2022 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 42.74% 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 $44,368 in San Francisco.
2022 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,368 | $1,706.46 | $21.26 | +$13,285 |
| Step 2 | $45,847 | $1,763.35 | $21.97 | +$13,728 |
| Step 3 | $47,325 | $1,820.19 | $22.68 | +$14,170 |
| Step 4 | $48,804 | $1,877.08 | $23.38 | +$14,613 |
| Step 5 | $50,283 | $1,933.96 | $24.09 | +$15,056 |
| Step 6 | $51,762 | $1,990.85 | $24.80 | +$15,499 |
| Step 7 | $53,241 | $2,047.73 | $25.51 | +$15,942 |
| Step 8 | $54,719 | $2,104.58 | $26.22 | +$16,384 |
| Step 9 | $56,198 | $2,161.46 | $26.93 | +$16,827 |
| Step 10 | $57,677 | $2,218.35 | $27.64 | +$17,270 |
2022 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,368 | $1,706.46 | $21.26 | +$13,285 |
| Step 2 | $45,847 | $1,763.35 | $21.97 | +$13,728 |
| Step 3 | $47,325 | $1,820.19 | $22.68 | +$14,170 |
| Step 4 | $48,804 | $1,877.08 | $23.38 | +$14,613 |
| Step 5 | $50,283 | $1,933.96 | $24.09 | +$15,056 |
| Step 6 | $51,762 | $1,990.85 | $24.80 | +$15,499 |
| Step 7 | $53,241 | $2,047.73 | $25.51 | +$15,942 |
| Step 8 | $54,719 | $2,104.58 | $26.22 | +$16,384 |
| Step 9 | $56,198 | $2,161.46 | $26.93 | +$16,827 |
| Step 10 | $57,677 | $2,218.35 | $27.64 | +$17,270 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in San Francisco: 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 Francisco pay area adds a 42.74% 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 Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,706 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,218. 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 Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-5 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in San Francisco?
In 2022, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $44,368 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $57,677. This is 42.74% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 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-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $13,285 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,706 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.