2026 GS-13 Pay in San Francisco
GS-13 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 46.34% on top of the base GS-13 pay scale. That means a GS-13 Step 1 salary jumps from $90,925 on the base table to $133,060 in San Francisco.
2026 GS-13 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-13 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $133,060 | $5,117.69 | $63.76 | +$42,135 |
| Step 2 | $137,495 | $5,288.27 | $65.88 | +$43,539 |
| Step 3 | $141,931 | $5,458.88 | $68.01 | +$44,944 |
| Step 4 | $146,366 | $5,629.46 | $70.13 | +$46,348 |
| Step 5 | $150,802 | $5,800.08 | $72.26 | +$47,753 |
| Step 6 | $155,237 | $5,970.65 | $74.38 | +$49,157 |
| Step 7 | $159,673 | $6,141.27 | $76.51 | +$50,562 |
| Step 8 | $164,109 | $6,311.88 | $78.63 | +$51,967 |
| Step 9 | $168,544 | $6,482.46 | $80.76 | +$53,371 |
| Step 10 | $172,980 | $6,653.08 | $82.88 | +$54,776 |
2026 GS-13 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-13 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $133,060 | $5,117.69 | $63.76 | +$42,135 |
| Step 2 | $137,495 | $5,288.27 | $65.88 | +$43,539 |
| Step 3 | $141,931 | $5,458.88 | $68.01 | +$44,944 |
| Step 4 | $146,366 | $5,629.46 | $70.13 | +$46,348 |
| Step 5 | $150,802 | $5,800.08 | $72.26 | +$47,753 |
| Step 6 | $155,237 | $5,970.65 | $74.38 | +$49,157 |
| Step 7 | $159,673 | $6,141.27 | $76.51 | +$50,562 |
| Step 8 | $164,109 | $6,311.88 | $78.63 | +$51,967 |
| Step 9 | $168,544 | $6,482.46 | $80.76 | +$53,371 |
| Step 10 | $172,980 | $6,653.08 | $82.88 | +$54,776 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-13 in San Francisco: what to expect
Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
For 2026, the San Francisco pay area adds a 46.34% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-13 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-12 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
The rough military equivalent for GS-13 is O-5 Lieutenant Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-13 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $5,118 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $6,653. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-13 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-13 make in San Francisco?
In 2026, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $133,060 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $172,980. This is 46.34% higher than the base GS-13 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-13 in San Francisco?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Francisco in 2026, it is 46.34%. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $42,135 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-13 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-13 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $5,118 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.