2021 GS-13 Pay in San Francisco
GS-13 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 41.44% on top of the base GS-13 pay scale. That means a GS-13 Step 1 salary jumps from $79,468 on the base table to $112,400 in San Francisco.
2021 GS-13 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-13 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $112,400 | $4,323.08 | $53.86 | +$32,932 |
| Step 2 | $116,146 | $4,467.15 | $55.65 | +$34,029 |
| Step 3 | $119,893 | $4,611.27 | $57.45 | +$35,127 |
| Step 4 | $123,640 | $4,755.38 | $59.24 | +$36,225 |
| Step 5 | $127,387 | $4,899.50 | $61.04 | +$37,323 |
| Step 6 | $131,133 | $5,043.58 | $62.83 | +$38,420 |
| Step 7 | $134,880 | $5,187.69 | $64.63 | +$39,518 |
| Step 8 | $138,627 | $5,331.81 | $66.42 | +$40,616 |
| Step 9 | $142,374 | $5,475.92 | $68.22 | +$41,714 |
| Step 10 | $146,120 | $5,620.00 | $70.01 | +$42,811 |
2021 GS-13 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-13 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $112,400 | $4,323.08 | $53.86 | +$32,932 |
| Step 2 | $116,146 | $4,467.15 | $55.65 | +$34,029 |
| Step 3 | $119,893 | $4,611.27 | $57.45 | +$35,127 |
| Step 4 | $123,640 | $4,755.38 | $59.24 | +$36,225 |
| Step 5 | $127,387 | $4,899.50 | $61.04 | +$37,323 |
| Step 6 | $131,133 | $5,043.58 | $62.83 | +$38,420 |
| Step 7 | $134,880 | $5,187.69 | $64.63 | +$39,518 |
| Step 8 | $138,627 | $5,331.81 | $66.42 | +$40,616 |
| Step 9 | $142,374 | $5,475.92 | $68.22 | +$41,714 |
| Step 10 | $146,120 | $5,620.00 | $70.01 | +$42,811 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-13 in San Francisco: what to expect
Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
For 2021, the San Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-13 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-12 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
The rough military equivalent for GS-13 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-13 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $4,323 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,620. 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-13 San Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-13 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-13 make in San Francisco?
In 2021, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $112,400 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $146,120. This is 41.44% higher than the base GS-13 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-13 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-13 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $32,932 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-13 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $4,323 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.