2022 GS-5 Pay in San Diego
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 30.87% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $31,083 on the base table to $40,678 in San Diego.
2022 GS-5 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $40,678 | $1,564.54 | $19.49 | +$9,595 |
| Step 2 | $42,034 | $1,616.69 | $20.14 | +$9,915 |
| Step 3 | $43,390 | $1,668.85 | $20.79 | +$10,235 |
| Step 4 | $44,746 | $1,721.00 | $21.44 | +$10,555 |
| Step 5 | $46,102 | $1,773.15 | $22.09 | +$10,875 |
| Step 6 | $47,457 | $1,825.27 | $22.74 | +$11,194 |
| Step 7 | $48,813 | $1,877.42 | $23.39 | +$11,514 |
| Step 8 | $50,169 | $1,929.58 | $24.04 | +$11,834 |
| Step 9 | $51,525 | $1,981.73 | $24.69 | +$12,154 |
| Step 10 | $52,881 | $2,033.88 | $25.34 | +$12,474 |
2022 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $40,678 | $1,564.54 | $19.49 | +$9,595 |
| Step 2 | $42,034 | $1,616.69 | $20.14 | +$9,915 |
| Step 3 | $43,390 | $1,668.85 | $20.79 | +$10,235 |
| Step 4 | $44,746 | $1,721.00 | $21.44 | +$10,555 |
| Step 5 | $46,102 | $1,773.15 | $22.09 | +$10,875 |
| Step 6 | $47,457 | $1,825.27 | $22.74 | +$11,194 |
| Step 7 | $48,813 | $1,877.42 | $23.39 | +$11,514 |
| Step 8 | $50,169 | $1,929.58 | $24.04 | +$11,834 |
| Step 9 | $51,525 | $1,981.73 | $24.69 | +$12,154 |
| Step 10 | $52,881 | $2,033.88 | $25.34 | +$12,474 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in San Diego: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2022, the San Diego pay area adds a 30.87% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $1,565 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,034. 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-5 San Diego page.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-5 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in San Diego?
In 2022, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $40,678 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $52,881. This is 30.87% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 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-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,595 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $1,565 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.