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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$64,535 GS-9 Step 1 in San Francisco (2020)
$83,897 GS-9 Step 10 in San Francisco (2020)
+$18,908 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2020 GS-9 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-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $64,535 $2,482.12 $30.92 +$18,908
Step 2 $66,686 $2,564.85 $31.95 +$19,538
Step 3 $68,837 $2,647.58 $32.98 +$20,168
Step 4 $70,989 $2,730.35 $34.01 +$20,799
Step 5 $73,140 $2,813.08 $35.05 +$21,429
Step 6 $75,291 $2,895.81 $36.08 +$22,059
Step 7 $77,443 $2,978.58 $37.11 +$22,690
Step 8 $79,594 $3,061.31 $38.14 +$23,320
Step 9 $81,745 $3,144.04 $39.17 +$23,950
Step 10 $83,897 $3,226.81 $40.20 +$24,581
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $45,627
  • San Francisco GS-9 Step 1 $64,535
  • Locality add-on +$18,908
  • Adjustment percent 41.44%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $59,316
  • San Francisco GS-9 Step 10 $83,897

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 2020, the San Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% 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 $2,482 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,227. 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-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 2020, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $64,535 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $83,897. This is 41.44% 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 2020, it is 41.44%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $18,908 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 $2,482 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.