OPM Details Which Law Enforcement Officers Will Receive 3.8% Pay Raise in 2026
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published details on which categories of federal law enforcement personnel are set to receive a 3.8 percent pay raise in 2026.
This after President Trump directed OPM Director Scott Kupor to find a way to implement the higher raise for certain law enforcement personnel. The 3.8 percent raise is nearly quadruple the one percent raise that most civilian employees are receiving.
In the memo, OPM says the special pay rate will support hiring and retention.
“These new special rates support ongoing agency hiring efforts for mission-critical law enforcement positions essential to implementing the administration’s priorities to secure the border, enforce federal laws, and protect public safety,” stated the memo. “Without these special rates, agencies may face challenges in recruiting and retaining the personnel needed to carry out these missions effectively.”
Here’s a snapshot of who will receive the higher raise:
Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents
Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Correctional Officers
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agents
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agents
U.S. Marshals Service Deputy U.S. Marshals and other positions
Department of Homeland Security
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents, detention and deportation officers, and technical enforcement officers
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol agents, officers, criminal investigators, and Air and Marine interdiction agents
Secret Service personnel, including security specialists, officers, investigators and technicians
Federal Protective Service criminal investigators and officers
Department of Agriculture
Forest Service law enforcement officers and criminal investigators
Law enforcement officers in the Office of Safety, Security and Protection
Department of the Interior
Interior Department law enforcement officers
National Park Service police officers
State Department criminal investigators in the Diplomatic Security Service
National Nuclear Security Administration couriers
OPM published pay tables for the special rates on its website and did not specify how many employees will receive the raise.
Agencies were also told that if staffing challenges persist, they can submit special salary requests to OPM at any time.
The pay increase will take effect January 11, coinciding with the first day of the General Schedule’s first full pay period of 2026.