2024 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 45.41% 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 $49,262 in San Francisco.
2024 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 | $49,262 | $1,894.69 | $23.60 | +$15,384 |
| Step 2 | $50,904 | $1,957.85 | $24.39 | +$15,897 |
| Step 3 | $52,545 | $2,020.96 | $25.18 | +$16,409 |
| Step 4 | $54,187 | $2,084.12 | $25.96 | +$16,922 |
| Step 5 | $55,829 | $2,147.27 | $26.75 | +$17,435 |
| Step 6 | $57,470 | $2,210.38 | $27.54 | +$17,947 |
| Step 7 | $59,112 | $2,273.54 | $28.32 | +$18,460 |
| Step 8 | $60,754 | $2,336.69 | $29.11 | +$18,973 |
| Step 9 | $62,395 | $2,399.81 | $29.90 | +$19,485 |
| Step 10 | $64,037 | $2,462.96 | $30.68 | +$19,998 |
2024 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $49,262 | $1,894.69 | $23.60 | +$15,384 |
| Step 2 | $50,904 | $1,957.85 | $24.39 | +$15,897 |
| Step 3 | $52,545 | $2,020.96 | $25.18 | +$16,409 |
| Step 4 | $54,187 | $2,084.12 | $25.96 | +$16,922 |
| Step 5 | $55,829 | $2,147.27 | $26.75 | +$17,435 |
| Step 6 | $57,470 | $2,210.38 | $27.54 | +$17,947 |
| Step 7 | $59,112 | $2,273.54 | $28.32 | +$18,460 |
| Step 8 | $60,754 | $2,336.69 | $29.11 | +$18,973 |
| Step 9 | $62,395 | $2,399.81 | $29.90 | +$19,485 |
| Step 10 | $64,037 | $2,462.96 | $30.68 | +$19,998 |
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 2024, the San Francisco pay area adds a 45.41% 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 $1,895 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,463. 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 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 2024, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $49,262 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $64,037. This is 45.41% 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 2024, it is 45.41%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $15,384 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 $1,895 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.