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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$76,397 GS-9 Step 1 in San Francisco (2025)
$99,314 GS-9 Step 10 in San Francisco (2025)
+$24,192 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2025 GS-9 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-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $76,397 $2,938.35 $36.61 +$24,192
Step 2 $78,943 $3,036.27 $37.83 +$24,998
Step 3 $81,489 $3,134.19 $39.05 +$25,804
Step 4 $84,036 $3,232.15 $40.27 +$26,611
Step 5 $86,582 $3,330.08 $41.49 +$27,417
Step 6 $89,128 $3,428.00 $42.71 +$28,223
Step 7 $91,675 $3,525.96 $43.93 +$29,030
Step 8 $94,221 $3,623.88 $45.15 +$29,836
Step 9 $96,767 $3,721.81 $46.37 +$30,642
Step 10 $99,314 $3,819.77 $47.59 +$31,449
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more San Francisco pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $52,205
  • San Francisco GS-9 Step 1 $76,397
  • Locality add-on +$24,192
  • Adjustment percent 46.34%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $67,865
  • San Francisco GS-9 Step 10 $99,314

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-9 in San Francisco: what to expect

Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.

For 2025, the San Francisco pay area adds a 46.34% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.

The rough military equivalent for GS-9 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-9 in San Francisco

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,938 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,820. 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-9 San Francisco page.

Other grades in San Francisco

GS-9 in San Francisco questions

  • How much does a GS-9 make in San Francisco?
    In 2025, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $76,397 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $99,314. This is 46.34% higher than the base GS-9 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 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-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $24,192 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in San Francisco?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,938 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.