You spent years working with your hands in the military. Turning wrenches, running maintenance checks, troubleshooting electrical systems, keeping equipment operational in conditions that would shut down a civilian shop. And now you're looking at federal jobs and seeing "WG-10" on USAJOBS postings without a clear picture of what that actually pays or how to get there.

The Wage Grade (WG) pay system is the federal government's blue-collar pay scale. It covers trades, maintenance, and labor positions across every federal agency. If you were a mechanic, electrician, welder, HVAC tech, or any hands-on MOS/rating in the military, WG positions are where your experience translates most directly into a federal paycheck. WG-10 sits near the top of the journeyman range, and the pay is better than many veterans expect.

This guide breaks down exactly what WG-10 pays in 2026, which jobs fall into this grade, how your military experience qualifies you, and how to write a federal resume that actually gets you referred. No fluff. Just the numbers and the process.

What Is the Wage Grade (WG) Pay System?

The federal government has two main pay systems for civilian employees. The General Schedule (GS) covers white-collar and professional positions. The Federal Wage System (FWS), which includes the WG pay scale, covers trades, crafts, and labor positions. If you're looking at the GS to military rank chart, that's the professional side. WG is the hands-on side.

FWS positions use a three-part classification. WG (Wage Grade) covers trades and crafts workers. WL (Wage Leader) covers working supervisors who still do hands-on work alongside their team. WS (Wage Supervisor) covers full supervisors of WG employees. Each has 15 grade levels (WG-1 through WG-15), and each grade has 5 steps.

The biggest difference from GS pay: WG rates are set locally. The Department of Defense conducts wage surveys in each geographic area and sets rates based on what private-sector employers pay for similar work. That means a WG-10 electrician at Fort Liberty, North Carolina earns a different base rate than a WG-10 electrician at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Your location matters as much as your grade.

OPM publishes FWS pay schedules on their website (opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/federal-wage-system/). These schedules are organized by wage area, and there are over 130 wage areas across the country. Each area has its own pay table. You need to look up the specific wage area for any installation or agency location you're targeting.

How Much Does WG-10 Pay in 2026?

WG-10 pay varies significantly by location. The grade itself is consistent, but the hourly rate depends entirely on which wage area you fall into. To give you a realistic picture, here are ranges based on 2025 FWS schedules published by OPM (2026 schedules typically release mid-year after annual wage surveys).

A WG-10, Step 1 in a lower-cost area might start around $26 to $29 per hour. In higher-cost metro areas like the Washington, DC wage area, San Francisco Bay Area, or New York, WG-10 Step 1 rates can reach $33 to $37 per hour. At Step 5, add roughly $3 to $5 per hour on top of Step 1, depending on the area.

Annualized, that puts WG-10 in a range of roughly $54,000 to $77,000+ depending on location and step. That does not include overtime, shift differentials, Sunday premium pay, or hazardous duty pay. Many WG positions offer regular overtime, and some maintenance and production shops run shift work that pushes total compensation well above base pay.

Step increases at the WG level follow a set timeline. Steps 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 require 26 weeks of acceptable performance each. Steps 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 require 78 weeks each. So reaching WG-10, Step 5 from Step 1 takes about four years of satisfactory work. If you come in with experience that justifies a higher step at hiring (and you negotiate), you can skip ahead.

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Which Federal Jobs Are WG-10?

WG-10 is a journeyman-level grade. That means these positions expect you to work independently, troubleshoot without constant supervision, and apply a full range of trade skills. You should already know your trade. WG-10 is not an apprentice or helper grade.

Common WG-10 job series and titles you will find on USAJOBS include:

• Aircraft Mechanic (WG-8852). Maintains and repairs fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Common at Air Force, Army, and Navy installations.
• Electrician (WG-2805). Industrial and facility electrical work. Found at every military base and VA medical center.
• Pipefitter (WG-4204). Steam, water, and industrial piping systems. Shipyards, power plants, and large federal facilities.
• HVAC Mechanic (WG-5306). Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. Every federal facility needs HVAC.
• Heavy Mobile Equipment Mechanic (WG-5803). Repairs construction equipment, tactical vehicles, and heavy machinery.
• Machinist (WG-3414). CNC and manual machining. Found at depots, arsenals, and shipyards.
• Welder (WG-3703). All types of welding in production and maintenance environments.
• Electronics Mechanic (WG-2604). Repairs and maintains electronic systems and equipment.
• Maintenance Mechanic (WG-4749). Multi-trade maintenance covering plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and general building systems.

The biggest concentrations of WG-10 positions are at military depots (Anniston Army Depot, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex), shipyards (Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard), VA medical centers, and large installations with significant facilities maintenance needs.

How Military Experience Qualifies You for WG-10

This is where veterans have a real advantage. WG positions are qualified based on job-related experience, not education. OPM uses a system called the "Job Grading Standard" for each trade, and the qualifications are built around demonstrated ability to do the work. Your military MOS, rating, or AFSC training and experience count directly. Check the OPM qualification standards page for the detailed framework.

