2021 GS-4 Pay in San Francisco
GS-4 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 41.44% on top of the base GS-4 pay scale. That means a GS-4 Step 1 salary jumps from $27,184 on the base table to $38,449 in San Francisco.
2021 GS-4 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-4 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,449 | $1,478.81 | $18.42 | +$11,265 |
| Step 2 | $39,730 | $1,528.08 | $19.04 | +$11,640 |
| Step 3 | $41,012 | $1,577.38 | $19.65 | +$12,016 |
| Step 4 | $42,293 | $1,626.65 | $20.26 | +$12,391 |
| Step 5 | $43,575 | $1,675.96 | $20.88 | +$12,767 |
| Step 6 | $44,856 | $1,725.23 | $21.49 | +$13,142 |
| Step 7 | $46,138 | $1,774.54 | $22.11 | +$13,518 |
| Step 8 | $47,419 | $1,823.81 | $22.72 | +$13,893 |
| Step 9 | $48,701 | $1,873.12 | $23.34 | +$14,269 |
| Step 10 | $49,982 | $1,922.38 | $23.95 | +$14,644 |
2021 GS-4 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-4 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,449 | $1,478.81 | $18.42 | +$11,265 |
| Step 2 | $39,730 | $1,528.08 | $19.04 | +$11,640 |
| Step 3 | $41,012 | $1,577.38 | $19.65 | +$12,016 |
| Step 4 | $42,293 | $1,626.65 | $20.26 | +$12,391 |
| Step 5 | $43,575 | $1,675.96 | $20.88 | +$12,767 |
| Step 6 | $44,856 | $1,725.23 | $21.49 | +$13,142 |
| Step 7 | $46,138 | $1,774.54 | $22.11 | +$13,518 |
| Step 8 | $47,419 | $1,823.81 | $22.72 | +$13,893 |
| Step 9 | $48,701 | $1,873.12 | $23.34 | +$14,269 |
| Step 10 | $49,982 | $1,922.38 | $23.95 | +$14,644 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-4 in San Francisco: what to expect
Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
For 2021, the San Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-4 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.
Promotion path. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.
The rough military equivalent for GS-4 is E-5 Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-4 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-4 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,479 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,922. 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-4 San Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-4 in San Francisco questions
-
How much does a GS-4 make in San Francisco?
In 2021, a GS-4 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $38,449 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $49,982. This is 41.44% higher than the base GS-4 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-4 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-4 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,265 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-4 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-4 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,479 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.