GS-12 Pay in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
$111,896 – $145,468 per year • 46.34% locality adjustment
GS-12 Salary Summary — San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
Complete GS-12 Pay Table — San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $111,896 | $9,325 | $4,304 | $53.62 | $76,463 | +$35,433 |
| Step 2 | $115,626 | $9,636 | $4,447 | $55.40 | $79,012 | +$36,614 |
| Step 3 | $119,356 | $9,946 | $4,591 | $57.19 | $81,561 | +$37,795 |
| Step 4 | $123,087 | $10,257 | $4,734 | $58.98 | $84,110 | +$38,977 |
| Step 5 | $126,817 | $10,568 | $4,878 | $60.77 | $86,659 | +$40,158 |
| Step 6 | $130,547 | $10,879 | $5,021 | $62.55 | $89,208 | +$41,339 |
| Step 7 | $134,277 | $11,190 | $5,165 | $64.34 | $91,757 | +$42,520 |
| Step 8 | $138,007 | $11,501 | $5,308 | $66.13 | $94,306 | +$43,701 |
| Step 9 | $141,738 | $11,812 | $5,451 | $67.91 | $96,855 | +$44,883 |
| Step 10 | $145,468 | $12,122 | $5,595 | $69.70 | $99,404 | +$46,064 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
How does GS-12 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-11 to GS-12 at Step 5 in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA is a raise of $21,015 per year.
GS-12 Federal Jobs in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
Federal employees at GS-12 in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality area earn between $111,896 and $145,468 annually in 2026. This includes a 46.34% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-12 base pay of $76,463 to $99,404.
The San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-12 employee here earns $25,374 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 Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 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-12 Step 1 in this area is $4,304, or approximately $53.62 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.
Looking for GS-12 jobs?
Browse 12,548+ active federal job openings on FreeJobAlert.
Browse Federal Jobs →