San Francisco locality pay 2026: GS pay table
No locality pays more: 46.34 % above the base table, so much that the cap cuts into GS-14. Pick your county to confirm.
GS-12 step 1, San Francisco, 2026
$111,896
Base $76,463 plus 46.34 % locality pay.
| Base pay (GS table) | $76,463 |
| Locality payment, San Francisco | $35,433 |
| Hourly rate | $53.62 |
| Biweekly paycheck (gross, 80 hours) | $4,289.60 |
| Same cell in 2025 | $110,788 (+$1,108) |
| Next step (52 weeks in step) | +$3,730 |
Prepared by Radif Partners · How the figures are built · OPM table SF and the 2026 locality definitions
The San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland locality pay area carries the highest percentage on the General Schedule in 2026: 46.34 %, frozen at its 2025 level by Executive Order 14368 while base rates rose 1 %. The next area, New York, is 8.39 points lower. Starting salaries reflect the gap: GS-5 step 1 earns $50,925, GS-7 $63,081, GS-9 $77,161, GS-11 $93,358, GS-12 $111,896 and GS-13 $133,060. The percentage is so high that the $197,200 pay cap binds earlier than anywhere else: 8 of the ten GS-15 steps and 2 GS-14 steps show the capped figure. The area covers 16 California counties, from Sonoma and Napa to Monterey and San Benito, and inland as far as San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Calaveras. Against Rest of U.S., a GS-12 step 1 earns $22,388 more a year.
Why the rate stops climbing at GS-14
Every locality rate is limited to the Executive Schedule level IV salary, $197,200 in 2026. In most areas only the upper GS-15 steps reach it. Here, GS-15 hits the ceiling at step 3, and GS-14 reaches it at step 9. No other locality area caps any GS-14 cell. Without the limit, GS-15 step 10 would pay $240,438, which is $43,238 more than anyone can receive.
The practical effect is compression. A GS-14 step 9 employee and a GS-15 step 10 supervisor earn the same salary. Step increases, quality step increases and promotions inside the capped zone change the grade and step on the SF-50 but not the pay. The calculator below shows the uncapped figure for any cell you choose.
How far above the cap is your Bay Area cell?
GS-14 step 10 in San Francisco
$197,200
| Base rate | $139,684 |
| Uncapped locality rate | $204,414 |
| Pay cap (EX-IV) | $197,200 |
| Cells capped in this area | 10 |
Counties that are not on the bay
People expect San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin. Fewer expect the Central Valley and the coast to the south. San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties are in this area, as are Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito, plus Calaveras in the foothills, and Napa, Solano and Sonoma to the north. A worksite in Modesto or Stockton is paid at 46.34 %, not at a valley rate.
The lines with the neighbors are sharp. Sacramento, Yolo and Placer counties form the Sacramento area at 29.76 %. Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Kings and Tulare belong to Fresno at 17.65 %, one of the lowest named rates. A GS-11 step 1 moving from Merced County to Madera County would go from $93,358 to $75,055.
What the percentage measures
Locality percentages come from surveys of non-federal salaries for similar work, compared with federal salaries in the same area. They are not a housing or living-cost index. The Bay Area figure is high because private and public employers there pay high wages for the jobs the surveys match. In 2026 every area was frozen, so the survey results did not change the percentage at all.
Remote work from outside the Bay Area
An employee assigned to a San Francisco office but approved for remote work from Reno, Sacramento or anywhere else is paid the locality of the home, because the home becomes the official worksite under 5 CFR 531.605. Reporting to the office at least twice every biweekly pay period keeps the Bay Area rate. Compared with Los Angeles at 36.47 %, a GS-12 step 1 in this area earns $7,547 more.
2026 GS pay table for San Francisco
| 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 | $35,772 | $36,496 | $37,220 | $37,944 | $38,668 | $39,392 | $40,271 | $40,840 | $41,564 |
| 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 |
Counties and cities in this area
California: Alameda County, Calaveras County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Merced County, Monterey County, Napa County, San Benito County, San Francisco County, San Joaquin County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Solano County, Sonoma County, Stanislaus County.