2026 GS Pay: Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC
The Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC locality pay area adds 22.24% locality pay to the GS base table. Figures are from OPM's Salary Table 2026-RA, effective January 2026.
- Locality pay
- 22.24%
- Annual pay range
- $27,607 to $197,200
- GS-1 step 1 to GS-15 step 10
- Capped cells
- 1 of 150
Annual pay by grade and step
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $27,607 | $28,532 | $29,450 | $30,364 | $31,280 | $31,817 | $32,725 | $33,639 | $33,677 | $34,530 |
| GS-2 | $31,040 | $31,779 | $32,808 | $33,677 | $34,054 | $35,055 | $36,056 | $37,057 | $38,058 | $39,059 |
| GS-3 | $33,870 | $35,000 | $36,129 | $37,259 | $38,388 | $39,518 | $40,647 | $41,777 | $42,906 | $44,036 |
| GS-4 | $38,020 | $39,288 | $40,556 | $41,823 | $43,091 | $44,358 | $45,626 | $46,894 | $48,161 | $49,429 |
| GS-5 | $42,538 | $43,956 | $45,374 | $46,792 | $48,210 | $49,628 | $51,046 | $52,464 | $53,882 | $55,300 |
| GS-6 | $47,418 | $48,999 | $50,579 | $52,160 | $53,740 | $55,321 | $56,901 | $58,482 | $60,063 | $61,643 |
| GS-7 | $52,693 | $54,449 | $56,206 | $57,963 | $59,719 | $61,476 | $63,232 | $64,989 | $66,745 | $68,502 |
| GS-8 | $58,355 | $60,300 | $62,245 | $64,189 | $66,134 | $68,079 | $70,024 | $71,969 | $73,914 | $75,858 |
| GS-9 | $64,453 | $66,602 | $68,751 | $70,900 | $73,049 | $75,198 | $77,347 | $79,496 | $81,645 | $83,794 |
| GS-10 | $70,977 | $73,343 | $75,708 | $78,073 | $80,439 | $82,804 | $85,169 | $87,535 | $89,900 | $92,266 |
| GS-11 | $77,983 | $80,583 | $83,183 | $85,783 | $88,383 | $90,983 | $93,583 | $96,183 | $98,783 | $101,383 |
| GS-12 | $93,468 | $96,584 | $99,700 | $102,816 | $105,932 | $109,048 | $112,164 | $115,280 | $118,396 | $121,511 |
| GS-13 | $111,147 | $114,852 | $118,557 | $122,262 | $125,967 | $129,672 | $133,377 | $137,082 | $140,787 | $144,493 |
| GS-14 | $131,342 | $135,721 | $140,099 | $144,478 | $148,857 | $153,235 | $157,614 | $161,992 | $166,371 | $170,750 |
| GS-15 | $154,492 | $159,642 | $164,792 | $169,942 | $175,092 | $180,242 | $185,392 | $190,542 | $195,692 | $197,200Capped |
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $13.23 | $13.67 | $14.11 | $14.55 | $14.99 | $15.25 | $15.68 | $16.12 | $16.14 | $16.55 |
| GS-2 | $14.87 | $15.23 | $15.72 | $16.14 | $16.32 | $16.80 | $17.28 | $17.76 | $18.24 | $18.72 |
| GS-3 | $16.23 | $16.77 | $17.31 | $17.85 | $18.39 | $18.94 | $19.48 | $20.02 | $20.56 | $21.10 |
| GS-4 | $18.22 | $18.83 | $19.43 | $20.04 | $20.65 | $21.25 | $21.86 | $22.47 | $23.08 | $23.68 |
| GS-5 | $20.38 | $21.06 | $21.74 | $22.42 | $23.10 | $23.78 | $24.46 | $25.14 | $25.82 | $26.50 |
| GS-6 | $22.72 | $23.48 | $24.24 | $24.99 | $25.75 | $26.51 | $27.26 | $28.02 | $28.78 | $29.54 |
| GS-7 | $25.25 | $26.09 | $26.93 | $27.77 | $28.61 | $29.46 | $30.30 | $31.14 | $31.98 | $32.82 |
| GS-8 | $27.96 | $28.89 | $29.83 | $30.76 | $31.69 | $32.62 | $33.55 | $34.48 | $35.42 | $36.35 |
| GS-9 | $30.88 | $31.91 | $32.94 | $33.97 | $35.00 | $36.03 | $37.06 | $38.09 | $39.12 | $40.15 |
| GS-10 | $34.01 | $35.14 | $36.28 | $37.41 | $38.54 | $39.68 | $40.81 | $41.94 | $43.08 | $44.21 |
| GS-11 | $37.37 | $38.61 | $39.86 | $41.10 | $42.35 | $43.60 | $44.84 | $46.09 | $47.33 | $48.58 |
| GS-12 | $44.79 | $46.28 | $47.77 | $49.26 | $50.76 | $52.25 | $53.74 | $55.24 | $56.73 | $58.22 |
| GS-13 | $53.26 | $55.03 | $56.81 | $58.58 | $60.36 | $62.13 | $63.91 | $65.68 | $67.46 | $69.23 |
| GS-14 | $62.93 | $65.03 | $67.13 | $69.23 | $71.33 | $73.42 | $75.52 | $77.62 | $79.72 | $81.82 |
| GS-15 | $74.03 | $76.49 | $78.96 | $81.43 | $83.90 | $86.36 | $88.83 | $91.30 | $93.77 | $94.49Capped |
Compare Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC with other locality pay areas
Where this locality pay area is
OPM's 2026 definitions list 24 places in this area, in NC. The legal definition is in 5 CFR 531.603.
