2023 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 44.15% 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 $46,643 in San Francisco.
2023 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $46,643 | $1,793.96 | $22.35 | +$14,286 |
| Step 2 | $48,198 | $1,853.77 | $23.09 | +$14,762 |
| Step 3 | $49,753 | $1,913.58 | $23.84 | +$15,238 |
| Step 4 | $51,309 | $1,973.42 | $24.59 | +$15,715 |
| Step 5 | $52,864 | $2,033.23 | $25.33 | +$16,191 |
| Step 6 | $54,420 | $2,093.08 | $26.08 | +$16,668 |
| Step 7 | $55,975 | $2,152.88 | $26.82 | +$17,144 |
| Step 8 | $57,530 | $2,212.69 | $27.57 | +$17,620 |
| Step 9 | $59,086 | $2,272.54 | $28.31 | +$18,097 |
| Step 10 | $60,641 | $2,332.35 | $29.06 | +$18,573 |
2023 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $46,643 | $1,793.96 | $22.35 | +$14,286 |
| Step 2 | $48,198 | $1,853.77 | $23.09 | +$14,762 |
| Step 3 | $49,753 | $1,913.58 | $23.84 | +$15,238 |
| Step 4 | $51,309 | $1,973.42 | $24.59 | +$15,715 |
| Step 5 | $52,864 | $2,033.23 | $25.33 | +$16,191 |
| Step 6 | $54,420 | $2,093.08 | $26.08 | +$16,668 |
| Step 7 | $55,975 | $2,152.88 | $26.82 | +$17,144 |
| Step 8 | $57,530 | $2,212.69 | $27.57 | +$17,620 |
| Step 9 | $59,086 | $2,272.54 | $28.31 | +$18,097 |
| Step 10 | $60,641 | $2,332.35 | $29.06 | +$18,573 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in San Francisco: 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 Francisco pay area adds a 44.15% 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 Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,794 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,332. 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 Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-5 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in San Francisco?
In 2023, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $46,643 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $60,641. This is 44.15% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 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-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $14,286 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,794 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.