2025 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 46.34% 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 $50,420 in San Francisco.
2025 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 | $50,420 | $1,939.23 | $24.16 | +$15,966 |
| Step 2 | $52,100 | $2,003.85 | $24.96 | +$16,498 |
| Step 3 | $53,780 | $2,068.46 | $25.77 | +$17,030 |
| Step 4 | $55,460 | $2,133.08 | $26.57 | +$17,562 |
| Step 5 | $57,140 | $2,197.69 | $27.38 | +$18,094 |
| Step 6 | $58,820 | $2,262.31 | $28.18 | +$18,626 |
| Step 7 | $60,500 | $2,326.92 | $28.99 | +$19,158 |
| Step 8 | $62,180 | $2,391.54 | $29.79 | +$19,690 |
| Step 9 | $63,860 | $2,456.15 | $30.60 | +$20,222 |
| Step 10 | $65,540 | $2,520.77 | $31.40 | +$20,754 |
2025 GS-5 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 46.34% 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 | $50,420 | $1,939.23 | $24.16 | +$15,966 |
| Step 2 | $52,100 | $2,003.85 | $24.96 | +$16,498 |
| Step 3 | $53,780 | $2,068.46 | $25.77 | +$17,030 |
| Step 4 | $55,460 | $2,133.08 | $26.57 | +$17,562 |
| Step 5 | $57,140 | $2,197.69 | $27.38 | +$18,094 |
| Step 6 | $58,820 | $2,262.31 | $28.18 | +$18,626 |
| Step 7 | $60,500 | $2,326.92 | $28.99 | +$19,158 |
| Step 8 | $62,180 | $2,391.54 | $29.79 | +$19,690 |
| Step 9 | $63,860 | $2,456.15 | $30.60 | +$20,222 |
| Step 10 | $65,540 | $2,520.77 | $31.40 | +$20,754 |
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 2025, the San Francisco pay area adds a 46.34% 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 $1,939 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,521. 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 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 2025, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $50,420 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $65,540. This is 46.34% 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 2025, it is 46.34%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $15,966 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 $1,939 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.