2018 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
GS-12 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 39.28% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $63,600 on the base table to $88,582 in San Francisco.
2018 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-12 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $88,582 | $3,407.00 | $42.44 | +$24,982 |
| Step 2 | $91,535 | $3,520.58 | $43.86 | +$25,815 |
| Step 3 | $94,488 | $3,634.15 | $45.27 | +$26,648 |
| Step 4 | $97,440 | $3,747.69 | $46.69 | +$27,480 |
| Step 5 | $100,393 | $3,861.27 | $48.10 | +$28,313 |
| Step 6 | $103,346 | $3,974.85 | $49.52 | +$29,146 |
| Step 7 | $106,298 | $4,088.38 | $50.93 | +$29,978 |
| Step 8 | $109,251 | $4,201.96 | $52.35 | +$30,811 |
| Step 9 | $112,204 | $4,315.54 | $53.76 | +$31,644 |
| Step 10 | $115,157 | $4,429.12 | $55.18 | +$32,477 |
2018 GS-12 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 39.28% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-12 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $88,582 | $3,407.00 | $42.44 | +$24,982 |
| Step 2 | $91,535 | $3,520.58 | $43.86 | +$25,815 |
| Step 3 | $94,488 | $3,634.15 | $45.27 | +$26,648 |
| Step 4 | $97,440 | $3,747.69 | $46.69 | +$27,480 |
| Step 5 | $100,393 | $3,861.27 | $48.10 | +$28,313 |
| Step 6 | $103,346 | $3,974.85 | $49.52 | +$29,146 |
| Step 7 | $106,298 | $4,088.38 | $50.93 | +$29,978 |
| Step 8 | $109,251 | $4,201.96 | $52.35 | +$30,811 |
| Step 9 | $112,204 | $4,315.54 | $53.76 | +$31,644 |
| Step 10 | $115,157 | $4,429.12 | $55.18 | +$32,477 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-12 in San Francisco: what to expect
Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
For 2018, the San Francisco pay area adds a 39.28% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-12 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
The rough military equivalent for GS-12 is O-5 Lieutenant Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-12 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $3,407 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,429. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2018 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-12 San Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-12 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-12 make in San Francisco?
In 2018, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $88,582 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $115,157. This is 39.28% higher than the base GS-12 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-12 in San Francisco?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Francisco in 2018, it is 39.28%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $24,982 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-12 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $3,407 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.