The short answer
A GS lookup needs four inputs: year, schedule, grade and step. Find the matching cell in the official table and retain those inputs with the result.
Choose the inputs before calculating
For a reproducible example, hold the year at 2026, choose grade 9 and step 1, then select a schedule. These inputs identify a table cell. They do not describe an actual employee or job offer.
Read the source row
The live example on this page draws directly from the same versioned OPM snapshot as our calculator. Compare the base, DC locality and Rest of U.S. cells. The rates can be checked against the linked OPM tables.
Avoid a common double count
Once a locality table is selected, use its rate. Adding a locality percentage again would duplicate the adjustment. Similarly, a move to another step should use the new published cell rather than an assumed fixed-dollar increase.
Keep the output in scope
Treat the annual figure as a table lookup. It is not an offer, a net-pay forecast or confirmation of promotion timing. Save the selected table code, grade, step and year with any comparison so another person can reproduce it.
Your next steps
- Example year: 2026.
- Example row: GS-9.
- Example column: step 1.
- Compare GS, DCB and RUS without adding locality twice.
Common questions
How many grades and steps are in the General Schedule?
The General Schedule has 15 grades, each with 10 steps. An individual’s applicable grade and step require agency confirmation.
Does moving up a step add the same dollar amount at every grade?
Do not assume one universal amount. Compare the published cells for the selected grade, schedule and year.
Sources and editorial record
Prepared with AI assistance from the linked sources. Independent human review pending. “Public Atlas Editorial” is a publication label. First edition: 2026-09-28. Scheduled source review: 2026-10-28. Data examples update with their source snapshots; the guide text is versioned separately.
Changes to this guide
- 2026-09-28 — First AI-assisted edition published with source links and review status disclosed.
- 2026-09-29 — Added focused reader questions and concise answers with source links; checked primary-source guidance and retained pending human review.