2025 GS-8 Pay in San Diego
GS-8 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-8 pay scale. That means a GS-8 Step 1 salary jumps from $47,265 on the base table to $63,203 in San Diego.
2025 GS-8 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-8 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $63,203 | $2,430.88 | $30.28 | +$15,938 |
| Step 2 | $65,310 | $2,511.92 | $31.29 | +$16,469 |
| Step 3 | $67,418 | $2,593.00 | $32.30 | +$17,001 |
| Step 4 | $69,525 | $2,674.04 | $33.31 | +$17,532 |
| Step 5 | $71,632 | $2,755.08 | $34.32 | +$18,063 |
| Step 6 | $73,740 | $2,836.15 | $35.33 | +$18,595 |
| Step 7 | $75,847 | $2,917.19 | $36.34 | +$19,126 |
| Step 8 | $77,955 | $2,998.27 | $37.35 | +$19,658 |
| Step 9 | $80,062 | $3,079.31 | $38.36 | +$20,189 |
| Step 10 | $82,170 | $3,160.38 | $39.37 | +$20,721 |
2025 GS-8 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-8 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $63,203 | $2,430.88 | $30.28 | +$15,938 |
| Step 2 | $65,310 | $2,511.92 | $31.29 | +$16,469 |
| Step 3 | $67,418 | $2,593.00 | $32.30 | +$17,001 |
| Step 4 | $69,525 | $2,674.04 | $33.31 | +$17,532 |
| Step 5 | $71,632 | $2,755.08 | $34.32 | +$18,063 |
| Step 6 | $73,740 | $2,836.15 | $35.33 | +$18,595 |
| Step 7 | $75,847 | $2,917.19 | $36.34 | +$19,126 |
| Step 8 | $77,955 | $2,998.27 | $37.35 | +$19,658 |
| Step 9 | $80,062 | $3,079.31 | $38.36 | +$20,189 |
| Step 10 | $82,170 | $3,160.38 | $39.37 | +$20,721 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-8 in San Diego: what to expect
Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.
For 2025, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-8 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-7 level.
Promotion path. Promoted to GS-9 after one year in grade.
The rough military equivalent for GS-8 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-8 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,431 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,160. 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-8 San Diego page.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-8 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-8 make in San Diego?
In 2025, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $63,203 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $82,170. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-8 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 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-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $15,938 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,431 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.