PublicPay

Foreign Affairs federal salary series 0130

Full-time federal employees in the Foreign Affairs series earned a median of $154,263 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 41% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $133,964 and $182,295.

Median pay
$154,263
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$133,964–$182,295
25th–75th percentile
Employees
2,808
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1.7%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Foreign Affairs
All federal (full-time)

What shapes foreign affairs pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (981 employees, median $133,964). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of State (1,959 employees). Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 30% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Foreign Affairs pay by grade

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

Foreign Affairs pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-12 138 $102,415 $102,415–$109,243
GS-13 981 $133,964 $129,904–$146,143
GS-14 666 $163,104 $158,306–$172,700
GS-15 481 $197,200 $186,207–$197,200
ES (ungraded) 76 $198,943 $195,000–$218,834

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

Foreign Affairs pay by agency

Foreign Affairs pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of State 1,959 $153,509 $133,964–$177,497
Department of Transportation 52 $194,150 $173,201–$213,334

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

Foreign Affairs pay by state

The 1 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Foreign Affairs pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
District of Columbia 1,984 $154,263 $133,964–$180,998

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

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.7% from $151,646 in September 2025 to $154,263 in September 2026. Headcount went from 3,097 to 2,808 (−9.3%). 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.

Related occupations in Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group