at Step 5, and tops out at $197,200 on Step 10, after the 37.95% New York City locality adjustment is applied to the $126,384 national base rate. Step 10 pay in New York City is held down by the $197,200 statutory cap.
All 15 grades and 10 steps for New York City are in the full table above, and the FERS Estimator converts any New York City salary into projected lifetime pension income.
Other Northeast locality pay areas, closest to the New York City rate first. The figure in parentheses is the difference from New York City’s 37.95% 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.