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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$56,509 GS-8 Step 1 in San Francisco (2019)
$73,461 GS-8 Step 10 in San Francisco (2019)
+$16,246 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2019 GS-8 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-8 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $56,509 $2,173.42 $27.08 +$16,246
Step 2 $58,393 $2,245.88 $27.98 +$16,788
Step 3 $60,276 $2,318.31 $28.88 +$17,329
Step 4 $62,160 $2,390.77 $29.78 +$17,871
Step 5 $64,043 $2,463.19 $30.69 +$18,412
Step 6 $65,927 $2,535.65 $31.59 +$18,954
Step 7 $67,810 $2,608.08 $32.49 +$19,495
Step 8 $69,694 $2,680.54 $33.39 +$20,037
Step 9 $71,577 $2,752.96 $34.30 +$20,578
Step 10 $73,461 $2,825.42 $35.20 +$21,120
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $40,263
  • San Francisco GS-8 Step 1 $56,509
  • Locality add-on +$16,246
  • Adjustment percent 40.35%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $52,341
  • San Francisco GS-8 Step 10 $73,461

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-8 in San Francisco: what to expect

Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.

For 2019, the San Francisco pay area adds a 40.35% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-8 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-7 level.

Promotion path. Promoted to GS-9 after one year in grade.

The rough military equivalent for GS-8 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-8 in San Francisco

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,173 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,825. 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-8 San Francisco page.

Other grades in San Francisco

GS-8 in San Francisco questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in San Francisco?
    In 2019, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $56,509 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $73,461. This is 40.35% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 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-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $16,246 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in San Francisco?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,173 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.