GS Pay Scale 2026 San Diego
San Diego GS employees get 33.72% locality pay in 2026 under the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area, 16.66 percentage points above Rest of U.S. (17.06%); that is the 6th highest of 58 areas. GS-12 step 1 pays $102,246 a year ($48.99 per hour), $12,738 more than Rest of U.S., and the table runs from $35,048 (GS-1 step 1) to $197,200 (GS-15 step 10).
Rates are OPM's 2026 tables (checked October 23, 2026). For your own grade, step and duty station use the GS pay calculator, or see how to read the GS pay scale. Looking for next year? See federal pay raise 2027.
Maintained by Archie Chang · OPM tables checked October 23, 2026 · Methodology & sources
GS pay scale 2026 San Diego: annual pay
Annual pay for GS-1 to GS-15, steps 1 to 10, in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality pay area (33.72%). An asterisk marks a rate limited to the $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap and a dagger (†) marks a rate set by special rate table 001M.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $35,048† (special rate table 001M) | $35,772† (special rate table 001M) | $36,496† (special rate table 001M) | $37,220† (special rate table 001M) | $37,944† (special rate table 001M) | $38,668† (special rate table 001M) | $39,392† (special rate table 001M) | $40,116† (special rate table 001M) | $40,840† (special rate table 001M) | $41,564† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-2 | $35,749† (special rate table 001M) | $36,568† (special rate table 001M) | $37,387† (special rate table 001M) | $38,206† (special rate table 001M) | $39,025† (special rate table 001M) | $39,844† (special rate table 001M) | $40,663† (special rate table 001M) | $41,482† (special rate table 001M) | $42,301† (special rate table 001M) | $43,120† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-3 | $37,051 | $38,287 | $39,522 | $40,758 | $41,993 | $43,229 | $44,465 | $45,700 | $46,936 | $48,171 |
| GS-4 | $41,591 | $42,978 | $44,364 | $45,751 | $47,138 | $48,524 | $49,911 | $51,298 | $52,684 | $54,071 |
| GS-5 | $46,533 | $48,084 | $49,636 | $51,187 | $52,738 | $54,289 | $55,840 | $57,391 | $58,942 | $60,494 |
| GS-6 | $51,871 | $53,600 | $55,329 | $57,058 | $58,787 | $60,516 | $62,245 | $63,974 | $65,703 | $67,432 |
| GS-7 | $57,641 | $59,563 | $61,484 | $63,406 | $65,328 | $67,249 | $69,171 | $71,092 | $73,014 | $74,935 |
| GS-8 | $63,835 | $65,963 | $68,090 | $70,218 | $72,345 | $74,473 | $76,600 | $78,728 | $80,855 | $82,983 |
| GS-9 | $70,507 | $72,857 | $75,208 | $77,559 | $79,910 | $82,261 | $84,611 | $86,962 | $89,313 | $91,664 |
| GS-10 | $77,643 | $80,231 | $82,818 | $85,406 | $87,993 | $90,581 | $93,168 | $95,756 | $98,343 | $100,931 |
| GS-11 | $85,307 | $88,151 | $90,995 | $93,839 | $96,684 | $99,528 | $102,372 | $105,216 | $108,060 | $110,905 |
| GS-12 | $102,246 | $105,655 | $109,063 | $112,472 | $115,880 | $119,289 | $122,697 | $126,106 | $129,515 | $132,923 |
| GS-13 | $121,585 | $125,638 | $129,691 | $133,744 | $137,797 | $141,850 | $145,903 | $149,956 | $154,009 | $158,062 |
| GS-14 | $143,677 | $148,467 | $153,256 | $158,046 | $162,836 | $167,626 | $172,416 | $177,206 | $181,996 | $186,785 |
| GS-15 | $169,001 | $174,634 | $180,268 | $185,902 | $191,535 | $197,169 | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) |
Rates marked † are set by OPM special rate table 001M, which applies to all General Schedule employees whose worksite is in the United States when it pays more than the locality rate (5 U.S.C. 5305(h); 5 CFR 530.303(d)). In San Diego it sets 20 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates; everywhere else in the table the locality rate from OPM's locality table applies. OPM special rate table 001M. Occupation-specific special rate tables are not included.
GS hourly pay 2026 San Diego
Hourly pay is the annual rate divided by 2,087 and rounded to the cent, as OPM prints it. Multiply by 80 for the biweekly rate before deductions (5 U.S.C. 5504(b)).
