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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$29,811 GS-3 Step 1 in San Francisco (2014)
$38,752 GS-3 Step 10 in San Francisco (2014)
+$7,753 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2014 GS-3 pay table for San Francisco

Each step below already includes the 35.15% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-3 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $29,811 $1,146.58 $14.28 +$7,753
Step 2 $30,805 $1,184.81 $14.76 +$8,012
Step 3 $31,798 $1,223.00 $15.24 +$8,270
Step 4 $32,791 $1,261.19 $15.71 +$8,528
Step 5 $33,785 $1,299.42 $16.19 +$8,787
Step 6 $34,778 $1,337.62 $16.66 +$9,045
Step 7 $35,772 $1,375.85 $17.14 +$9,304
Step 8 $36,765 $1,414.04 $17.62 +$9,562
Step 9 $37,758 $1,452.23 $18.09 +$9,820
Step 10 $38,752 $1,490.46 $18.57 +$10,079
← GS-2 Calculate my take-home GS-4 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-3 Step 1 $22,058
  • San Francisco GS-3 Step 1 $29,811
  • Locality add-on +$7,753
  • Adjustment percent 35.15%
  • Base GS-3 Step 10 $28,673
  • San Francisco GS-3 Step 10 $38,752

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-3 in San Francisco: what to expect

Routine clerical, office assistant and technician-support roles. Common entry grade for recent high school graduates.

For 2014, the San Francisco pay area adds a 35.15% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-3 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. One year of general experience or one year of post-secondary education.

Promotion path. Non-competitive promotion to GS-4 after one year of satisfactory performance.

The rough military equivalent for GS-3 is E-4 Specialist, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-3 in San Francisco

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-3 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,147 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,490. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2014 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-3 San Francisco page.

Other grades in San Francisco

GS-3 in San Francisco questions

  • How much does a GS-3 make in San Francisco?
    In 2014, a GS-3 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $29,811 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $38,752. This is 35.15% higher than the base GS-3 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-3 in San Francisco?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Francisco in 2014, it is 35.15%. On a GS-3 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $7,753 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-3 in San Francisco?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-3 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,147 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.