2024 GS-5 Pay in San Diego
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.05% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $33,878 on the base table to $45,075 in San Diego.
2024 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 | $45,075 | $1,733.65 | $21.60 | +$11,197 |
| Step 2 | $46,577 | $1,791.42 | $22.32 | +$11,570 |
| Step 3 | $48,079 | $1,849.19 | $23.04 | +$11,943 |
| Step 4 | $49,581 | $1,906.96 | $23.76 | +$12,316 |
| Step 5 | $51,083 | $1,964.73 | $24.48 | +$12,689 |
| Step 6 | $52,585 | $2,022.50 | $25.20 | +$13,062 |
| Step 7 | $54,087 | $2,080.27 | $25.92 | +$13,435 |
| Step 8 | $55,590 | $2,138.08 | $26.64 | +$13,809 |
| Step 9 | $57,092 | $2,195.85 | $27.36 | +$14,182 |
| Step 10 | $58,594 | $2,253.62 | $28.08 | +$14,555 |
2024 GS-5 pay table for San Diego
Each step below already includes the 33.05% 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 | $45,075 | $1,733.65 | $21.60 | +$11,197 |
| Step 2 | $46,577 | $1,791.42 | $22.32 | +$11,570 |
| Step 3 | $48,079 | $1,849.19 | $23.04 | +$11,943 |
| Step 4 | $49,581 | $1,906.96 | $23.76 | +$12,316 |
| Step 5 | $51,083 | $1,964.73 | $24.48 | +$12,689 |
| Step 6 | $52,585 | $2,022.50 | $25.20 | +$13,062 |
| Step 7 | $54,087 | $2,080.27 | $25.92 | +$13,435 |
| Step 8 | $55,590 | $2,138.08 | $26.64 | +$13,809 |
| Step 9 | $57,092 | $2,195.85 | $27.36 | +$14,182 |
| Step 10 | $58,594 | $2,253.62 | $28.08 | +$14,555 |
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 2024, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.05% 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 $1,734 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,254. 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-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 2024, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $45,075 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $58,594. This is 33.05% 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 2024, it is 33.05%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,197 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 $1,734 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.