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $16.79† (special rate table 001M) | $17.14† (special rate table 001M) | $17.49† (special rate table 001M) | $17.83† (special rate table 001M) | $18.18† (special rate table 001M) | $18.53† (special rate table 001M) | $18.87† (special rate table 001M) | $19.22† (special rate table 001M) | $19.57† (special rate table 001M) | $19.92† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-2 | $17.13† (special rate table 001M) | $17.52† (special rate table 001M) | $17.91† (special rate table 001M) | $18.31† (special rate table 001M) | $18.70† (special rate table 001M) | $19.09† (special rate table 001M) | $19.48† (special rate table 001M) | $19.88† (special rate table 001M) | $20.27† (special rate table 001M) | $20.66† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-3 | $17.75 | $18.35 | $18.94 | $19.53 | $20.12 | $20.71 | $21.31 | $21.90 | $22.49 | $23.08 |
| GS-4 | $19.93 | $20.59 | $21.26 | $21.92 | $22.59 | $23.25 | $23.92 | $24.58 | $25.24 | $25.91 |
| GS-5 | $22.30 | $23.04 | $23.78 | $24.53 | $25.27 | $26.01 | $26.76 | $27.50 | $28.24 | $28.99 |
| GS-6 | $24.85 | $25.68 | $26.51 | $27.34 | $28.17 | $29.00 | $29.83 | $30.65 | $31.48 | $32.31 |
| GS-7 | $27.62 | $28.54 | $29.46 | $30.38 | $31.30 | $32.22 | $33.14 | $34.06 | $34.99 | $35.91 |
| GS-8 | $30.59 | $31.61 | $32.63 | $33.65 | $34.66 | $35.68 | $36.70 | $37.72 | $38.74 | $39.76 |
| GS-9 | $33.78 | $34.91 | $36.04 | $37.16 | $38.29 | $39.42 | $40.54 | $41.67 | $42.79 | $43.92 |
| GS-10 | $37.20 | $38.44 | $39.68 | $40.92 | $42.16 | $43.40 | $44.64 | $45.88 | $47.12 | $48.36 |
| GS-11 | $40.88 | $42.24 | $43.60 | $44.96 | $46.33 | $47.69 | $49.05 | $50.41 | $51.78 | $53.14 |
| GS-12 | $48.99 | $50.63 | $52.26 | $53.89 | $55.52 | $57.16 | $58.79 | $60.42 | $62.06 | $63.69 |
| GS-13 | $58.26 | $60.20 | $62.14 | $64.08 | $66.03 | $67.97 | $69.91 | $71.85 | $73.79 | $75.74 |
| GS-14 | $68.84 | $71.14 | $73.43 | $75.73 | $78.02 | $80.32 | $82.61 | $84.91 | $87.20 | $89.50 |
| GS-15 | $80.98 | $83.68 | $86.38 | $89.08 | $91.78 | $94.47 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 |
San Diego compared with Rest of U.S.
- San Diego has the 6th highest locality percentage of the 58 areas (33.72%); Rest of U.S. is 17.06%.
- GS-12 pay in San Diego runs from $102,246 at step 1 to $132,923 at step 10; Rest of U.S. pays $89,508 at step 1.
- San Diego first reaches $100,000 at GS-10 step 10 ($100,931).
- The $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap limits 4 rates in San Diego, so GS-15 step 10 is $197,200 rather than the uncapped amount.
- Special rate table 001M sets 20 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in San Diego; GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $30,199.
| Grade, step 1 | San Diego | Rest of U.S. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $46,533 | $40,736 | +$5,797 |
| GS-7 | $57,641 | $50,460 | +$7,181 |
| GS-9 | $70,507 | $61,722 | +$8,785 |
| GS-11 | $85,307 | $74,678 | +$10,629 |
| GS-12 | $102,246 | $89,508 | +$12,738 |
| GS-13 | $121,585 | $106,437 | +$15,148 |
| GS-14 | $143,677 | $125,776 | +$17,901 |
| GS-15 | $169,001 | $147,945 | +$21,056 |
Counties in the San Diego pay area
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area is a single place in OPM's 2026 locality pay area definitions. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
California: San Diego County, CA
GS pay scale pages
San Diego GS pay questions
What is GS-12 step 1 pay in San Diego in 2026?
GS-12 step 1 in San Diego pays $102,246 a year in 2026, which is $48.99 per hour or $3,919.20 biweekly before deductions, at 33.72% locality pay. Step 10 pays $132,923. Rest of U.S. GS-12 step 1 is $89,508, so San Diego pays $12,738 more.
What is the GS locality pay percentage for San Diego in 2026?
San Diego is in OPM's San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality pay area, which gets 33.72% in 2026, the 6th highest of 58 areas and 16.66 points above Rest of U.S. at 17.06%. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
How much does a GS-7 make in San Diego in 2026?
GS-7 pay in San Diego runs from $57,641 at step 1 ($27.62 per hour) to $74,935 at step 10 ($35.91 per hour).
How much does a GS-9 make in San Diego in 2026?
GS-9 pay in San Diego runs from $70,507 at step 1 ($33.78 per hour) to $91,664 at step 10 ($43.92 per hour).
How much does a GS-13 make in San Diego in 2026?
GS-13 pay in San Diego runs from $121,585 at step 1 to $158,062 at step 10. At step 1 that is $15,148 more than Rest of U.S. ($106,437).
What is the highest GS pay in San Diego in 2026?
GS-15 step 10 is the top rate in San Diego: $197,200 a year ($94.49 per hour), limited to the $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap. The lowest is GS-1 step 1 at $35,048.
Does special rate table 001M change GS-1 to GS-4 pay in San Diego?
Yes, in part. Where special rate table 001M is higher than the locality rate it is the payable rate, and it sets 20 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in San Diego (GS-1: 10 steps, GS-2: 10, GS-3: 0, GS-4: 0). Those cells are marked with a dagger. GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $30,199.
Which counties are in the San Diego GS locality pay area?
OPM's San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality pay area is a single place: San Diego County, CA. The OPM definition is on this page.
Will San Diego GS pay change in 2027?
The 2027 federal pay raise is not final and OPM has not published 2027 salary tables, so every rate on this page is a 2026 rate. Step increases and promotions are separate from the annual raise.
Estimates for planning. Special rates, law enforcement rates and your agency's application of OPM rules can differ. Your SF-50 and your agency HR office are authoritative.