2016 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 35.75% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $28,262 on the base table to $38,366 in San Francisco.
2016 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 | $38,366 | $1,475.62 | $18.38 | +$10,104 |
| Step 2 | $39,644 | $1,524.77 | $19.00 | +$10,440 |
| Step 3 | $40,923 | $1,573.96 | $19.61 | +$10,777 |
| Step 4 | $42,202 | $1,623.15 | $20.22 | +$11,114 |
| Step 5 | $43,481 | $1,672.35 | $20.83 | +$11,451 |
| Step 6 | $44,759 | $1,721.50 | $21.45 | +$11,787 |
| Step 7 | $46,038 | $1,770.69 | $22.06 | +$12,124 |
| Step 8 | $47,317 | $1,819.88 | $22.67 | +$12,461 |
| Step 9 | $48,596 | $1,869.08 | $23.29 | +$12,798 |
| Step 10 | $49,875 | $1,918.27 | $23.90 | +$13,135 |
2016 GS-5 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 35.75% 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 | $38,366 | $1,475.62 | $18.38 | +$10,104 |
| Step 2 | $39,644 | $1,524.77 | $19.00 | +$10,440 |
| Step 3 | $40,923 | $1,573.96 | $19.61 | +$10,777 |
| Step 4 | $42,202 | $1,623.15 | $20.22 | +$11,114 |
| Step 5 | $43,481 | $1,672.35 | $20.83 | +$11,451 |
| Step 6 | $44,759 | $1,721.50 | $21.45 | +$11,787 |
| Step 7 | $46,038 | $1,770.69 | $22.06 | +$12,124 |
| Step 8 | $47,317 | $1,819.88 | $22.67 | +$12,461 |
| Step 9 | $48,596 | $1,869.08 | $23.29 | +$12,798 |
| Step 10 | $49,875 | $1,918.27 | $23.90 | +$13,135 |
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 2016, the San Francisco pay area adds a 35.75% 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 $1,476 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,918. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2016 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 2016, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $38,366 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $49,875. This is 35.75% 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 2016, it is 35.75%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $10,104 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 $1,476 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.