GS step increase calculator
Estimate a WGI date and compare 2026 steps.
- Rule snapshot
- Reviewed
- Primary sources
- OPM WGI rules and exact 2026 GS tables
- Waiting periods
- 52 · 104 · 156 weeks
Confirm requirements to estimate a date.
OPM waiting periods
Steps 1–3
52 weeks
Steps 4–6
104 weeks
Steps 7–9
156 weeks
Time alone is not enough. The employee must occupy a permanent position, perform at an acceptable level of competence, and avoid an equivalent increase during the waiting period. Nonpay status or a delayed acceptable-performance finding can move the date.
Date and pay boundaries
Use the current-step effective date from an official personnel record. The date result assumes that date is a biweekly pay-period start. The dollar comparison is from today’s 2026 table—not a forecast of the table in effect later.
Changing grades instead? Use the GS Promotion Calculator. Looking up a single cell? Use the GS Pay Calculator.
GS step increase FAQ
How long is the wait between GS steps?
OPM requires 52 weeks in steps 1 through 3, 104 weeks in steps 4 through 6, and 156 weeks in steps 7 through 9 for employees with a scheduled tour of duty.
What requirements apply besides time?
A WGI requires a permanent position, acceptable performance, completion of the waiting period, and no equivalent increase during that period. Agency records control those findings.
When does a WGI become effective?
Under 5 CFR 531.412, it is generally effective on the first day of the first pay period following completion of the waiting period and the eligibility conditions.
Does the pay result predict my future salary?
No. The difference uses exact 2026 OPM table cells so you can understand the current step change. A later pay table, cap, special schedule, or personnel action can change the actual amount.