GS-3 Pay in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
$35,893 – $46,665 per year • 29.54% locality adjustment
GS-3 Salary Summary — Seattle-Tacoma, WA
Complete GS-3 Pay Table — Seattle-Tacoma, WA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $35,893 | $2,991 | $1,381 | $17.20 | $27,708 | +$8,185 |
| Step 2 | $37,090 | $3,091 | $1,427 | $17.77 | $28,632 | +$8,458 |
| Step 3 | $38,287 | $3,191 | $1,473 | $18.35 | $29,556 | +$8,731 |
| Step 4 | $39,484 | $3,290 | $1,519 | $18.92 | $30,480 | +$9,004 |
| Step 5 | $40,681 | $3,390 | $1,565 | $19.49 | $31,404 | +$9,277 |
| Step 6 | $41,878 | $3,490 | $1,611 | $20.07 | $32,328 | +$9,550 |
| Step 7 | $43,075 | $3,590 | $1,657 | $20.64 | $33,252 | +$9,823 |
| Step 8 | $44,272 | $3,689 | $1,703 | $21.21 | $34,176 | +$10,096 |
| Step 9 | $45,469 | $3,789 | $1,749 | $21.79 | $35,100 | +$10,369 |
| Step 10 | $46,665 | $3,889 | $1,795 | $22.36 | $36,024 | +$10,641 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
How does GS-3 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 at Step 5 in Seattle-Tacoma, WA is a raise of $4,594 per year.
GS-3 Federal Jobs in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
Federal employees at GS-3 in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA locality area earn between $35,893 and $46,665 annually in 2026. This includes a 29.54% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-3 base pay of $27,708 to $36,024.
The Seattle-Tacoma, WA locality area covers Washington. At Step 5, a GS-3 employee here earns $3,919 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
The biweekly pay for a GS-3 Step 1 in this area is $1,381, or approximately $17.20 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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