For WG-10 specifically, you generally need journey-level skill in the trade. That means you can perform the full range of work independently. In military terms, if you completed your A-school or AIT, served in your trade for 4+ years, and were performing work without constant oversight, you likely meet the experience threshold.

Some direct military-to-WG mappings that come up frequently:

• Army 91B (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic) maps to WG-5803 and WG-4749 positions
• Navy EN (Engineman) and MM (Machinist's Mate) map to WG-4204, WG-5306, and WG-4749
• Air Force 2A series (Aircraft Maintenance) maps directly to WG-8852
• Marine Corps 1141 (Electrician) maps to WG-2805
• Navy HT (Hull Maintenance Technician) maps to WG-3703 and WG-4204

If your specific MOS or rating isn't listed here, use the BMR career crosswalk tool to find your civilian occupation matches. Many trades MOS/ratings map to multiple WG series.

How Is WG-10 Pay Different from GS Pay?

Veterans who are used to hearing about GS grades often get confused when they see WG grades on USAJOBS. The two systems look similar (numbered grades, steps) but work differently in ways that matter for your wallet and your career planning.

GS pay is set nationally with locality adjustments. Every GS-9, Step 1 in Washington, DC earns the same base. WG pay is set entirely by local wage surveys. Two WG-10 positions in different cities can have very different hourly rates because the local private-sector labor market drives the number. You can see how GS grades compare to military ranks in the GS to military rank comparison chart, but WG does not have a clean rank equivalent because it is trade-based, not hierarchy-based.

WG employees are paid hourly. GS employees are salaried. This means WG workers earn actual overtime pay at 1.5x their hourly rate. GS employees at lower grades can earn overtime too, but at higher grades overtime compensation gets capped or converted to comp time. For many WG-10 positions, regular overtime availability is a real income booster. A WG-10 earning $32/hour who works 10 hours of overtime per week adds roughly $25,000 per year to their gross pay.

Benefits are identical between WG and GS. Same FEHB health insurance, same FERS retirement, same TSP matching, same leave accrual. Your military service time can also be credited toward leave accrual, which means many veterans start with 6 hours of annual leave per pay period (that is 19.5 days per year) from day one.

Career progression is different. GS positions have a clear promotion ladder (GS-7 to GS-9 to GS-11, etc.) built into many career fields. WG positions typically top out at the journeyman level for the trade (WG-10 for many series, WG-11 or WG-12 for some). To advance beyond journeyman, you move to WL (leader) or WS (supervisor) positions, or you cross over to a GS position in a related field like quality assurance (GS-1910), engineering technician (GS-0802), or safety management (GS-0018).

How to Find and Apply for WG-10 Jobs on USAJOBS

Searching for WG positions on USAJOBS requires slightly different tactics than searching for GS jobs. Here is what works.

Search Filters That Matter

On USAJOBS, use the "Pay" filter and select "Federal Wage System." You can also type the specific job series number in the keyword field (for example, "2805" for electrician positions). Search by location if you have a target area, or search nationwide if you are willing to relocate. Many WG-10 positions at shipyards and depots offer relocation incentives because they struggle to fill skilled trades positions.

Pay attention to the announcement text. WG postings often list "WG-10" in the title or the pay grade field. Some agencies post broad announcements covering WG-8 through WG-10, where the grade you are offered depends on your experience level.

Hiring Authorities That Help Veterans

Veterans have multiple paths into WG positions beyond the standard competitive hiring process. Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA) applies to WG positions up to WG equivalent of GS-11. The 30% or More Disabled Veteran authority allows direct hire. And Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) gives preference-eligible veterans access to announcements that would otherwise be open only to current federal employees. Learn more about all of these in our guide to hiring authorities for veterans.

Some agencies with high WG hiring volume, like the Department of the Navy and the Army Materiel Command, run direct hire authorities for certain trades when they have critical shortages. These postings skip the traditional competitive process and move faster. Watch for "Direct Hire Authority" in the announcement.

What the Application Requires

WG applications on USAJOBS require the same core documents as GS applications: your resume, DD-214 (for veterans' preference verification), and any required forms listed in the announcement. Some announcements ask for SF-50s if you are a current or former federal employee. The occupational questionnaire matters. Answer it honestly but do not undersell yourself. If you performed the work described, rate yourself accordingly.

The resume is where many veterans lose ground. Use the USAJOBS resume builder walkthrough to make sure every field is filled correctly, or build your resume with the BMR federal resume builder which handles the federal formatting requirements automatically.

Writing a Federal Resume for WG-10 Positions

Federal resumes for WG positions follow the same format as GS resumes. Two pages max. Include hours per week, supervisor name and phone, salary, and start/end dates for each position. The hours per week federal resume guide covers how to calculate and document this correctly.

