2024 GS-12 Pay in San Francisco
GS-12 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 45.41% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $74,441 on the base table to $108,245 in San Francisco.
2024 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 | $108,245 | $4,163.27 | $51.87 | +$33,804 |
| Step 2 | $111,852 | $4,302.00 | $53.59 | +$34,930 |
| Step 3 | $115,460 | $4,440.77 | $55.32 | +$36,057 |
| Step 4 | $119,068 | $4,579.54 | $57.05 | +$37,184 |
| Step 5 | $122,675 | $4,718.27 | $58.78 | +$38,310 |
| Step 6 | $126,283 | $4,857.04 | $60.51 | +$39,437 |
| Step 7 | $129,890 | $4,995.77 | $62.24 | +$40,563 |
| Step 8 | $133,498 | $5,134.54 | $63.97 | +$41,690 |
| Step 9 | $137,106 | $5,273.31 | $65.70 | +$42,817 |
| Step 10 | $140,713 | $5,412.04 | $67.42 | +$43,943 |
2024 GS-12 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 45.41% 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 | $108,245 | $4,163.27 | $51.87 | +$33,804 |
| Step 2 | $111,852 | $4,302.00 | $53.59 | +$34,930 |
| Step 3 | $115,460 | $4,440.77 | $55.32 | +$36,057 |
| Step 4 | $119,068 | $4,579.54 | $57.05 | +$37,184 |
| Step 5 | $122,675 | $4,718.27 | $58.78 | +$38,310 |
| Step 6 | $126,283 | $4,857.04 | $60.51 | +$39,437 |
| Step 7 | $129,890 | $4,995.77 | $62.24 | +$40,563 |
| Step 8 | $133,498 | $5,134.54 | $63.97 | +$41,690 |
| Step 9 | $137,106 | $5,273.31 | $65.70 | +$42,817 |
| Step 10 | $140,713 | $5,412.04 | $67.42 | +$43,943 |
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 2024, the San Francisco pay area adds a 45.41% 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 $4,163 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,412. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2024 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 2024, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $108,245 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $140,713. This is 45.41% 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 2024, it is 45.41%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $33,804 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 $4,163 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.