Is United States a hardship duty station for UN staff?

United States is classified by the UN ICSC as hardship category H — an established, low-hardship location with no hardship allowance. Staff in categories B–E receive a monthly hardship allowance that rises with the category.

What is the cost of living in United States for UN staff?

Everyday prices in United States are roughly 100% of United States levels (World Bank price level index, US = 100). UN salaries are adjusted for this through post adjustment.

Pearl, United States: UN Salary & Benefits by Grade — Post Adjustment, Hardship & Danger Pay

Q: Is United States a family or non-family UN duty station?

United States is a family duty station: eligible dependants may accompany UN staff.

Your Take-Home in United States

An estimate in US dollars (USD) for a Professional (P / D) post at Pearl, United States.

{{ unmatched }} is not a UN salary grade, so the figures below are not for it — the calculator has fallen back to its default. Pick a grade above, or see contract types and what they pay.

Grade

Step

Dependent children

Prior assignments (mobility)

You must already have 5 years' continuous UN service to qualify, and it applies from your 2nd duty station onward. Paid for up to 5 years at any one station.

Dependent spouse

Single parent (no spouse)

Secondary dependant (no spouse)

Net remuneration (base + post adj.)

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Pension contribution (7.9%)− {{ money(pension / divisor) }}

Health insurance *− {{ money(medical / divisor) }}

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* Health insurance is indicative only — real premiums vary by organization, plan (medical and dental are billed separately) and coverage option. The ~2.5% shown is a placeholder, not a quote.

Indicative estimate — excludes rental subsidy, education grant and settling-in. Professional (P/D) pay is in US dollars; GS/NO on the local scale in local currency. For information only — not official advice.

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Allowances & Benefits in Pearl

On top of net base salary, ICSC common-system entitlements adjust pay for cost of living and the difficulty of the posting. Not every allowance applies to every posting or every staff category — each is tagged below. Amounts are 2025 rates in US dollars.

Who gets it: IP internationally recruited P/D · GS / NO locally recruited · All staff all staff

Hardship Classification IP

Category H

H is an established, low-hardship location — typically a major city in a high-income country. No hardship allowance applies.

Category H carries no hardship allowance.

How hardship & mobility work Is this the right posting for you? Family & relocation read

Post Adjustment IP

55%

Post adjustment is a cost-of-living multiplier added to net base salary so purchasing power is comparable across duty stations. It is set city by city, not country-wide. New York (HQ) is 76%.

United States (Washington DC)

55%

New York (HQ)

76%

Other duty stations in United States: Miami 49% · New York 76% · San Francisco 80% · El Paso 48% · Seattle 51%.

Example of net base + post adjustment (55%), by grade (step 1, annual):

P-2

$86,647

net base $56,046

+$30,601 PA

P-3

$110,284

net base $71,335

+$38,949 PA

P-4

$132,998

net base $86,027

+$46,971 PA

P-5

$159,493

net base $103,165

+$56,328 PA

Post adjustment keeps your purchasing power comparable to New York — a lower multiplier usually reflects lower local costs, not less buying power. Read more about cost of living & real UN purchasing power →

Understand post adjustment

Danger Pay All staff

Not applicable here

Pearl is not a designated danger-pay duty station. Danger pay is granted only where staff face serious danger such as armed conflict.

About danger pay

Non-Family Duty Station IP

Not applicable here

Pearl is a family duty station — eligible dependants may accompany staff, so no non-family allowance applies.

About non-family duty stations

Rest & Recuperation All staff

Not applicable here

This duty station is not typically R&R-designated. Rest & Recuperation applies to the more difficult hardship and security postings.

About Rest & Recuperation

Mobility Incentive IP

Not applicable here

Pearl is a category H duty station, so no mobility incentive is payable here. It applies from the second assignment at hardship duty stations (categories A–E), for internationally recruited staff with five years' continuous service. Locally recruited GS/NO staff are not eligible.

About the mobility incentive

Indicative figures based on UN ICSC common-system rates (2025) & World Bank data — not official entitlement advice. See UN contracts & grade levels.

Pay by Grade in Pearl

Open the full salary scale, allowances and estimated take-home for a specific grade at this duty station.

Professional & Director (internationally recruited)

P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4 P-5 D-1 D-2

World Bank Group pay in United States

The Bank is not on the UN common system: there is no post adjustment, each country office is set against its own local market, and figures are quoted net of tax — so they do not compare like for like with the UN figures above. Annual, in local currency.

Grade	Minimum	Midpoint	Maximum
GA	USD 35,200	50,300	65,400
GB	USD 41,800	59,700	77,500
GC	USD 51,400	73,400	95,500
GD	USD 61,000	87,200	113,400
GE	USD 84,100	120,200	156,200
GF	USD 111,900	159,900	207,900
GG	USD 145,200	207,400	269,500
GH	USD 195,500	279,400	363,400
GI	USD 293,800	367,400	440,900
GJ	USD 359,500	422,900	486,400
GK	USD 399,700	470,200	540,600

Based on the World Bank Group's FY27 salary structure (7 July 2026), shown here for ease of reference. Figures are reviewed annually and can change without notice — the official World Bank Group salary scales should always be consulted and prevail over anything shown here. What the GA–GK grades pay → How the World Bank Group pays →

These are UN common-system pay figures (Secretariat, funds, agencies and programmes). The IMF and other Bretton Woods institutions use their own scales (the World Bank's is above), and NGOs and other non-UN employers that also post jobs in Pearl set their own salaries and benefits — a role here does not guarantee these figures.

Salary & Benefits Tools

Pay Stack calculatorThe full take-home tool — any duty station, every allowance, built layer by layer UN salary scales by grade Post adjustment explained UN contracts & grade levels