2020 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 41.44% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $30,113 on the base table to $42,592 in San Francisco.
2020 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 | $42,592 | $1,638.15 | $20.41 | +$12,479 |
| Step 2 | $44,012 | $1,692.77 | $21.09 | +$12,895 |
| Step 3 | $45,432 | $1,747.38 | $21.77 | +$13,311 |
| Step 4 | $46,852 | $1,802.00 | $22.45 | +$13,727 |
| Step 5 | $48,272 | $1,856.62 | $23.13 | +$14,143 |
| Step 6 | $49,692 | $1,911.23 | $23.81 | +$14,559 |
| Step 7 | $51,112 | $1,965.85 | $24.49 | +$14,975 |
| Step 8 | $52,532 | $2,020.46 | $25.17 | +$15,391 |
| Step 9 | $53,952 | $2,075.08 | $25.85 | +$15,807 |
| Step 10 | $55,372 | $2,129.69 | $26.53 | +$16,223 |
2020 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,592 | $1,638.15 | $20.41 | +$12,479 |
| Step 2 | $44,012 | $1,692.77 | $21.09 | +$12,895 |
| Step 3 | $45,432 | $1,747.38 | $21.77 | +$13,311 |
| Step 4 | $46,852 | $1,802.00 | $22.45 | +$13,727 |
| Step 5 | $48,272 | $1,856.62 | $23.13 | +$14,143 |
| Step 6 | $49,692 | $1,911.23 | $23.81 | +$14,559 |
| Step 7 | $51,112 | $1,965.85 | $24.49 | +$14,975 |
| Step 8 | $52,532 | $2,020.46 | $25.17 | +$15,391 |
| Step 9 | $53,952 | $2,075.08 | $25.85 | +$15,807 |
| Step 10 | $55,372 | $2,129.69 | $26.53 | +$16,223 |
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 2020, the San Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% 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 $1,638 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,130. 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-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 2020, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $42,592 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $55,372. This is 41.44% 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 2020, it is 41.44%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $12,479 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 $1,638 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.