2018 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 39.28% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $28,945 on the base table to $40,315 in San Francisco.
2018 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 | $40,315 | $1,550.58 | $19.32 | +$11,370 |
| Step 2 | $41,659 | $1,602.27 | $19.96 | +$11,749 |
| Step 3 | $43,003 | $1,653.96 | $20.61 | +$12,128 |
| Step 4 | $44,347 | $1,705.65 | $21.25 | +$12,507 |
| Step 5 | $45,691 | $1,757.35 | $21.89 | +$12,886 |
| Step 6 | $47,035 | $1,809.04 | $22.54 | +$13,265 |
| Step 7 | $48,379 | $1,860.73 | $23.18 | +$13,644 |
| Step 8 | $49,723 | $1,912.42 | $23.83 | +$14,023 |
| Step 9 | $51,067 | $1,964.12 | $24.47 | +$14,402 |
| Step 10 | $52,411 | $2,015.81 | $25.11 | +$14,781 |
2018 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $40,315 | $1,550.58 | $19.32 | +$11,370 |
| Step 2 | $41,659 | $1,602.27 | $19.96 | +$11,749 |
| Step 3 | $43,003 | $1,653.96 | $20.61 | +$12,128 |
| Step 4 | $44,347 | $1,705.65 | $21.25 | +$12,507 |
| Step 5 | $45,691 | $1,757.35 | $21.89 | +$12,886 |
| Step 6 | $47,035 | $1,809.04 | $22.54 | +$13,265 |
| Step 7 | $48,379 | $1,860.73 | $23.18 | +$13,644 |
| Step 8 | $49,723 | $1,912.42 | $23.83 | +$14,023 |
| Step 9 | $51,067 | $1,964.12 | $24.47 | +$14,402 |
| Step 10 | $52,411 | $2,015.81 | $25.11 | +$14,781 |
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 2018, the San Francisco pay area adds a 39.28% 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 $1,551 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,016. 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-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 2018, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $40,315 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $52,411. This is 39.28% 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 2018, it is 39.28%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,370 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 $1,551 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.