International Relations federal salary series 0131
Full-time federal employees in the International Relations series earned a median of $158,306 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 44% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $133,964 and $187,093.
What shapes international relations pay
The most common grade with published pay is GS-14 (93 employees, median $159,321). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Labor (73 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 35% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).
International Relations pay by grade
Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.
| Pay plan–grade | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| GS-13 | 77 | $133,964 |
| GS-14 | 93 | $159,321 |
| GS-15 | 60 | $197,200 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
International Relations pay by agency
| Agency | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Labor | 73 | $153,509 |
| Department of Homeland Security | 53 | $158,306 |
| Department of Energy | 35 | $158,306 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
International Relations pay by state
The 2 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.
| State | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 152 | $158,306 |
| Maryland | 32 | $167,902 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Compare international relations pay across all states and agencies →
Change since September 2025
The median moved +1.0% from $156,737 in September 2025 to $158,306 in September 2026. Headcount went from 451 to 317 (−29.7%). 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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