Where WG resumes differ from GS resumes is in the content itself. You need to emphasize hands-on technical work. Hiring managers for WG positions want to see specific equipment, specific systems, and specific tasks. They want to know you can do the work on day one with minimal training.

Four things WG hiring managers want to see on your resume:

1. Specific equipment and systems. Name the exact vehicles, aircraft, engines, electrical systems, or tools you worked on. "Diagnosed and repaired 60kW MEP-006A tactical generators" tells a hiring manager more than "maintained power generation equipment."
2. Scope of work. How many pieces of equipment? How large was the shop? How many work orders per month? Numbers give context. "Completed 15 to 20 work orders per week across diesel, electrical, and hydraulic systems" paints a picture.
3. Independent judgment. WG-10 is a journeyman grade. Show that you diagnosed problems and made repair decisions without being told what to do. "Independently troubleshot intermittent faults in AN/SPS-49 radar cooling systems using technical manuals and schematic diagrams" demonstrates journey-level skill.
4. Safety and compliance. Federal shops care about OSHA compliance, lockout/tagout, confined space procedures, and hazardous material handling. If you followed these protocols in the military, put them on your resume.

Your federal resume needs to include the specific language from the job announcement. Read the "Duties" and "Qualifications" sections of the USAJOBS posting carefully. If the posting says "performs welding using SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW processes," and you have done that work, use those exact terms in your resume. This is how your application ranks higher when reviewed. Build your resume using the federal resume template to make sure the structure is right from the start.

WG-10 Benefits Veterans Often Overlook

Beyond the hourly rate, WG-10 positions come with federal benefits that add significant value to total compensation. Some of these get overlooked because they are not obvious on the USAJOBS posting.

Military service credit for leave. Your active duty time counts toward your leave accrual rate. With 4+ years of military service, you start earning annual leave at 6 hours per pay period. With 12+ years of combined military and civilian federal service, you earn 8 hours per pay period. This is a real financial benefit that private-sector trades jobs rarely match.

Shift differentials and premium pay. WG employees working second shift (swing) earn an additional 7.5% of their base rate. Third shift (night) earns 10% extra. Sunday premium pay adds 25% for hours worked on Sunday. These premiums stack. A WG-10 earning $32/hour on a Sunday night shift could be pulling over $43/hour before overtime.

Environmental and hazardous duty pay. Federal trades workers get additional pay for working in hazardous conditions. Exposure to high voltage, toxic chemicals, asbestos, extreme temperatures, and other hazards triggers specific pay differentials. These are defined in 5 CFR Part 532 and vary by the type of hazard.

FERS retirement with military buyback. If you buy back your military time under FERS, those years count toward your retirement annuity calculation. A veteran with 6 years of military service who works 24 years as a WG federal employee retires with 30 years of creditable service. That math matters when your annuity is calculated at 1% per year of service times your high-3 average salary.

Training and certification. Many federal maintenance shops will pay for trade certifications, EPA certifications, OSHA training, and other professional development. Some positions offer journeyman certification through formal apprenticeship programs. The Army Civilian Workforce has one of the largest federal apprenticeship programs in the country.

Where Are WG-10 Jobs Located?

WG-10 positions exist wherever the federal government owns buildings, vehicles, aircraft, or equipment. That said, certain locations have far higher concentrations than others. Agencies that consistently hire the most WG-10 tradespeople include the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, Department of the Air Force, and the Veterans Health Administration.

The biggest employers of WG-10 workers are military depots and shipyards. These are production and overhaul facilities with thousands of trades positions. Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia employs over 10,000 civilian workers, many of them WG trades. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington is similar. Anniston Army Depot in Alabama, Red River Army Depot in Texas, and Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania all hire WG mechanics, electronics workers, and machinists at scale.

VA medical centers across the country hire WG maintenance mechanics, electricians, HVAC techs, and plumbers. Every VA hospital has a facilities maintenance department, and they hire locally. These positions tend to be more geographically spread out than depot jobs, so if you need to stay in a specific area, VA is worth searching.

Check which federal agencies have the highest veteran hire rates to target agencies that already understand military experience. Agencies like the Department of Defense and VA routinely have veteran hire rates above 30%.

What to Do Next

If you have a trades background from the military and you want federal employment, WG-10 positions should be on your radar. The pay is competitive, the benefits are strong, and your military experience is exactly what these jobs are looking for.

Start by looking up your target wage area on OPM's FWS pay tables at opm.gov. Know your number before you apply so you can evaluate whether the location and pay work for your situation. Then search USAJOBS using the specific series numbers for your trade.

When you are ready to build your resume, make sure it follows federal formatting requirements and includes the specific technical detail that WG hiring managers need. The BMR federal resume builder handles the structure, formatting, and military-to-federal translation so you can focus on getting the content right. If you want to see the full application process from start to finish, walk through our guide on how to apply to federal jobs efficiently.

You spent years learning your trade in the military. Federal agencies need exactly that experience. The WG-10 pay scale puts real money behind it.