2023 GS-13 Pay in San Diego
GS-13 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 32.01% on top of the base GS-13 pay scale. That means a GS-13 Step 1 salary jumps from $84,546 on the base table to $111,609 in San Diego.
2023 GS-13 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-13 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $111,609 | $4,292.65 | $53.48 | +$27,063 |
| Step 2 | $115,329 | $4,435.73 | $55.26 | +$27,965 |
| Step 3 | $119,049 | $4,578.81 | $57.04 | +$28,867 |
| Step 4 | $122,769 | $4,721.88 | $58.83 | +$29,769 |
| Step 5 | $126,489 | $4,864.96 | $60.61 | +$30,671 |
| Step 6 | $130,209 | $5,008.04 | $62.39 | +$31,573 |
| Step 7 | $133,929 | $5,151.12 | $64.17 | +$32,475 |
| Step 8 | $137,649 | $5,294.19 | $65.96 | +$33,377 |
| Step 9 | $141,370 | $5,437.31 | $67.74 | +$34,280 |
| Step 10 | $145,090 | $5,580.38 | $69.52 | +$35,182 |
2023 GS-13 pay table for San Diego
Each step below already includes the 32.01% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-13 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $111,609 | $4,292.65 | $53.48 | +$27,063 |
| Step 2 | $115,329 | $4,435.73 | $55.26 | +$27,965 |
| Step 3 | $119,049 | $4,578.81 | $57.04 | +$28,867 |
| Step 4 | $122,769 | $4,721.88 | $58.83 | +$29,769 |
| Step 5 | $126,489 | $4,864.96 | $60.61 | +$30,671 |
| Step 6 | $130,209 | $5,008.04 | $62.39 | +$31,573 |
| Step 7 | $133,929 | $5,151.12 | $64.17 | +$32,475 |
| Step 8 | $137,649 | $5,294.19 | $65.96 | +$33,377 |
| Step 9 | $141,370 | $5,437.31 | $67.74 | +$34,280 |
| Step 10 | $145,090 | $5,580.38 | $69.52 | +$35,182 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-13 in San Diego: what to expect
Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
For 2023, the San Diego pay area adds a 32.01% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-13 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-12 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
The rough military equivalent for GS-13 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-13 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $4,293 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,580. 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-13 San Diego page.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-13 in San Diego questions
-
How much does a GS-13 make in San Diego?
In 2023, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $111,609 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $145,090. This is 32.01% higher than the base GS-13 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-13 in San Diego?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Diego in 2023, it is 32.01%. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $27,063 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-13 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $4,293 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.