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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$61,636 GS-9 Step 1 in San Diego (2022)
$80,128 GS-9 Step 10 in San Diego (2022)
+$14,539 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2022 GS-9 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-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $61,636 $2,370.62 $29.53 +$14,539
Step 2 $63,691 $2,449.65 $30.52 +$15,024
Step 3 $65,745 $2,528.65 $31.50 +$15,508
Step 4 $67,800 $2,607.69 $32.49 +$15,993
Step 5 $69,854 $2,686.69 $33.47 +$16,477
Step 6 $71,909 $2,765.73 $34.46 +$16,962
Step 7 $73,964 $2,844.77 $35.44 +$17,447
Step 8 $76,018 $2,923.77 $36.42 +$17,931
Step 9 $78,073 $3,002.81 $37.41 +$18,416
Step 10 $80,128 $3,081.85 $38.39 +$18,901
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Diego pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $47,097
  • San Diego GS-9 Step 1 $61,636
  • Locality add-on +$14,539
  • Adjustment percent 30.87%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $61,227
  • San Diego GS-9 Step 10 $80,128

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-9 in San Diego: what to expect

Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.

For 2022, the San Diego pay area adds a 30.87% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.

The rough military equivalent for GS-9 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-9 in San Diego

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,371 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,082. 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-9 San Diego page.

Other grades in San Diego

GS-9 in San Diego questions

  • How much does a GS-9 make in San Diego?
    In 2022, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $61,636 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $80,128. This is 30.87% higher than the base GS-9 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 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-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $14,539 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in San Diego?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,371 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.