The Office of Personnel Management Cost-of-Living Adjustment (OPM COLA) for 2025 is a yearly cost-of-living adjustment that aims to maintain the purchasing power of federal employees’ salaries. It is calculated based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from December of the preceding year to December of the current year.
The OPM COLA is crucial as it helps federal employees keep up with the rising cost of living, ensuring that their salaries retain their real value. Historically, COLAs have played a significant role in supporting federal employees’ financial well-being, especially during periods of high inflation.