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

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$60,866 GS-8 Step 1 in San Francisco (2022)
$79,121 GS-8 Step 10 in San Francisco (2022)
+$18,225 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2022 GS-8 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-8 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $60,866 $2,341.00 $29.16 +$18,225
Step 2 $62,894 $2,419.00 $30.14 +$18,832
Step 3 $64,922 $2,497.00 $31.11 +$19,439
Step 4 $66,951 $2,575.04 $32.08 +$20,047
Step 5 $68,979 $2,653.04 $33.05 +$20,654
Step 6 $71,007 $2,731.04 $34.02 +$21,261
Step 7 $73,036 $2,809.08 $35.00 +$21,869
Step 8 $75,064 $2,887.08 $35.97 +$22,476
Step 9 $77,092 $2,965.08 $36.94 +$23,083
Step 10 $79,121 $3,043.12 $37.91 +$23,691
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $42,641
  • San Francisco GS-8 Step 1 $60,866
  • Locality add-on +$18,225
  • Adjustment percent 42.74%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $55,430
  • San Francisco GS-8 Step 10 $79,121

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 Francisco: 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 Francisco pay area adds a 42.74% 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 Francisco

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,341 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,043. 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 Francisco page.

Other grades in San Francisco

GS-8 in San Francisco questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in San Francisco?
    In 2022, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $60,866 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $79,121. This is 42.74% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 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-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $18,225 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in San Francisco?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,341 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.