2015 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 35.15% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $27,982 on the base table to $37,818 in San Francisco.
2015 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $37,818 | $1,454.54 | $18.12 | +$9,836 |
| Step 2 | $39,079 | $1,503.04 | $18.72 | +$10,164 |
| Step 3 | $40,340 | $1,551.54 | $19.33 | +$10,492 |
| Step 4 | $41,601 | $1,600.04 | $19.93 | +$10,820 |
| Step 5 | $42,861 | $1,648.50 | $20.54 | +$11,147 |
| Step 6 | $44,122 | $1,697.00 | $21.14 | +$11,475 |
| Step 7 | $45,383 | $1,745.50 | $21.75 | +$11,803 |
| Step 8 | $46,644 | $1,794.00 | $22.35 | +$12,131 |
| Step 9 | $47,905 | $1,842.50 | $22.95 | +$12,459 |
| Step 10 | $49,166 | $1,891.00 | $23.56 | +$12,787 |
2015 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $37,818 | $1,454.54 | $18.12 | +$9,836 |
| Step 2 | $39,079 | $1,503.04 | $18.72 | +$10,164 |
| Step 3 | $40,340 | $1,551.54 | $19.33 | +$10,492 |
| Step 4 | $41,601 | $1,600.04 | $19.93 | +$10,820 |
| Step 5 | $42,861 | $1,648.50 | $20.54 | +$11,147 |
| Step 6 | $44,122 | $1,697.00 | $21.14 | +$11,475 |
| Step 7 | $45,383 | $1,745.50 | $21.75 | +$11,803 |
| Step 8 | $46,644 | $1,794.00 | $22.35 | +$12,131 |
| Step 9 | $47,905 | $1,842.50 | $22.95 | +$12,459 |
| Step 10 | $49,166 | $1,891.00 | $23.56 | +$12,787 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in San Francisco: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2015, the San Francisco pay area adds a 35.15% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,455 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,891. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2015 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 San Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-5 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in San Francisco?
In 2015, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $37,818 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $49,166. This is 35.15% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in San Francisco?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Francisco in 2015, it is 35.15%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,836 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,455 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.