| Place | State | FIPS code |
|---|---|---|
| Caswell County, NC | NC | 37033 |
| Chatham County, NC | NC | 37037 |
| Cumberland County, NC | NC | 37051 |
| Durham County, NC | NC | 37063 |
| Edgecombe County, NC | NC | 37065 |
| Franklin County, NC | NC | 37069 |
| Granville County, NC | NC | 37077 |
| Halifax County, NC | NC | 37083 |
| Harnett County, NC | NC | 37085 |
| Hoke County, NC | NC | 37093 |
| Johnston County, NC | NC | 37101 |
| Lee County, NC | NC | 37105 |
| Moore County, NC | NC | 37125 |
| Nash County, NC | NC | 37127 |
| Northampton County, NC | NC | 37131 |
| Orange County, NC | NC | 37135 |
| Person County, NC | NC | 37145 |
| Robeson County, NC | NC | 37155 |
| Scotland County, NC | NC | 37165 |
| Vance County, NC | NC | 37181 |
| Wake County, NC | NC | 37183 |
| Warren County, NC | NC | 37185 |
| Wayne County, NC | NC | 37191 |
| Wilson County, NC | NC | 37195 |
Changes from 2025
Locality pay was 22.24% in 2025 and is 22.24% in 2026 (0.00 points). The base table went up 1% for 2026.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | +$274+1.0% | +$282+1.0% | +$292+1.0% | +$300+1.0% | +$309+1.0% | +$316+1.0% | +$324+1.0% | +$332+1.0% | +$334+1.0% | +$339+1.0% |
| GS-2 | +$306+1.0% | +$314+1.0% | +$325+1.0% | +$334+1.0% | +$337+1.0% | +$346+1.0% | +$356+1.0% | +$365+1.0% | +$375+1.0% | +$385+1.0% |
| GS-3 | +$335+1.0% | +$347+1.0% | +$359+1.0% | +$372+1.0% | +$384+1.0% | +$396+1.0% | +$408+1.0% | +$421+1.0% | +$432+1.0% | +$445+1.0% |
| GS-4 | +$376+1.0% | +$389+1.0% | +$401+1.0% | +$413+1.0% | +$426+1.0% | +$437+1.0% | +$450+1.0% | +$462+1.0% | +$474+1.0% | +$487+1.0% |
| GS-5 | +$421+1.0% | +$436+1.0% | +$451+1.0% | +$465+1.0% | +$480+1.0% | +$495+1.0% | +$510+1.0% | +$524+1.0% | +$539+1.0% | +$554+1.0% |
| GS-6 | +$469+1.0% | +$486+1.0% | +$501+1.0% | +$517+1.0% | +$533+1.0% | +$549+1.0% | +$564+1.0% | +$581+1.0% | +$597+1.0% | +$612+1.0% |
| GS-7 | +$522+1.0% | +$539+1.0% | +$556+1.0% | +$574+1.0% | +$590+1.0% | +$608+1.0% | +$624+1.0% | +$642+1.0% | +$658+1.0% | +$676+1.0% |
| GS-8 | +$578+1.0% | +$597+1.0% | +$615+1.0% | +$633+1.0% | +$651+1.0% | +$670+1.0% | +$688+1.0% | +$707+1.0% | +$725+1.0% | +$743+1.0% |
| GS-9 | +$638+1.0% | +$660+1.0% | +$682+1.0% | +$704+1.0% | +$726+1.0% | +$748+1.0% | +$770+1.0% | +$792+1.0% | +$814+1.0% | +$836+1.0% |
| GS-10 | +$702+1.0% | +$726+1.0% | +$749+1.0% | +$772+1.0% | +$796+1.0% | +$819+1.0% | +$842+1.0% | +$866+1.0% | +$888+1.0% | +$912+1.0% |
| GS-11 | +$773+1.0% | +$799+1.0% | +$826+1.0% | +$853+1.0% | +$880+1.0% | +$907+1.0% | +$934+1.0% | +$960+1.0% | +$987+1.0% | +$1,014+1.0% |
| GS-12 | +$925+1.0% | +$956+1.0% | +$986+1.0% | +$1,017+1.0% | +$1,048+1.0% | +$1,078+1.0% | +$1,109+1.0% | +$1,140+1.0% | +$1,170+1.0% | +$1,200+1.0% |
| GS-13 | +$1,100+1.0% | +$1,137+1.0% | +$1,174+1.0% | +$1,210+1.0% | +$1,247+1.0% | +$1,283+1.0% | +$1,320+1.0% | +$1,356+1.0% | +$1,393+1.0% | +$1,431+1.0% |
| GS-14 | +$1,301+1.0% | +$1,345+1.0% | +$1,388+1.0% | +$1,433+1.0% | +$1,477+1.0% | +$1,520+1.0% | +$1,565+1.0% | +$1,608+1.0% | +$1,653+1.0% | +$1,697+1.0% |
| GS-15 | +$1,529+1.0% | +$1,581+1.0% | +$1,632+1.0% | +$1,684+1.0% | +$1,735+1.0% | +$1,786+1.0% | +$1,838+1.0% | +$1,889+1.0% | +$1,940+1.0% | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change |
Places in the area
The places in this area are the same as in 2025.
Data sources
- GS locality pay table, Salary Table 2026-RA, effective January 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2026 General Schedule tables, RA.xml. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
- Pay cap (level IV of the Executive Schedule), Salary Table No. 2026-EX, effective January 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): EX.xml. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
- GS locality pay table, Salary Table 2025-RA, effective January 2025
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2025 General Schedule tables, RA.xml. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- Pay cap (level IV of the Executive Schedule), Salary Table No. 2025-EX, effective January 2025
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): EX.xml. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- Locality pay area definitions, 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2026 locality pay area definitions. Retrieved October 18, 2026.