2025 GS-12 Pay in Los Angeles
GS-12 employees with a duty station in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA earn 36.47% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $75,706 on the base table to $103,316 in Los Angeles.
2025 GS-12 Pay in Los Angeles
Locality-adjusted GS-12 rates for Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $103,316 | $3,973.69 | $49.50 | +$27,610 |
| Step 2 | $106,760 | $4,106.15 | $51.15 | +$28,530 |
| Step 3 | $110,205 | $4,238.65 | $52.81 | +$29,451 |
| Step 4 | $113,649 | $4,371.12 | $54.46 | +$30,371 |
| Step 5 | $117,094 | $4,503.62 | $56.11 | +$31,292 |
| Step 6 | $120,538 | $4,636.08 | $57.76 | +$32,212 |
| Step 7 | $123,983 | $4,768.58 | $59.41 | +$33,133 |
| Step 8 | $127,427 | $4,901.04 | $61.06 | +$34,053 |
| Step 9 | $130,872 | $5,033.54 | $62.71 | +$34,974 |
| Step 10 | $134,317 | $5,166.04 | $64.36 | +$35,895 |
2025 GS-12 pay table for Los Angeles
Each step below already includes the 36.47% 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 | $103,316 | $3,973.69 | $49.50 | +$27,610 |
| Step 2 | $106,760 | $4,106.15 | $51.15 | +$28,530 |
| Step 3 | $110,205 | $4,238.65 | $52.81 | +$29,451 |
| Step 4 | $113,649 | $4,371.12 | $54.46 | +$30,371 |
| Step 5 | $117,094 | $4,503.62 | $56.11 | +$31,292 |
| Step 6 | $120,538 | $4,636.08 | $57.76 | +$32,212 |
| Step 7 | $123,983 | $4,768.58 | $59.41 | +$33,133 |
| Step 8 | $127,427 | $4,901.04 | $61.06 | +$34,053 |
| Step 9 | $130,872 | $5,033.54 | $62.71 | +$34,974 |
| Step 10 | $134,317 | $5,166.04 | $64.36 | +$35,895 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Los Angeles pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-12 in Los Angeles: 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 2025, the Los Angeles pay area adds a 36.47% 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 Los Angeles
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Los Angeles earns roughly $3,974 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,166. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2025 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-12 Los Angeles page.
Other grades in Los Angeles
GS-12 in Los Angeles questions
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How much does a GS-12 make in Los Angeles?
In 2025, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Los Angeles earns $103,316 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $134,317. This is 36.47% higher than the base GS-12 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-12 in Los Angeles?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Los Angeles in 2025, it is 36.47%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $27,610 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-12 in Los Angeles?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-12 Step 1 employee in Los Angeles earns roughly $3,974 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.