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2027 Pay Plan Suggests a 0% Raise for Civilian Feds
Every year, the President is required by law to submit an “alternative pay plan” to Congress by August 31. This plan sets the framework for the following year’s General Schedule (GS) pay raise. Submitted August 31, 2026, the latest alternative pay plan proposed a pay freeze for most civilian members of the federal workforce.
Locality Pay Likely to Remain at 2026 Levels
Typically, the annual raise has two parts: an across-the-board base adjustment that applies to every GS employee nationwide, and a locality pay component that varies by where you work. Employees in higher-cost areas such as Washington D.C., San Francisco, New York, and other major metropolitan areas receive locality adjustments on top of the base rate. (For 2026, 1.0% took effect with no locality adjustments.) After the White House’s announcement, it looks like neither component of the annual pay increase will be different from the current year’s levels.
2027 GS Pay Tables for Civilian Federal Employees
The table below shows 2026 base pay, which will likely remain the same for the upcoming year unless the proposed pay freeze decision is reversed by a law or executive order. Employees in locality pay areas earn more than the base national rate. Check OPM’s locality pay tables at opm.gov for your specific metro area.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $22,584 | $23,341 | $24,092 | $24,840 | $25,589 | $26,028 | $26,771 | $27,519 | $27,550 | $28,250 |
| GS-2 | $25,393 | $25,997 | $26,839 | $27,550 | $27,861 | $28,681 | $29,500 | $30,320 | $31,139 | $31,959 |
| GS-3 | $27,708 | $28,631 | $29,555 | $30,478 | $31,402 | $32,325 | $33,248 | $34,172 | $35,095 | $36,019 |
| GS-4 | $31,103 | $32,139 | $33,175 | $34,212 | $35,248 | $36,285 | $37,322 | $38,358 | $39,394 | $40,430 |
| GS-5 | $34,799 | $35,958 | $37,118 | $38,278 | $39,437 | $40,597 | $41,756 | $42,916 | $44,075 | $45,236 |
| GS-6 | $38,791 | $40,084 | $41,378 | $42,670 | $43,964 | $45,257 | $46,550 | $47,844 | $49,137 | $50,430 |
| GS-7 | $43,106 | $44,543 | $45,980 | $47,417 | $48,855 | $50,291 | $51,728 | $53,165 | $54,603 | $56,039 |
| GS-8 | $47,738 | $49,328 | $50,920 | $52,511 | $54,102 | $55,693 | $57,284 | $58,875 | $60,467 | $62,057 |
| GS-9 | $52,727 | $54,484 | $56,242 | $57,999 | $59,757 | $61,514 | $63,271 | $65,029 | $66,786 | $68,544 |
| GS-10 | $58,064 | $59,999 | $61,934 | $63,869 | $65,805 | $67,740 | $69,675 | $71,610 | $73,545 | $75,480 |
| GS-11 | $63,795 | $65,921 | $68,047 | $70,173 | $72,300 | $74,426 | $76,552 | $78,678 | $80,804 | $82,931 |
| GS-12 | $76,463 | $79,012 | $81,561 | $84,109 | $86,657 | $89,205 | $91,754 | $94,303 | $96,851 | $99,399 |
| GS-13 | $90,925 | $93,956 | $96,987 | $100,018 | $103,050 | $106,081 | $109,112 | $112,143 | $115,174 | $118,205 |
| GS-14 | $107,446 | $111,028 | $114,610 | $118,191 | $121,773 | $125,355 | $128,937 | $132,518 | $136,101 | $139,682 |
| GS-15 | $126,384 | $130,596 | $134,809 | $139,021 | $143,234 | $147,446 | $151,659 | $155,871 | $160,083 | $164,296 |
Source: OPM.gov
2027 Pay Raise for Military Personnel and Some LEOs
Military members follow a completely different pay process from civilian federal employees. GS civilian pay is set by the President’s alternative pay plan, but military basic pay is set each year through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a separate piece of legislation passed by Congress. For 2027, the House passed its version of the NDAA in July 2026, and the proposed military pay numbers look very different from what civilian employees are receiving. The same raise would also apply to some federal LEO (law enforcement officer) positions.
| Military Pay Group | Proposed Annual Pay Raise | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Enlisted (E-1 through E-4) | 7% | House FY2027 NDAA passed July 22, 2026 — final pending Senate and conference |
| All Other Active Duty (E-5 and above; all officers) | 5% | House FY2027 NDAA passed July 22, 2026 — final pending Senate and conference |
| 2026 military raise (for reference) | 3.8% | Authorized by FY2026 NDAA — confirmed and in effect |
Source: House FY2027 NDAA, passed July 22, 2026. Final NDAA not signed until December; figures may change in Senate-House conference.
Employee Unions and Federal Pay Disparities
The difference between civilian and military pay proposals this year is significant. In 2026, civilian federal employees received roughly 1% while military members received 3.8%. For 2027, it is starting to look like that gap will widen considerably. Federal employee unions have pointed to this disparity as part of their push for the FAIR Act, a proposed bill that would provide a 4.1% raise for civilian employees in 2027. That bill is active in Congress, but highly unlikely to make it out of the House of Representatives.
What to Know If You Are Planning to Retire Soon
If you are within a few years of retirement, the pay freeze impacts your high-3 salary. Consecutive years of low to nonexistent annual pay bumps diminish that average, which translates into a lower monthly pension for the rest of your retirement.
Next Steps
United Benefits helps federal employees understand their full benefits picture: FERS, TSP, FEHB, FEGLI, and pay raise planning. Talk with a federal benefits specialist to see how the 2027 pay plan affects your specific situation by filling out the form below: