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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$61,084 GS-9 Step 1 in San Francisco (2018)
$79,410 GS-9 Step 10 in San Francisco (2018)
+$17,227 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2018 GS-9 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-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $61,084 $2,349.38 $29.27 +$17,227
Step 2 $63,120 $2,427.69 $30.24 +$17,801
Step 3 $65,157 $2,506.04 $31.22 +$18,376
Step 4 $67,193 $2,584.35 $32.20 +$18,950
Step 5 $69,229 $2,662.65 $33.17 +$19,524
Step 6 $71,265 $2,740.96 $34.15 +$20,098
Step 7 $73,302 $2,819.31 $35.12 +$20,673
Step 8 $75,338 $2,897.62 $36.10 +$21,247
Step 9 $77,374 $2,975.92 $37.07 +$21,821
Step 10 $79,410 $3,054.23 $38.05 +$22,395
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $43,857
  • San Francisco GS-9 Step 1 $61,084
  • Locality add-on +$17,227
  • Adjustment percent 39.28%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $57,015
  • San Francisco GS-9 Step 10 $79,410

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-9 in San Francisco: what to expect

Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.

For 2018, the San Francisco pay area adds a 39.28% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.

The rough military equivalent for GS-9 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-9 in San Francisco

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,349 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,054. 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-9 San Francisco page.

Other grades in San Francisco

GS-9 in San Francisco questions

  • How much does a GS-9 make in San Francisco?
    In 2018, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $61,084 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $79,410. This is 39.28% higher than the base GS-9 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 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-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $17,227 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in San Francisco?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,349 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.