2025 GS-5 Pay in San Diego
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $34,454 on the base table to $46,072 in San Diego.
2025 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 | $46,072 | $1,772.00 | $22.08 | +$11,618 |
| Step 2 | $47,607 | $1,831.04 | $22.81 | +$12,005 |
| Step 3 | $49,142 | $1,890.08 | $23.55 | +$12,392 |
| Step 4 | $50,677 | $1,949.12 | $24.28 | +$12,779 |
| Step 5 | $52,212 | $2,008.15 | $25.02 | +$13,166 |
| Step 6 | $53,747 | $2,067.19 | $25.75 | +$13,553 |
| Step 7 | $55,283 | $2,126.27 | $26.49 | +$13,941 |
| Step 8 | $56,818 | $2,185.31 | $27.22 | +$14,328 |
| Step 9 | $58,353 | $2,244.35 | $27.96 | +$14,715 |
| Step 10 | $59,888 | $2,303.38 | $28.70 | +$15,102 |
2025 GS-5 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-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $46,072 | $1,772.00 | $22.08 | +$11,618 |
| Step 2 | $47,607 | $1,831.04 | $22.81 | +$12,005 |
| Step 3 | $49,142 | $1,890.08 | $23.55 | +$12,392 |
| Step 4 | $50,677 | $1,949.12 | $24.28 | +$12,779 |
| Step 5 | $52,212 | $2,008.15 | $25.02 | +$13,166 |
| Step 6 | $53,747 | $2,067.19 | $25.75 | +$13,553 |
| Step 7 | $55,283 | $2,126.27 | $26.49 | +$13,941 |
| Step 8 | $56,818 | $2,185.31 | $27.22 | +$14,328 |
| Step 9 | $58,353 | $2,244.35 | $27.96 | +$14,715 |
| Step 10 | $59,888 | $2,303.38 | $28.70 | +$15,102 |
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 2025, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% 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 $1,772 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,303. 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-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 2025, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $46,072 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $59,888. This is 33.72% 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 2025, it is 33.72%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,618 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 $1,772 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.