PublicPay

Patent Examining federal salary series 1224

Full-time federal employees in the Patent Examining series earned a median of $176,572 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 61% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $111,407 and $192,154.

Median pay
$176,572
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$111,407–$192,154
25th–75th percentile
Employees
9,437
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Patent Examining
All federal (full-time)

What shapes patent examining pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-14 (4,915 employees, median $186,960). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Commerce (9,437 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($186,960) and lowest in Missouri ($131,841), 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.

Patent Examining pay by grade

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

Patent Examining pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-7 877 $89,102 $89,102–$89,102
GS-9 675 $96,178 $96,178–$98,850
GS-11 661 $103,159 $100,032–$106,285
GS-12 618 $118,595 $111,407–$125,783
GS-13 1,039 $146,366 $136,236–$158,211
GS-14 4,915 $186,960 $181,766–$197,200
GS-15 652 $197,200 $197,200–$197,200

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

Patent Examining pay by agency

Patent Examining pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Commerce 9,437 $176,572 $111,407–$192,154

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

Patent Examining pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Patent Examining pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Virginia 4,323 $181,766 $98,850–$197,200
Maryland 976 $186,960 $158,211–$197,200
Texas 429 $166,185 $108,213–$186,960
Florida 416 $181,766 $136,566–$192,154
California 371 $167,720 $106,285–$186,960
Pennsylvania 248 $181,766 $131,841–$192,154
North Carolina 242 $181,766 $136,236–$192,154
Michigan 232 $171,378 $115,001–$186,960
New York 227 $168,782 $115,001–$192,154
Colorado 182 $176,572 $115,900–$190,856

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

Compare patent examining pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.0% from $174,821 in September 2025 to $176,572 in September 2026. Headcount went from 9,428 to 9,437 (+0.1%). 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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