GS-4 Pay in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA

$41,659 โ€“ $54,160 per year • 33.94% locality adjustment

2026 rates • $5,950 more than Rest of US at Step 5

GS-4 Salary Summary โ€” Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA

Entry (Step 1) $41,659/yr $1,602 biweekly
Mid (Step 5) $47,215/yr $1,816 biweekly
Top (Step 10) $54,160/yr $2,083 biweekly
Locality Adj. +33.94% +$11,964 at Step 5

Complete GS-4 Pay Table โ€” Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (2026)

Step Annual Monthly Biweekly Hourly Base Pay Locality Add
Step 1 $41,659 $3,472 $1,602 $19.96 $31,103 +$10,556
Step 2 $43,048 $3,587 $1,656 $20.63 $32,140 +$10,908
Step 3 $44,437 $3,703 $1,709 $21.29 $33,177 +$11,260
Step 4 $45,826 $3,819 $1,763 $21.96 $34,214 +$11,612
Step 5 $47,215 $3,935 $1,816 $22.62 $35,251 +$11,964
Step 6 $48,604 $4,050 $1,869 $23.29 $36,288 +$12,316
Step 7 $49,993 $4,166 $1,923 $23.95 $37,325 +$12,668
Step 8 $51,382 $4,282 $1,976 $24.62 $38,362 +$13,020
Step 9 $52,771 $4,398 $2,030 $25.29 $39,399 +$13,372
Step 10 $54,160 $4,513 $2,083 $25.95 $40,436 +$13,724

Compare Nearby Grades in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA

How does GS-4 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?

GS-3
$42,063
GS-4
$47,215
GS-5
$52,825

Promotion from GS-3 to GS-4 at Step 5 in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA is a raise of $5,152 per year.

GS-4 Federal Jobs in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA

Federal employees at GS-4 in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality area earn between $41,659 and $54,160 annually in 2026. This includes a 33.94% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-4 base pay of $31,103 to $40,436.

The Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality area covers District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania. At Step 5, a GS-4 employee here earns $5,950 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, Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA 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-4 Step 1 in this area is $1,602, or approximately $19.96 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance โ€” it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.

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