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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$63,987 GS-8 Step 1 in San Francisco (2023)
$83,188 GS-8 Step 10 in San Francisco (2023)
+$19,598 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2023 GS-8 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-8 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $63,987 $2,461.04 $30.66 +$19,598
Step 2 $66,120 $2,543.08 $31.68 +$20,251
Step 3 $68,254 $2,625.15 $32.70 +$20,905
Step 4 $70,387 $2,707.19 $33.73 +$21,558
Step 5 $72,520 $2,789.23 $34.75 +$22,211
Step 6 $74,654 $2,871.31 $35.77 +$22,865
Step 7 $76,787 $2,953.35 $36.79 +$23,518
Step 8 $78,921 $3,035.42 $37.82 +$24,172
Step 9 $81,054 $3,117.46 $38.84 +$24,825
Step 10 $83,188 $3,199.54 $39.86 +$25,479
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $44,389
  • San Francisco GS-8 Step 1 $63,987
  • Locality add-on +$19,598
  • Adjustment percent 44.15%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $57,709
  • San Francisco GS-8 Step 10 $83,188

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-8 in San Francisco: what to expect

Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.

For 2023, the San Francisco pay area adds a 44.15% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-8 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-7 level.

Promotion path. Promoted to GS-9 after one year in grade.

The rough military equivalent for GS-8 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-8 in San Francisco

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,461 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,200. 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-8 San Francisco page.

Other grades in San Francisco

GS-8 in San Francisco questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in San Francisco?
    In 2023, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $63,987 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $83,188. This is 44.15% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 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-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $19,598 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in San Francisco?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,461 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.