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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$55,804 GS-8 Step 1 in San Diego (2022)
$72,541 GS-8 Step 10 in San Diego (2022)
+$13,163 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2022 GS-8 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-8 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $55,804 $2,146.31 $26.74 +$13,163
Step 2 $57,664 $2,217.85 $27.63 +$13,602
Step 3 $59,524 $2,289.38 $28.52 +$14,041
Step 4 $61,383 $2,360.88 $29.41 +$14,479
Step 5 $63,243 $2,432.42 $30.30 +$14,918
Step 6 $65,103 $2,503.96 $31.19 +$15,357
Step 7 $66,962 $2,575.46 $32.09 +$15,795
Step 8 $68,822 $2,647.00 $32.98 +$16,234
Step 9 $70,682 $2,718.54 $33.87 +$16,673
Step 10 $72,541 $2,790.04 $34.76 +$17,111
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Diego pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $42,641
  • San Diego GS-8 Step 1 $55,804
  • Locality add-on +$13,163
  • Adjustment percent 30.87%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $55,430
  • San Diego GS-8 Step 10 $72,541

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-8 in San Diego: 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 2022, the San Diego pay area adds a 30.87% 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 Diego

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,146 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,790. 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-8 San Diego page.

Other grades in San Diego

GS-8 in San Diego questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in San Diego?
    In 2022, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $55,804 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $72,541. This is 30.87% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 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-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $13,163 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in San Diego?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,146 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.