2019 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
GS-12 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 40.35% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $64,490 on the base table to $90,512 in San Francisco.
2019 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 | $90,512 | $3,481.23 | $43.37 | +$26,022 |
| Step 2 | $93,529 | $3,597.27 | $44.82 | +$26,889 |
| Step 3 | $96,547 | $3,713.35 | $46.26 | +$27,757 |
| Step 4 | $99,564 | $3,829.38 | $47.71 | +$28,624 |
| Step 5 | $102,582 | $3,945.46 | $49.15 | +$29,492 |
| Step 6 | $105,599 | $4,061.50 | $50.60 | +$30,359 |
| Step 7 | $108,617 | $4,177.58 | $52.04 | +$31,227 |
| Step 8 | $111,634 | $4,293.62 | $53.49 | +$32,094 |
| Step 9 | $114,652 | $4,409.69 | $54.94 | +$32,962 |
| Step 10 | $117,669 | $4,525.73 | $56.38 | +$33,829 |
2019 GS-12 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 40.35% 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 | $90,512 | $3,481.23 | $43.37 | +$26,022 |
| Step 2 | $93,529 | $3,597.27 | $44.82 | +$26,889 |
| Step 3 | $96,547 | $3,713.35 | $46.26 | +$27,757 |
| Step 4 | $99,564 | $3,829.38 | $47.71 | +$28,624 |
| Step 5 | $102,582 | $3,945.46 | $49.15 | +$29,492 |
| Step 6 | $105,599 | $4,061.50 | $50.60 | +$30,359 |
| Step 7 | $108,617 | $4,177.58 | $52.04 | +$31,227 |
| Step 8 | $111,634 | $4,293.62 | $53.49 | +$32,094 |
| Step 9 | $114,652 | $4,409.69 | $54.94 | +$32,962 |
| Step 10 | $117,669 | $4,525.73 | $56.38 | +$33,829 |
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 2019, the San Francisco pay area adds a 40.35% 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 $3,481 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,526. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2019 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 2019, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $90,512 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $117,669. This is 40.35% 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 2019, it is 40.35%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $26,022 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 $3,481 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.