GS-13 Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$118,791 – $154,426 per year • 30.63% locality adjustment
GS-13 Salary Summary — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Complete GS-13 Pay Table — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $118,791 | $9,899 | $4,569 | $56.92 | $90,937 | +$27,854 |
| Step 2 | $122,750 | $10,229 | $4,721 | $58.82 | $93,968 | +$28,782 |
| Step 3 | $126,710 | $10,559 | $4,873 | $60.71 | $96,999 | +$29,711 |
| Step 4 | $130,669 | $10,889 | $5,026 | $62.61 | $100,030 | +$30,639 |
| Step 5 | $134,629 | $11,219 | $5,178 | $64.51 | $103,061 | +$31,568 |
| Step 6 | $138,588 | $11,549 | $5,330 | $66.41 | $106,092 | +$32,496 |
| Step 7 | $142,547 | $11,879 | $5,483 | $68.30 | $109,123 | +$33,424 |
| Step 8 | $146,507 | $12,209 | $5,635 | $70.20 | $112,154 | +$34,353 |
| Step 9 | $150,466 | $12,539 | $5,787 | $72.10 | $115,185 | +$35,281 |
| Step 10 | $154,426 | $12,869 | $5,939 | $73.99 | $118,216 | +$36,210 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
How does GS-13 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-12 to GS-13 at Step 5 in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is a raise of $21,426 per year.
GS-13 Federal Jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Federal employees at GS-13 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area earn between $118,791 and $154,426 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.63% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-13 base pay of $90,937 to $118,216.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-13 employee here earns $13,986 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-13 Step 1 in this area is $4,569, or approximately $56.92 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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