GS Pay Scale 2026 San Francisco
San Francisco GS employees get 46.34% locality pay in 2026 under the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA area, 29.28 percentage points above Rest of U.S. (17.06%); that is the highest of 58 areas. GS-12 step 1 pays $111,896 a year ($53.62 per hour), $22,388 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 Francisco: annual pay
Annual pay for GS-1 to GS-15, steps 1 to 10, in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality pay area (46.34%). 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) | $40,271 | $40,840† (special rate table 001M) | $41,564† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-2 | $37,160 | $38,044 | $39,276 | $40,317 | $40,767 | $41,966 | $43,164 | $44,363 | $45,561 | $46,760 |
| GS-3 | $40,548 | $41,900 | $43,252 | $44,604 | $45,957 | $47,309 | $48,661 | $50,013 | $51,365 | $52,718 |
| GS-4 | $45,516 | $47,034 | $48,551 | $50,069 | $51,586 | $53,104 | $54,621 | $56,139 | $57,656 | $59,174 |
| GS-5 | $50,925 | $52,622 | $54,320 | $56,017 | $57,715 | $59,413 | $61,110 | $62,808 | $64,505 | $66,203 |
| GS-6 | $56,767 | $58,659 | $60,551 | $62,443 | $64,335 | $66,228 | $68,120 | $70,012 | $71,904 | $73,796 |
| GS-7 | $63,081 | $65,184 | $67,287 | $69,390 | $71,493 | $73,596 | $75,699 | $77,802 | $79,905 | $82,007 |
| GS-8 | $69,860 | $72,188 | $74,516 | $76,845 | $79,173 | $81,501 | $83,829 | $86,158 | $88,486 | $90,814 |
| GS-9 | $77,161 | $79,733 | $82,306 | $84,879 | $87,451 | $90,024 | $92,597 | $95,169 | $97,742 | $100,315 |
| GS-10 | $84,971 | $87,803 | $90,634 | $93,466 | $96,298 | $99,129 | $101,961 | $104,793 | $107,624 | $110,456 |
| GS-11 | $93,358 | $96,470 | $99,583 | $102,696 | $105,808 | $108,921 | $112,034 | $115,146 | $118,259 | $121,371 |
| GS-12 | $111,896 | $115,626 | $119,356 | $123,087 | $126,817 | $130,547 | $134,277 | $138,007 | $141,738 | $145,468 |
| GS-13 | $133,060 | $137,495 | $141,931 | $146,366 | $150,802 | $155,237 | $159,673 | $164,109 | $168,544 | $172,980 |
| GS-14 | $157,236 | $162,478 | $167,720 | $172,962 | $178,204 | $183,446 | $188,688 | $193,930 | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) | $197,200* (limited to the EX-IV cap) |
| GS-15 | $184,950 | $191,116 | $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) | $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 Francisco it sets 9 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 Francisco
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) | $19.30 | $19.57† (special rate table 001M) | $19.92† (special rate table 001M) |
| GS-2 | $17.81 | $18.23 | $18.82 | $19.32 | $19.53 | $20.11 | $20.68 | $21.26 | $21.83 | $22.41 |
| GS-3 | $19.43 | $20.08 | $20.72 | $21.37 | $22.02 | $22.67 | $23.32 | $23.96 | $24.61 | $25.26 |
| GS-4 | $21.81 | $22.54 | $23.26 | $23.99 | $24.72 | $25.45 | $26.17 | $26.90 | $27.63 | $28.35 |
| GS-5 | $24.40 | $25.21 | $26.03 | $26.84 | $27.65 | $28.47 | $29.28 | $30.09 | $30.91 | $31.72 |
| GS-6 | $27.20 | $28.11 | $29.01 | $29.92 | $30.83 | $31.73 | $32.64 | $33.55 | $34.45 | $35.36 |
| GS-7 | $30.23 | $31.23 | $32.24 | $33.25 | $34.26 | $35.26 | $36.27 | $37.28 | $38.29 | $39.29 |
| GS-8 | $33.47 | $34.59 | $35.70 | $36.82 | $37.94 | $39.05 | $40.17 | $41.28 | $42.40 | $43.51 |
| GS-9 | $36.97 | $38.20 | $39.44 | $40.67 | $41.90 | $43.14 | $44.37 | $45.60 | $46.83 | $48.07 |
| GS-10 | $40.71 | $42.07 | $43.43 | $44.78 | $46.14 | $47.50 | $48.86 | $50.21 | $51.57 | $52.93 |
| GS-11 | $44.73 | $46.22 | $47.72 | $49.21 | $50.70 | $52.19 | $53.68 | $55.17 | $56.66 | $58.16 |
| GS-12 | $53.62 | $55.40 | $57.19 | $58.98 | $60.77 | $62.55 | $64.34 | $66.13 | $67.91 | $69.70 |
| GS-13 | $63.76 | $65.88 | $68.01 | $70.13 | $72.26 | $74.38 | $76.51 | $78.63 | $80.76 | $82.88 |
| GS-14 | $75.34 | $77.85 | $80.36 | $82.88 | $85.39 | $87.90 | $90.41 | $92.92 | $94.49 | $94.49 |
| GS-15 | $88.62 | $91.57 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 | $94.49 |
San Francisco compared with Rest of U.S.
