PublicPay

Geography federal salary series 0150

Full-time federal employees in the Geography series earned a median of $119,761 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 9% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $101,443 and $134,500.

Median pay
$119,761
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$101,443–$134,500
25th–75th percentile
Employees
930
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+3.9%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Geography
All federal (full-time)

What shapes geography pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-12 (354 employees, median $116,071). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of the Interior (316 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Virginia ($138,024) and lowest in Colorado ($116,434), 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.

OPM withheld pay for 41% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Geography pay by grade

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

Geography pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-11 152 $90,094 $83,812–$97,087
GS-12 354 $116,071 $106,088–$126,079
GS-13 202 $133,964 $124,177–$144,848
GS-14 74 $166,371 $150,935–$182,316

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

Geography pay by agency

Geography pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of the Interior 316 $113,242 $92,530–$132,978
Department of Commerce 140 $129,728 $116,071–$135,657
Department of Agriculture 55 $119,485 $102,307–$136,702

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

Geography pay by state

The 4 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Geography pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 133 $129,728 $116,071–$138,024
Colorado 78 $116,434 $99,800–$134,500
California 38 $117,984 $98,672–$135,657
Virginia 31 $138,024 $122,342–$156,292

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

Compare geography pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +3.9% from $115,248 in September 2025 to $119,761 in September 2026. Headcount went from 1,033 to 930 (−10.0%). 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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