GS-3 Pay in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
$36,059 – $46,882 per year • 30.14% locality adjustment
GS-3 Salary Summary — Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
Complete GS-3 Pay Table — Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $36,059 | $3,005 | $1,387 | $17.28 | $27,708 | +$8,351 |
| Step 2 | $37,262 | $3,105 | $1,433 | $17.85 | $28,632 | +$8,630 |
| Step 3 | $38,464 | $3,205 | $1,479 | $18.43 | $29,556 | +$8,908 |
| Step 4 | $39,667 | $3,306 | $1,526 | $19.01 | $30,480 | +$9,187 |
| Step 5 | $40,869 | $3,406 | $1,572 | $19.58 | $31,404 | +$9,465 |
| Step 6 | $42,072 | $3,506 | $1,618 | $20.16 | $32,328 | +$9,744 |
| Step 7 | $43,274 | $3,606 | $1,664 | $20.74 | $33,252 | +$10,022 |
| Step 8 | $44,477 | $3,706 | $1,711 | $21.31 | $34,176 | +$10,301 |
| Step 9 | $45,679 | $3,807 | $1,757 | $21.89 | $35,100 | +$10,579 |
| Step 10 | $46,882 | $3,907 | $1,803 | $22.46 | $36,024 | +$10,858 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
How does GS-3 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 at Step 5 in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI is a raise of $4,615 per year.
GS-3 Federal Jobs in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
Federal employees at GS-3 in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI locality area earn between $36,059 and $46,882 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.14% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-3 base pay of $27,708 to $36,024.
The Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI locality area covers Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin. At Step 5, a GS-3 employee here earns $4,107 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-3 Step 1 in this area is $1,387, or approximately $17.28 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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