United States · Federal pay 2026 · San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland GS pay scale 2026
Locality pay in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland is 46.34% in 2026, so GS pay runs from $33,049 a year (GS-1 step 1) to $197,200 (GS-15 step 10). A GS-12 step 1 earns $111,896, $22,388 more than in the Rest of U.S. area.
Pick a grade and step, or read the whole table below. Every figure is OPM’s own for this locality.
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland · GS-12 step 1
$111,896 a year
$9,324.67 a month · $4,303.69 every two weeks, before tax
$35,433 of it is locality pay on top of the $76,463 base.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $33,049 | $34,157 | $35,256 | $36,351 | $37,447 | $38,089 | $39,177 | $40,271 | $40,317 | $41,338 |
| 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* | $197,200* |
| GS-15 | $184,950 | $191,116 | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* | $197,200* |
* Held at the 2026 pay cap of $197,200 (level IV of the Executive Schedule).
How does San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland GS pay compare?
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland has the highest locality pay of the 58 areas. Step 1 of some grades, beside the base table and the Rest of U.S. area:
| Grade, step 1 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | Base table | Rest of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $50,925 | $34,799 | $40,736 |
| GS-7 | $63,081 | $43,106 | $50,460 |
| GS-9 | $77,161 | $52,727 | $61,722 |
| GS-11 | $93,358 | $63,795 | $74,678 |
| GS-12 | $111,896 | $76,463 | $89,508 |
| GS-13 | $133,060 | $90,925 | $106,437 |
| GS-14 | $157,236 | $107,446 | $125,776 |
| GS-15 | $184,950 | $126,384 | $147,945 |
10 cells are held at the $197,200 cap: GS-14 step 9, GS-14 step 10, GS-15 step 3, GS-15 step 4, GS-15 step 5, GS-15 step 6, GS-15 step 7, GS-15 step 8, GS-15 step 9, GS-15 step 10. They get less than the full 46.34%.
What is the locality pay in other areas?
- Alaska 32.36%
- Albany-Schenectady 20.77%
- Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas 18.33%
- Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs 23.79%
- Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown 20.35%
- Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega 18.24%
- Boston-Worcester-Providence 32.58%
- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean 22.41%
- Burlington-South Burlington-Barre 19.45%
- Charlotte-Concord 19.67%
- Chicago-Naperville 30.86%
- Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville 21.93%
- Cleveland-Akron-Canton 22.23%
- Colorado Springs 20.15%
- Columbus-Marion-Zanesville 22.15%
- Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice 17.63%
- Dallas-Fort Worth 27.26%
- Davenport-Moline 18.93%
- Dayton-Springfield-Kettering 21.42%
- Denver-Aurora 30.52%
- Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines 18.01%
- Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor 29.12%
- Fresno-Madera-Hanford 17.65%
- Harrisburg-Lebanon 19.43%
- Hartford-East Hartford 32.08%
- Hawaii 22.21%
- Houston-The Woodlands 35%
- Huntsville-Decatur 21.91%
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie 18.15%
- Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City 18.97%
- Laredo 21.59%
- Las Vegas-Henderson 19.57%
- Los Angeles-Long Beach 36.47%
- Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale 24.67%
- Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha 22.42%
- Minneapolis-St. Paul 27.62%
- New York-Newark 37.95%
- Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont 18.23%
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville 17.93%
- Philadelphia-Reading-Camden 28.99%
- Phoenix-Mesa 22.45%
- Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton 21.03%
- Portland-Vancouver-Salem 26.13%
- Raleigh-Durham-Cary 22.24%
- Reno-Fernley 17.52%
- Richmond 22.28%
- Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls 17.88%
- Sacramento-Roseville 29.76%
- San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall 18.78%
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 33.72%
- Seattle-Tacoma 31.57%
- Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene 17.67%
- St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington 20.03%
- Tucson-Nogales 19.28%
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk 18.8%
- Washington-Baltimore-Arlington 33.94%
- Rest of U.S. 17.06%
What does this leave out?
- Special rates for some jobs (such as law enforcement officers) and other pay plans.
- Which counties are in this locality: check with your agency.
- Tax and deductions: the GS pay calculator works out take-home pay.
What else can I work out?
- GS pay calculator Salary and take-home pay for any grade and step in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland.
- GS pay scale 2026 The General Schedule base table and every locality’s own table.
- Military pay calculator Basic pay, BAH, BAS and take-home pay for your rank, years of service, ZIP code and home state.
- Military and federal pay Every military and federal pay calculator and chart in one place.
Questions about GS pay in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland
What is the locality pay for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland in 2026?
46.34%, for the area OPM calls “San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA”. That ranks 1 of the 58 locality areas. It is added to the base table, so a GS-9 step 1 earns $77,161 here against $52,727 on the base table.
How much does a GS-12 make in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland?
From $111,896 a year at step 1 to $145,468 at step 10 in 2026. Step 5 is $126,817.
What is GS-13 pay in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland?
$133,060 at step 1, $150,802 at step 5 and $172,980 at step 10, a year.
What does a GS-7 earn in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland?
$63,081 a year at step 1 ($2,426.19 every two weeks before tax) and $82,007 at step 10.
Is GS pay in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland capped?
10 cells are held at the $197,200 cap: GS-14 step 9, GS-14 step 10, GS-15 step 3, GS-15 step 4, GS-15 step 5, GS-15 step 6, GS-15 step 7, GS-15 step 8, GS-15 step 9, GS-15 step 10. They get less than the full 46.34%.
Will GS pay in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland change in 2027?
Not decided yet. The President’s plan proposes a pay freeze for 2027, with base and locality pay staying at their 2026 rates: “I have determined that for 2027, base pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates.” That is a proposal, not final.