PublicPay

Guide federal salary series 0090

Full-time federal employees in the Guide series earned a median of $45,541 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 58% below the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $41,124 and $49,545.

Median pay
$45,541
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$41,124–$49,545
25th–75th percentile
Employees
791
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-0.4%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Guide
All federal (full-time)

What shapes guide pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-5 (651 employees, median $46,167). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of the Interior (789 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($48,163) and lowest in Kentucky ($44,809), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

Guide pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Guide pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-4 78 $40,701 $37,193–$41,659
GS-5 651 $46,167 $41,769–$49,376
GS-6 53 $51,463 $49,950–$55,420

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Guide pay by agency

Guide pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of the Interior 789 $45,540 $41,103–$49,459

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Guide pay by state

The 3 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Guide pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Pennsylvania 72 $47,880 $44,887–$51,271
District of Columbia 68 $48,163 $46,610–$51,271
Kentucky 55 $44,809 $40,736–$47,525

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Change since September 2025

The median moved −0.4% from $45,707 in September 2025 to $45,541 in September 2026. Headcount went from 796 to 791 (−0.6%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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