2023 GS-5 Pay in San Diego
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 32.01% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $32,357 on the base table to $42,714 in San Diego.
2023 GS-5 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,714 | $1,642.85 | $20.47 | +$10,357 |
| Step 2 | $44,139 | $1,697.65 | $21.15 | +$10,703 |
| Step 3 | $45,563 | $1,752.42 | $21.83 | +$11,048 |
| Step 4 | $46,988 | $1,807.23 | $22.51 | +$11,394 |
| Step 5 | $48,412 | $1,862.00 | $23.20 | +$11,739 |
| Step 6 | $49,836 | $1,916.77 | $23.88 | +$12,084 |
| Step 7 | $51,261 | $1,971.58 | $24.56 | +$12,430 |
| Step 8 | $52,685 | $2,026.35 | $25.24 | +$12,775 |
| Step 9 | $54,110 | $2,081.15 | $25.93 | +$13,121 |
| Step 10 | $55,534 | $2,135.92 | $26.61 | +$13,466 |
2023 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,714 | $1,642.85 | $20.47 | +$10,357 |
| Step 2 | $44,139 | $1,697.65 | $21.15 | +$10,703 |
| Step 3 | $45,563 | $1,752.42 | $21.83 | +$11,048 |
| Step 4 | $46,988 | $1,807.23 | $22.51 | +$11,394 |
| Step 5 | $48,412 | $1,862.00 | $23.20 | +$11,739 |
| Step 6 | $49,836 | $1,916.77 | $23.88 | +$12,084 |
| Step 7 | $51,261 | $1,971.58 | $24.56 | +$12,430 |
| Step 8 | $52,685 | $2,026.35 | $25.24 | +$12,775 |
| Step 9 | $54,110 | $2,081.15 | $25.93 | +$13,121 |
| Step 10 | $55,534 | $2,135.92 | $26.61 | +$13,466 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in San Diego: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2023, the San Diego pay area adds a 32.01% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $1,643 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,136. 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-5 San Diego page.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-5 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in San Diego?
In 2023, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $42,714 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $55,534. This is 32.01% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 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-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $10,357 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $1,643 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.