2026 GS-3 Pay in San Diego
GS-3 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-3 pay scale. That means a GS-3 Step 1 salary jumps from $27,708 on the base table to $37,051 in San Diego.
2026 GS-3 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-3 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $37,051 | $1,425.04 | $17.75 | +$9,343 |
| Step 2 | $38,287 | $1,472.58 | $18.35 | +$9,655 |
| Step 3 | $39,522 | $1,520.08 | $18.94 | +$9,966 |
| Step 4 | $40,758 | $1,567.62 | $19.53 | +$10,278 |
| Step 5 | $41,993 | $1,615.12 | $20.12 | +$10,589 |
| Step 6 | $43,229 | $1,662.65 | $20.71 | +$10,901 |
| Step 7 | $44,465 | $1,710.19 | $21.31 | +$11,213 |
| Step 8 | $45,700 | $1,757.69 | $21.90 | +$11,524 |
| Step 9 | $46,936 | $1,805.23 | $22.49 | +$11,836 |
| Step 10 | $48,171 | $1,852.73 | $23.08 | +$12,147 |
2026 GS-3 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-3 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $37,051 | $1,425.04 | $17.75 | +$9,343 |
| Step 2 | $38,287 | $1,472.58 | $18.35 | +$9,655 |
| Step 3 | $39,522 | $1,520.08 | $18.94 | +$9,966 |
| Step 4 | $40,758 | $1,567.62 | $19.53 | +$10,278 |
| Step 5 | $41,993 | $1,615.12 | $20.12 | +$10,589 |
| Step 6 | $43,229 | $1,662.65 | $20.71 | +$10,901 |
| Step 7 | $44,465 | $1,710.19 | $21.31 | +$11,213 |
| Step 8 | $45,700 | $1,757.69 | $21.90 | +$11,524 |
| Step 9 | $46,936 | $1,805.23 | $22.49 | +$11,836 |
| Step 10 | $48,171 | $1,852.73 | $23.08 | +$12,147 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-3 in San Diego: what to expect
Routine clerical, office assistant and technician-support roles. Common entry grade for recent high school graduates.
For 2026, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-3 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. One year of general experience or one year of post-secondary education.
Promotion path. Non-competitive promotion to GS-4 after one year of satisfactory performance.
The rough military equivalent for GS-3 is E-4 Specialist, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-3 in San Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-3 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $1,425 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,853. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-3 in San Diego questions
-
How much does a GS-3 make in San Diego?
In 2026, a GS-3 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $37,051 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $48,171. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-3 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-3 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-3 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,343 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-3 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-3 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $1,425 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.