2025 GS-13 Pay in San Diego
GS-13 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-13 pay scale. That means a GS-13 Step 1 salary jumps from $90,025 on the base table to $120,381 in San Diego.
2025 GS-13 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-13 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $120,381 | $4,630.04 | $57.68 | +$30,356 |
| Step 2 | $124,394 | $4,784.38 | $59.60 | +$31,368 |
| Step 3 | $128,407 | $4,938.73 | $61.53 | +$32,380 |
| Step 4 | $132,420 | $5,093.08 | $63.45 | +$33,392 |
| Step 5 | $136,433 | $5,247.42 | $65.37 | +$34,404 |
| Step 6 | $140,446 | $5,401.77 | $67.30 | +$35,416 |
| Step 7 | $144,459 | $5,556.12 | $69.22 | +$36,428 |
| Step 8 | $148,472 | $5,710.46 | $71.14 | +$37,440 |
| Step 9 | $152,485 | $5,864.81 | $73.06 | +$38,452 |
| Step 10 | $156,498 | $6,019.15 | $74.99 | +$39,464 |
2025 GS-13 pay table for San Diego
Each step below already includes the 33.72% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-13 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $120,381 | $4,630.04 | $57.68 | +$30,356 |
| Step 2 | $124,394 | $4,784.38 | $59.60 | +$31,368 |
| Step 3 | $128,407 | $4,938.73 | $61.53 | +$32,380 |
| Step 4 | $132,420 | $5,093.08 | $63.45 | +$33,392 |
| Step 5 | $136,433 | $5,247.42 | $65.37 | +$34,404 |
| Step 6 | $140,446 | $5,401.77 | $67.30 | +$35,416 |
| Step 7 | $144,459 | $5,556.12 | $69.22 | +$36,428 |
| Step 8 | $148,472 | $5,710.46 | $71.14 | +$37,440 |
| Step 9 | $152,485 | $5,864.81 | $73.06 | +$38,452 |
| Step 10 | $156,498 | $6,019.15 | $74.99 | +$39,464 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-13 in San Diego: what to expect
Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
For 2025, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-13 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-12 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
The rough military equivalent for GS-13 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-13 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $4,630 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $6,019. 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-13 San Diego page.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-13 in San Diego questions
-
How much does a GS-13 make in San Diego?
In 2025, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $120,381 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $156,498. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-13 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-13 in San Diego?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Diego in 2025, it is 33.72%. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $30,356 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-13 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $4,630 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.