2026 GS-10 Pay in San Diego
GS-10 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-10 pay scale. That means a GS-10 Step 1 salary jumps from $58,064 on the base table to $77,643 in San Diego.
2026 GS-10 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-10 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $77,643 | $2,986.27 | $37.20 | +$19,579 |
| Step 2 | $80,231 | $3,085.81 | $38.44 | +$20,232 |
| Step 3 | $82,818 | $3,185.31 | $39.68 | +$20,884 |
| Step 4 | $85,406 | $3,284.85 | $40.92 | +$21,537 |
| Step 5 | $87,993 | $3,384.35 | $42.16 | +$22,189 |
| Step 6 | $90,581 | $3,483.88 | $43.40 | +$22,842 |
| Step 7 | $93,168 | $3,583.38 | $44.64 | +$23,494 |
| Step 8 | $95,756 | $3,682.92 | $45.88 | +$24,147 |
| Step 9 | $98,343 | $3,782.42 | $47.12 | +$24,799 |
| Step 10 | $100,931 | $3,881.96 | $48.36 | +$25,452 |
2026 GS-10 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-10 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $77,643 | $2,986.27 | $37.20 | +$19,579 |
| Step 2 | $80,231 | $3,085.81 | $38.44 | +$20,232 |
| Step 3 | $82,818 | $3,185.31 | $39.68 | +$20,884 |
| Step 4 | $85,406 | $3,284.85 | $40.92 | +$21,537 |
| Step 5 | $87,993 | $3,384.35 | $42.16 | +$22,189 |
| Step 6 | $90,581 | $3,483.88 | $43.40 | +$22,842 |
| Step 7 | $93,168 | $3,583.38 | $44.64 | +$23,494 |
| Step 8 | $95,756 | $3,682.92 | $45.88 | +$24,147 |
| Step 9 | $98,343 | $3,782.42 | $47.12 | +$24,799 |
| Step 10 | $100,931 | $3,881.96 | $48.36 | +$25,452 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-10 in San Diego: what to expect
Senior technician and supervisory positions, and full-performance roles in a handful of occupations such as Border Patrol and IT.
For 2026, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-10 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-9 level, plus agency-specific requirements.
Promotion path. Promoted to GS-11 after one year of creditable experience in grade.
The rough military equivalent for GS-10 is O-4 Major, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-10 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-10 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,986 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,882. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-10 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-10 make in San Diego?
In 2026, a GS-10 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $77,643 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $100,931. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-10 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-10 in San Diego?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Diego in 2026, it is 33.72%. On a GS-10 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $19,579 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-10 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-10 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,986 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.