2021 GS-8 Pay in SAN DIEGO
GS-8 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 29.77% on top of the base GS-8 pay scale. That means a GS-8 Step 1 salary jumps from $41,723 on the base table to $54,144 in SAN DIEGO.
2021 GS-8 Pay in SAN DIEGO
Locality-adjusted GS-8 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $54,144 | $2,082.46 | $25.94 | +$12,421 |
| Step 2 | $55,949 | $2,151.88 | $26.81 | +$12,835 |
| Step 3 | $57,754 | $2,221.31 | $27.67 | +$13,249 |
| Step 4 | $59,559 | $2,290.73 | $28.54 | +$13,663 |
| Step 5 | $61,364 | $2,360.15 | $29.40 | +$14,077 |
| Step 6 | $63,169 | $2,429.58 | $30.27 | +$14,491 |
| Step 7 | $64,975 | $2,499.04 | $31.13 | +$14,906 |
| Step 8 | $66,780 | $2,568.46 | $32.00 | +$15,320 |
| Step 9 | $68,585 | $2,637.88 | $32.86 | +$15,734 |
| Step 10 | $70,390 | $2,707.31 | $33.73 | +$16,148 |
2021 GS-8 pay table for SAN DIEGO
Each step below already includes the 29.77% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-8 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $54,144 | $2,082.46 | $25.94 | +$12,421 |
| Step 2 | $55,949 | $2,151.88 | $26.81 | +$12,835 |
| Step 3 | $57,754 | $2,221.31 | $27.67 | +$13,249 |
| Step 4 | $59,559 | $2,290.73 | $28.54 | +$13,663 |
| Step 5 | $61,364 | $2,360.15 | $29.40 | +$14,077 |
| Step 6 | $63,169 | $2,429.58 | $30.27 | +$14,491 |
| Step 7 | $64,975 | $2,499.04 | $31.13 | +$14,906 |
| Step 8 | $66,780 | $2,568.46 | $32.00 | +$15,320 |
| Step 9 | $68,585 | $2,637.88 | $32.86 | +$15,734 |
| Step 10 | $70,390 | $2,707.31 | $33.73 | +$16,148 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more SAN DIEGO pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-8 in SAN DIEGO: what to expect
Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.
For 2021, the SAN DIEGO pay area adds a 29.77% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-8 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-7 level.
Promotion path. Promoted to GS-9 after one year in grade.
The rough military equivalent for GS-8 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-8 in SAN DIEGO
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in SAN DIEGO earns roughly $2,082 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,707. 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-8 SAN DIEGO page.
Other grades in SAN DIEGO
GS-8 in SAN DIEGO questions
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How much does a GS-8 make in SAN DIEGO?
In 2021, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in SAN DIEGO earns $54,144 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $70,390. This is 29.77% higher than the base GS-8 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 in SAN DIEGO?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For SAN DIEGO in 2021, it is 29.77%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $12,421 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in SAN DIEGO?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in SAN DIEGO earns roughly $2,082 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.