2026 GS-11 Pay in San Diego
GS-11 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-11 pay scale. That means a GS-11 Step 1 salary jumps from $63,795 on the base table to $85,307 in San Diego.
2026 GS-11 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $85,307 | $3,281.04 | $40.88 | +$21,512 |
| Step 2 | $88,151 | $3,390.42 | $42.24 | +$22,229 |
| Step 3 | $90,995 | $3,499.81 | $43.60 | +$22,946 |
| Step 4 | $93,839 | $3,609.19 | $44.96 | +$23,663 |
| Step 5 | $96,684 | $3,718.62 | $46.33 | +$24,381 |
| Step 6 | $99,528 | $3,828.00 | $47.69 | +$25,098 |
| Step 7 | $102,372 | $3,937.38 | $49.05 | +$25,815 |
| Step 8 | $105,216 | $4,046.77 | $50.41 | +$26,532 |
| Step 9 | $108,060 | $4,156.15 | $51.78 | +$27,249 |
| Step 10 | $110,905 | $4,265.58 | $53.14 | +$27,967 |
2026 GS-11 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-11 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $85,307 | $3,281.04 | $40.88 | +$21,512 |
| Step 2 | $88,151 | $3,390.42 | $42.24 | +$22,229 |
| Step 3 | $90,995 | $3,499.81 | $43.60 | +$22,946 |
| Step 4 | $93,839 | $3,609.19 | $44.96 | +$23,663 |
| Step 5 | $96,684 | $3,718.62 | $46.33 | +$24,381 |
| Step 6 | $99,528 | $3,828.00 | $47.69 | +$25,098 |
| Step 7 | $102,372 | $3,937.38 | $49.05 | +$25,815 |
| Step 8 | $105,216 | $4,046.77 | $50.41 | +$26,532 |
| Step 9 | $108,060 | $4,156.15 | $51.78 | +$27,249 |
| Step 10 | $110,905 | $4,265.58 | $53.14 | +$27,967 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in San Diego: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2026, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-11 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A PhD or equivalent doctoral degree, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-9 level.
Promotion path. Typical career ladder peak for entry-level hires; competitive promotion to GS-12 requires vacancy and supervisory selection.
The rough military equivalent for GS-11 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-11 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $3,281 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,266. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-11 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-11 make in San Diego?
In 2026, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $85,307 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $110,905. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 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-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $21,512 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $3,281 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.