2022 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
GS-12 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 42.74% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $68,299 on the base table to $97,490 in San Francisco.
2022 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 | $97,490 | $3,749.62 | $46.71 | +$29,191 |
| Step 2 | $100,740 | $3,874.62 | $48.27 | +$30,164 |
| Step 3 | $103,990 | $3,999.62 | $49.83 | +$31,137 |
| Step 4 | $107,241 | $4,124.65 | $51.39 | +$32,111 |
| Step 5 | $110,491 | $4,249.65 | $52.94 | +$33,084 |
| Step 6 | $113,741 | $4,374.65 | $54.50 | +$34,057 |
| Step 7 | $116,991 | $4,499.65 | $56.06 | +$35,030 |
| Step 8 | $120,241 | $4,624.65 | $57.61 | +$36,003 |
| Step 9 | $123,492 | $4,749.69 | $59.17 | +$36,977 |
| Step 10 | $126,742 | $4,874.69 | $60.73 | +$37,950 |
2022 GS-12 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 42.74% 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 | $97,490 | $3,749.62 | $46.71 | +$29,191 |
| Step 2 | $100,740 | $3,874.62 | $48.27 | +$30,164 |
| Step 3 | $103,990 | $3,999.62 | $49.83 | +$31,137 |
| Step 4 | $107,241 | $4,124.65 | $51.39 | +$32,111 |
| Step 5 | $110,491 | $4,249.65 | $52.94 | +$33,084 |
| Step 6 | $113,741 | $4,374.65 | $54.50 | +$34,057 |
| Step 7 | $116,991 | $4,499.65 | $56.06 | +$35,030 |
| Step 8 | $120,241 | $4,624.65 | $57.61 | +$36,003 |
| Step 9 | $123,492 | $4,749.69 | $59.17 | +$36,977 |
| Step 10 | $126,742 | $4,874.69 | $60.73 | +$37,950 |
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 2022, the San Francisco pay area adds a 42.74% 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 $3,750 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,875. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2022 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 2022, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $97,490 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $126,742. This is 42.74% 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 2022, it is 42.74%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $29,191 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 $3,750 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.