2020 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
GS-12 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 41.44% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $66,167 on the base table to $93,587 in San Francisco.
2020 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 | $93,587 | $3,599.50 | $44.84 | +$27,420 |
| Step 2 | $96,707 | $3,719.50 | $46.34 | +$28,334 |
| Step 3 | $99,827 | $3,839.50 | $47.83 | +$29,248 |
| Step 4 | $102,947 | $3,959.50 | $49.33 | +$30,162 |
| Step 5 | $106,067 | $4,079.50 | $50.82 | +$31,076 |
| Step 6 | $109,187 | $4,199.50 | $52.32 | +$31,990 |
| Step 7 | $112,308 | $4,319.54 | $53.81 | +$32,905 |
| Step 8 | $115,428 | $4,439.54 | $55.31 | +$33,819 |
| Step 9 | $118,548 | $4,559.54 | $56.80 | +$34,733 |
| Step 10 | $121,668 | $4,679.54 | $58.30 | +$35,647 |
2020 GS-12 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 41.44% 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 | $93,587 | $3,599.50 | $44.84 | +$27,420 |
| Step 2 | $96,707 | $3,719.50 | $46.34 | +$28,334 |
| Step 3 | $99,827 | $3,839.50 | $47.83 | +$29,248 |
| Step 4 | $102,947 | $3,959.50 | $49.33 | +$30,162 |
| Step 5 | $106,067 | $4,079.50 | $50.82 | +$31,076 |
| Step 6 | $109,187 | $4,199.50 | $52.32 | +$31,990 |
| Step 7 | $112,308 | $4,319.54 | $53.81 | +$32,905 |
| Step 8 | $115,428 | $4,439.54 | $55.31 | +$33,819 |
| Step 9 | $118,548 | $4,559.54 | $56.80 | +$34,733 |
| Step 10 | $121,668 | $4,679.54 | $58.30 | +$35,647 |
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 2020, the San Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% 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 $3,600 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,680. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2020 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 2020, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $93,587 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $121,668. This is 41.44% 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 2020, it is 41.44%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $27,420 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 $3,600 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.