2021 GS-8 Pay in San Francisco
GS-8 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 41.44% 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 $59,013 in San Francisco.
2021 GS-8 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-8 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $59,013 | $2,269.73 | $28.28 | +$17,290 |
| Step 2 | $60,980 | $2,345.38 | $29.22 | +$17,866 |
| Step 3 | $62,948 | $2,421.08 | $30.16 | +$18,443 |
| Step 4 | $64,915 | $2,496.73 | $31.10 | +$19,019 |
| Step 5 | $66,883 | $2,572.42 | $32.05 | +$19,596 |
| Step 6 | $68,850 | $2,648.08 | $32.99 | +$20,172 |
| Step 7 | $70,818 | $2,723.77 | $33.93 | +$20,749 |
| Step 8 | $72,785 | $2,799.42 | $34.88 | +$21,325 |
| Step 9 | $74,752 | $2,875.08 | $35.82 | +$21,901 |
| Step 10 | $76,720 | $2,950.77 | $36.76 | +$22,478 |
2021 GS-8 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-8 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $59,013 | $2,269.73 | $28.28 | +$17,290 |
| Step 2 | $60,980 | $2,345.38 | $29.22 | +$17,866 |
| Step 3 | $62,948 | $2,421.08 | $30.16 | +$18,443 |
| Step 4 | $64,915 | $2,496.73 | $31.10 | +$19,019 |
| Step 5 | $66,883 | $2,572.42 | $32.05 | +$19,596 |
| Step 6 | $68,850 | $2,648.08 | $32.99 | +$20,172 |
| Step 7 | $70,818 | $2,723.77 | $33.93 | +$20,749 |
| Step 8 | $72,785 | $2,799.42 | $34.88 | +$21,325 |
| Step 9 | $74,752 | $2,875.08 | $35.82 | +$21,901 |
| Step 10 | $76,720 | $2,950.77 | $36.76 | +$22,478 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-8 in San Francisco: 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 Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% 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 Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,270 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,951. 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 Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-8 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-8 make in San Francisco?
In 2021, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $59,013 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $76,720. This is 41.44% higher than the base GS-8 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 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-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $17,290 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,270 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.