2026 GS-9 Pay in San Francisco
GS-9 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 46.34% 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 $77,161 in San Francisco.
2026 GS-9 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $77,161 | $2,967.73 | $36.97 | +$24,434 |
| Step 2 | $79,733 | $3,066.65 | $38.20 | +$25,248 |
| Step 3 | $82,306 | $3,165.62 | $39.44 | +$26,063 |
| Step 4 | $84,879 | $3,264.58 | $40.67 | +$26,878 |
| Step 5 | $87,451 | $3,363.50 | $41.90 | +$27,692 |
| Step 6 | $90,024 | $3,462.46 | $43.14 | +$28,507 |
| Step 7 | $92,597 | $3,561.42 | $44.37 | +$29,322 |
| Step 8 | $95,169 | $3,660.35 | $45.60 | +$30,136 |
| Step 9 | $97,742 | $3,759.31 | $46.83 | +$30,951 |
| Step 10 | $100,315 | $3,858.27 | $48.07 | +$31,766 |
2026 GS-9 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-9 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $77,161 | $2,967.73 | $36.97 | +$24,434 |
| Step 2 | $79,733 | $3,066.65 | $38.20 | +$25,248 |
| Step 3 | $82,306 | $3,165.62 | $39.44 | +$26,063 |
| Step 4 | $84,879 | $3,264.58 | $40.67 | +$26,878 |
| Step 5 | $87,451 | $3,363.50 | $41.90 | +$27,692 |
| Step 6 | $90,024 | $3,462.46 | $43.14 | +$28,507 |
| Step 7 | $92,597 | $3,561.42 | $44.37 | +$29,322 |
| Step 8 | $95,169 | $3,660.35 | $45.60 | +$30,136 |
| Step 9 | $97,742 | $3,759.31 | $46.83 | +$30,951 |
| Step 10 | $100,315 | $3,858.27 | $48.07 | +$31,766 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in San Francisco: 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 Francisco pay area adds a 46.34% 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 Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,968 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,858. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-9 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-9 make in San Francisco?
In 2026, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $77,161 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $100,315. This is 46.34% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 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-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $24,434 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $2,968 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.