GS-1 Pay in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
$29,391 – $36,762 per year • 30.14% locality adjustment
GS-1 Salary Summary — Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
Complete GS-1 Pay Table — Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $29,391 | $2,449 | $1,130 | $14.08 | $22,584 | +$6,807 |
| Step 2 | $30,376 | $2,531 | $1,168 | $14.55 | $23,341 | +$7,035 |
| Step 3 | $31,353 | $2,613 | $1,206 | $15.02 | $24,092 | +$7,261 |
| Step 4 | $32,327 | $2,694 | $1,243 | $15.49 | $24,840 | +$7,487 |
| Step 5 | $33,302 | $2,775 | $1,281 | $15.96 | $25,589 | +$7,713 |
| Step 6 | $33,873 | $2,823 | $1,303 | $16.23 | $26,028 | +$7,845 |
| Step 7 | $34,840 | $2,903 | $1,340 | $16.69 | $26,771 | +$8,069 |
| Step 8 | $35,813 | $2,984 | $1,377 | $17.16 | $27,519 | +$8,294 |
| Step 9 | $35,854 | $2,988 | $1,379 | $17.18 | $27,550 | +$8,304 |
| Step 10 | $36,762 | $3,064 | $1,414 | $17.61 | $28,248 | +$8,514 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
How does GS-1 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
GS-1 Federal Jobs in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
Federal employees at GS-1 in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI locality area earn between $29,391 and $36,762 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.14% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-1 base pay of $22,584 to $28,248.
The Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI locality area covers Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin. At Step 5, a GS-1 employee here earns $3,348 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
As one of the higher-paying locality areas, Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI compensates for the higher cost of living in the region. Federal employees considering a move should compare not just the salary difference but also housing costs, state income taxes, and commuting expenses.
The biweekly pay for a GS-1 Step 1 in this area is $1,130, or approximately $14.08 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance — it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.
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