2026 GS-9 Pay in San Diego
GS-9 employees with a duty station in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn 33.72% on top of the base GS-9 pay scale. That means a GS-9 Step 1 salary jumps from $52,727 on the base table to $70,507 in San Diego.
2026 GS-9 Pay in San Diego
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $70,507 | $2,711.81 | $33.78 | +$17,780 |
| Step 2 | $72,857 | $2,802.19 | $34.91 | +$18,372 |
| Step 3 | $75,208 | $2,892.62 | $36.04 | +$18,965 |
| Step 4 | $77,559 | $2,983.04 | $37.16 | +$19,558 |
| Step 5 | $79,910 | $3,073.46 | $38.29 | +$20,151 |
| Step 6 | $82,261 | $3,163.88 | $39.42 | +$20,744 |
| Step 7 | $84,611 | $3,254.27 | $40.54 | +$21,336 |
| Step 8 | $86,962 | $3,344.69 | $41.67 | +$21,929 |
| Step 9 | $89,313 | $3,435.12 | $42.79 | +$22,522 |
| Step 10 | $91,664 | $3,525.54 | $43.92 | +$23,115 |
2026 GS-9 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-9 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $70,507 | $2,711.81 | $33.78 | +$17,780 |
| Step 2 | $72,857 | $2,802.19 | $34.91 | +$18,372 |
| Step 3 | $75,208 | $2,892.62 | $36.04 | +$18,965 |
| Step 4 | $77,559 | $2,983.04 | $37.16 | +$19,558 |
| Step 5 | $79,910 | $3,073.46 | $38.29 | +$20,151 |
| Step 6 | $82,261 | $3,163.88 | $39.42 | +$20,744 |
| Step 7 | $84,611 | $3,254.27 | $40.54 | +$21,336 |
| Step 8 | $86,962 | $3,344.69 | $41.67 | +$21,929 |
| Step 9 | $89,313 | $3,435.12 | $42.79 | +$22,522 |
| Step 10 | $91,664 | $3,525.54 | $43.92 | +$23,115 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Diego pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in San Diego: what to expect
Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.
For 2026, the San Diego pay area adds a 33.72% 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 Diego
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,712 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,526. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in San Diego
GS-9 in San Diego questions
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How much does a GS-9 make in San Diego?
In 2026, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns $70,507 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $91,664. This is 33.72% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 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-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $17,780 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in San Diego?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Diego earns roughly $2,712 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.