2023 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
GS-12 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 44.15% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $71,099 on the base table to $102,489 in San Francisco.
2023 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-12 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $102,489 | $3,941.88 | $49.11 | +$31,390 |
| Step 2 | $105,906 | $4,073.31 | $50.75 | +$32,437 |
| Step 3 | $109,322 | $4,204.69 | $52.38 | +$33,483 |
| Step 4 | $112,738 | $4,336.08 | $54.02 | +$34,529 |
| Step 5 | $116,155 | $4,467.50 | $55.66 | +$35,576 |
| Step 6 | $119,571 | $4,598.88 | $57.29 | +$36,622 |
| Step 7 | $122,987 | $4,730.27 | $58.93 | +$37,668 |
| Step 8 | $126,404 | $4,861.69 | $60.57 | +$38,715 |
| Step 9 | $129,820 | $4,993.08 | $62.20 | +$39,761 |
| Step 10 | $133,236 | $5,124.46 | $63.84 | +$40,807 |
2023 GS-12 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 44.15% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-12 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $102,489 | $3,941.88 | $49.11 | +$31,390 |
| Step 2 | $105,906 | $4,073.31 | $50.75 | +$32,437 |
| Step 3 | $109,322 | $4,204.69 | $52.38 | +$33,483 |
| Step 4 | $112,738 | $4,336.08 | $54.02 | +$34,529 |
| Step 5 | $116,155 | $4,467.50 | $55.66 | +$35,576 |
| Step 6 | $119,571 | $4,598.88 | $57.29 | +$36,622 |
| Step 7 | $122,987 | $4,730.27 | $58.93 | +$37,668 |
| Step 8 | $126,404 | $4,861.69 | $60.57 | +$38,715 |
| Step 9 | $129,820 | $4,993.08 | $62.20 | +$39,761 |
| Step 10 | $133,236 | $5,124.46 | $63.84 | +$40,807 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-12 in San Francisco: what to expect
Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
For 2023, the San Francisco pay area adds a 44.15% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-12 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-11 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
The rough military equivalent for GS-12 is O-5 Lieutenant Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-12 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $3,942 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,124. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2023 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-12 San Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-12 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-12 make in San Francisco?
In 2023, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $102,489 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $133,236. This is 44.15% higher than the base GS-12 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-12 in San Francisco?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Francisco in 2023, it is 44.15%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $31,390 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-12 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $3,942 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.