2021 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 $66,829 on the base table to $94,523 in San Francisco.
2021 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 | $94,523 | $3,635.50 | $45.29 | +$27,694 |
| Step 2 | $97,674 | $3,756.69 | $46.80 | +$28,617 |
| Step 3 | $100,826 | $3,877.92 | $48.31 | +$29,541 |
| Step 4 | $103,977 | $3,999.12 | $49.82 | +$30,464 |
| Step 5 | $107,128 | $4,120.31 | $51.33 | +$31,387 |
| Step 6 | $110,279 | $4,241.50 | $52.84 | +$32,310 |
| Step 7 | $113,431 | $4,362.73 | $54.35 | +$33,234 |
| Step 8 | $116,582 | $4,483.92 | $55.86 | +$34,157 |
| Step 9 | $119,733 | $4,605.12 | $57.37 | +$35,080 |
| Step 10 | $122,884 | $4,726.31 | $58.88 | +$36,003 |
2021 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 | $94,523 | $3,635.50 | $45.29 | +$27,694 |
| Step 2 | $97,674 | $3,756.69 | $46.80 | +$28,617 |
| Step 3 | $100,826 | $3,877.92 | $48.31 | +$29,541 |
| Step 4 | $103,977 | $3,999.12 | $49.82 | +$30,464 |
| Step 5 | $107,128 | $4,120.31 | $51.33 | +$31,387 |
| Step 6 | $110,279 | $4,241.50 | $52.84 | +$32,310 |
| Step 7 | $113,431 | $4,362.73 | $54.35 | +$33,234 |
| Step 8 | $116,582 | $4,483.92 | $55.86 | +$34,157 |
| Step 9 | $119,733 | $4,605.12 | $57.37 | +$35,080 |
| Step 10 | $122,884 | $4,726.31 | $58.88 | +$36,003 |
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 2021, 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 $3,636 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,726. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2021 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 2021, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $94,523 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $122,884. 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 2021, it is 41.44%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $27,694 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 $3,636 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.