GS-15 Pay in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
$163,726 – $197,200 per year • 29.54% locality adjustment
GS-15 Salary Summary — Seattle-Tacoma, WA
Complete GS-15 Pay Table — Seattle-Tacoma, WA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $163,726 | $13,644 | $6,297 | $78.45 | $126,390 | +$37,336 |
| Step 2 | $169,183 | $14,099 | $6,507 | $81.07 | $130,603 | +$38,580 |
| Step 3 | $174,641 | $14,553 | $6,717 | $83.68 | $134,816 | +$39,825 |
| Step 4 | $180,098 | $15,008 | $6,927 | $86.30 | $139,029 | +$41,069 |
| Step 5 | $185,556 | $15,463 | $7,137 | $88.91 | $143,242 | +$42,314 |
| Step 6 | $191,013 | $15,918 | $7,347 | $91.53 | $147,455 | +$43,558 |
| Step 7 | $196,471 | $16,373 | $7,557 | $94.14 | $151,668 | +$44,803 |
| Step 8 | $197,200* | $16,433 | $7,585 | $94.49 | $155,881 | +$41,319 |
| Step 9 | $197,200* | $16,433 | $7,585 | $94.49 | $160,094 | +$37,106 |
| Step 10 | $197,200* | $16,433 | $7,585 | $94.49 | $164,307 | +$32,893 |
* Salary capped at Executive Schedule Level IV ($197,200). Actual calculated salary exceeds this cap.
Compare Nearby Grades in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
How does GS-15 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-14 to GS-15 at Step 5 in Seattle-Tacoma, WA is a raise of $27,815 per year.
GS-15 Federal Jobs in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
Federal employees at GS-15 in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA locality area earn between $163,726 and $197,200 annually in 2026. This includes a 29.54% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-15 base pay of $126,390 to $164,307.
The Seattle-Tacoma, WA locality area covers Washington. At Step 5, a GS-15 employee here earns $17,877 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
The biweekly pay for a GS-15 Step 1 in this area is $6,297, or approximately $78.45 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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