High-3 salary window calculator
Estimate average annual basic pay for a selected three-year window. Enter consecutive pay changes to see a day-weighted high-3 salary planning approximation for federal retirement.
Your scenario
Method and limitations
Enter consecutive pay-rate periods covering exactly your selected three-calendar-year window. End dates are exclusive. Each annual basic pay rate is weighted by actual calendar days in its interval. This planning approximation does not search your full career for the highest window or reproduce OPM day-count conventions, partial service or special pay treatment.
Rule source: OPM high-3 basic pay guidance (opens in a new tab). Rules checked 28 October 2026.
Choose your three consecutive years of basic pay
The highest period may be earlier than your final three years. This tool averages only the window you choose; it does not search an entire career. Use eligible basic pay rather than total compensation, and confirm which allowances count with your agency.
Worked example
For a three-year window containing 365 days at $90,000, 366 days at $95,000 and 365 days at $100,000, the day-weighted annual average is $95,000.
Questions about this calculator
Is this the military High-3 calculator?
No. This page concerns federal civilian basic-pay averaging for FERS planning. Military retirement uses different rules.
Does the tool reproduce the final OPM calculation?
No. It uses actual calendar-day weighting within a selected window and does not reproduce all OPM day-count conventions.