- San Francisco has the highest locality percentage of the 58 areas (46.34%); Rest of U.S. is 17.06%.
- GS-12 pay in San Francisco runs from $111,896 at step 1 to $145,468 at step 10; Rest of U.S. pays $89,508 at step 1.
- San Francisco first reaches $100,000 at GS-9 step 10 ($100,315).
- The $197,200 Executive Schedule level IV cap limits 10 rates in San Francisco, so GS-15 step 10 is $197,200 rather than the uncapped amount.
- Special rate table 001M sets 9 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in San Francisco; GS-1 step 1 is $35,048 instead of the locality rate of $33,049.
| Grade, step 1 | San Francisco | Rest of U.S. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $50,925 | $40,736 | +$10,189 |
| GS-7 | $63,081 | $50,460 | +$12,621 |
| GS-9 | $77,161 | $61,722 | +$15,439 |
| GS-11 | $93,358 | $74,678 | +$18,680 |
| GS-12 | $111,896 | $89,508 | +$22,388 |
| GS-13 | $133,060 | $106,437 | +$26,623 |
| GS-14 | $157,236 | $125,776 | +$31,460 |
| GS-15 | $184,950 | $147,945 | +$37,005 |
Counties in the San Francisco pay area
The San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA area covers the 16 counties and places below, from OPM's 2026 locality pay area definitions. Your duty station, not your home address, decides your area.
California: Alameda County, CA; Calaveras County, CA; Contra Costa County, CA; Marin County, CA; Merced County, CA; Monterey County, CA; Napa County, CA; San Benito County, CA; San Francisco County, CA; San Joaquin County, CA; San Mateo County, CA; Santa Clara County, CA; Santa Cruz County, CA; Solano County, CA; Sonoma County, CA; Stanislaus County, CA
GS pay scale pages
San Francisco GS pay questions
What is GS-12 step 1 pay in San Francisco in 2026?
GS-12 step 1 in San Francisco pays $111,896 a year in 2026, which is $53.62 per hour or $4,289.60 biweekly before deductions, at 46.34% locality pay. Step 10 pays $145,468. Rest of U.S. GS-12 step 1 is $89,508, so San Francisco pays $22,388 more.
What is the GS locality pay percentage for San Francisco in 2026?
San Francisco is in OPM's San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality pay area, which gets 46.34% in 2026, the highest of 58 areas and 29.28 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 Francisco in 2026?
GS-7 pay in San Francisco runs from $63,081 at step 1 ($30.23 per hour) to $82,007 at step 10 ($39.29 per hour).
How much does a GS-9 make in San Francisco in 2026?
GS-9 pay in San Francisco runs from $77,161 at step 1 ($36.97 per hour) to $100,315 at step 10 ($48.07 per hour).
How much does a GS-13 make in San Francisco in 2026?
GS-13 pay in San Francisco runs from $133,060 at step 1 to $172,980 at step 10. At step 1 that is $26,623 more than Rest of U.S. ($106,437).
What is the highest GS pay in San Francisco in 2026?
GS-15 step 10 is the top rate in San Francisco: $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 Francisco?
Yes, in part. Where special rate table 001M is higher than the locality rate it is the payable rate, and it sets 9 of the 40 GS-1 to GS-4 rates in San Francisco (GS-1: 9 steps, GS-2: 0, 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 $33,049.
Which counties are in the San Francisco GS locality pay area?
OPM's San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality pay area covers 16 counties and places in California. The full list from OPM's 2026 definitions is on this page.
Will San Francisco 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.