An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$106,287 GS-13 Step 1 in San Diego (2022)
$138,171 GS-13 Step 10 in San Diego (2022)
+$25,071 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2022 GS-13 pay table for San Diego

Each step below already includes the 30.87% 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 $106,287 $4,087.96 $50.93 +$25,071
Step 2 $109,830 $4,224.23 $52.63 +$25,907
Step 3 $113,373 $4,360.50 $54.32 +$26,743
Step 4 $116,915 $4,496.73 $56.02 +$27,578
Step 5 $120,458 $4,633.00 $57.72 +$28,414
Step 6 $124,001 $4,769.27 $59.42 +$29,250
Step 7 $127,543 $4,905.50 $61.11 +$30,085
Step 8 $131,086 $5,041.77 $62.81 +$30,921
Step 9 $134,629 $5,178.04 $64.51 +$31,757
Step 10 $138,171 $5,314.27 $66.21 +$32,592
← GS-12 Calculate my take-home GS-14 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Diego pays

  • Base GS-13 Step 1 $81,216
  • San Diego GS-13 Step 1 $106,287
  • Locality add-on +$25,071
  • Adjustment percent 30.87%
  • Base GS-13 Step 10 $105,579
  • San Diego GS-13 Step 10 $138,171

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-13 in San Diego: 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 2022, the San Diego pay area adds a 30.87% 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 Diego

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $4,088 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,314. 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-13 San Diego page.

Other grades in San Diego

GS-13 in San Diego questions

  • How much does a GS-13 make in San Diego?
    In 2022, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $106,287 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $138,171. This is 30.87% higher than the base GS-13 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-13 in San Diego?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Diego in 2022, it is 30.87%. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $25,071 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-13 in San Diego?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $4,088 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.