GS-1 Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$29,501 – $36,900 per year • 30.63% locality adjustment
GS-1 Salary Summary — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Complete GS-1 Pay Table — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $29,501 | $2,458 | $1,135 | $14.14 | $22,584 | +$6,917 |
| Step 2 | $30,490 | $2,541 | $1,173 | $14.61 | $23,341 | +$7,149 |
| Step 3 | $31,471 | $2,623 | $1,210 | $15.08 | $24,092 | +$7,379 |
| Step 4 | $32,448 | $2,704 | $1,248 | $15.55 | $24,840 | +$7,608 |
| Step 5 | $33,427 | $2,786 | $1,286 | $16.02 | $25,589 | +$7,838 |
| Step 6 | $34,000 | $2,833 | $1,308 | $16.29 | $26,028 | +$7,972 |
| Step 7 | $34,971 | $2,914 | $1,345 | $16.76 | $26,771 | +$8,200 |
| Step 8 | $35,948 | $2,996 | $1,383 | $17.22 | $27,519 | +$8,429 |
| Step 9 | $35,989 | $2,999 | $1,384 | $17.24 | $27,550 | +$8,439 |
| Step 10 | $36,900 | $3,075 | $1,419 | $17.68 | $28,248 | +$8,652 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
How does GS-1 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
GS-1 Federal Jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Federal employees at GS-1 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area earn between $29,501 and $36,900 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.63% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-1 base pay of $22,584 to $28,248.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-1 employee here earns $3,473 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
As one of the higher-paying locality areas, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA compensates for the higher cost of living in the region. Federal employees considering a move should compare not just the salary difference but also housing costs, state income taxes, and commuting expenses.
The biweekly pay for a GS-1 Step 1 in this area is $1,135, or approximately $14.14 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance — it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.
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