2025 GS-14 Pay in San Diego
GS-14 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-14 pay scale. That means a GS-14 Step 1 salary jumps from $106,382 on the base table to $142,254 in San Diego.
2025 GS-14 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-14 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $142,254 | $5,471.31 | $68.16 | +$35,872 |
| Step 2 | $146,996 | $5,653.69 | $70.43 | +$37,068 |
| Step 3 | $151,737 | $5,836.04 | $72.71 | +$38,263 |
| Step 4 | $156,479 | $6,018.42 | $74.98 | +$39,459 |
| Step 5 | $161,221 | $6,200.81 | $77.25 | +$40,655 |
| Step 6 | $165,963 | $6,383.19 | $79.52 | +$41,851 |
| Step 7 | $170,704 | $6,565.54 | $81.79 | +$43,046 |
| Step 8 | $175,446 | $6,747.92 | $84.07 | +$44,242 |
| Step 9 | $180,188 | $6,930.31 | $86.34 | +$45,438 |
| Step 10 | $184,929 | $7,112.65 | $88.61 | +$46,633 |
2025 GS-14 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-14 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $142,254 | $5,471.31 | $68.16 | +$35,872 |
| Step 2 | $146,996 | $5,653.69 | $70.43 | +$37,068 |
| Step 3 | $151,737 | $5,836.04 | $72.71 | +$38,263 |
| Step 4 | $156,479 | $6,018.42 | $74.98 | +$39,459 |
| Step 5 | $161,221 | $6,200.81 | $77.25 | +$40,655 |
| Step 6 | $165,963 | $6,383.19 | $79.52 | +$41,851 |
| Step 7 | $170,704 | $6,565.54 | $81.79 | +$43,046 |
| Step 8 | $175,446 | $6,747.92 | $84.07 | +$44,242 |
| Step 9 | $180,188 | $6,930.31 | $86.34 | +$45,438 |
| Step 10 | $184,929 | $7,112.65 | $88.61 | +$46,633 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-14 in San Diego: what to expect
Supervisory managers, senior program leads and senior technical experts. Many agency branch chiefs sit at GS-14.
For 2025, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-14 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-13 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-15 is selective; many GS-14 employees reach this grade as a career peak.
The rough military equivalent for GS-14 is O-6 Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-14 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-14 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $5,471 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $7,113. 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-14 San Diego page.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-14 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-14 make in San Diego?
In 2025, a GS-14 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $142,254 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $184,929. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-14 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-14 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-14 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $35,872 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-14 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-14 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $5,471 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.