The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a final rule allowing up to 400 national security positions to be paid salaries of up to $400,000, FNN reported.
The rule implements an earlier directive from President Donald Trump to use a special pay authority for national security roles. It applies to a limited set of high-level federal jobs.
Key Facts
- Final rule: OPM has finalized the regulation, moving it past the proposal stage.
- Position cap: No more than 400 national security positions can be covered.
- Pay ceiling: Designated positions can be paid up to $400,000.
- Authority: The rule uses a special pay authority, as directed by the president.
- Scope: The change affects only designated senior-level roles, not the broader federal workforce.
Context
The rule follows the president's earlier directive to use special pay authority for national security positions. OPM's final rule puts that directive into regulation.
The $400,000 ceiling is the maximum, not a set salary. Pay for any designated position can fall below that figure. The 400-position cap limits how many jobs can be paid under the authority.
The rule's keywords point to compensation caps and senior pay. Special pay authorities let agencies set pay outside standard salary structures for certain roles. The summary provided to GovWire did not specify which agencies or job series are eligible, or how positions will be designated.
What It Means For You
For most federal employees, the rule changes nothing. Pay for General Schedule, wage grade, and most other workers is unaffected, and the rule covers no more than 400 positions across the government.
For employees in or near senior national security roles, the rule creates a new pay path for designated positions. Whether a specific job qualifies will depend on how agencies and OPM designate positions under the rule.
To see how $400,000 compares with standard federal salaries, check the 2026 GS pay tables.
What to Watch
- OPM guidance on how positions are selected and designated
- Which agencies use the authority and how they allocate the 400 slots
- Any additional implementation details from OPM
GovWire will update this story as OPM releases further information.
Source: FNN — Pay