GS-2 Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$33,171 – $41,740 per year • 30.63% locality adjustment
GS-2 Salary Summary — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Complete GS-2 Pay Table — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $33,171 | $2,764 | $1,276 | $15.89 | $25,393 | +$7,778 |
| Step 2 | $33,960 | $2,830 | $1,306 | $16.27 | $25,997 | +$7,963 |
| Step 3 | $35,060 | $2,922 | $1,348 | $16.80 | $26,839 | +$8,221 |
| Step 4 | $35,989 | $2,999 | $1,384 | $17.24 | $27,550 | +$8,439 |
| Step 5 | $36,391 | $3,033 | $1,400 | $17.44 | $27,858 | +$8,533 |
| Step 6 | $37,461 | $3,122 | $1,441 | $17.95 | $28,677 | +$8,784 |
| Step 7 | $38,531 | $3,211 | $1,482 | $18.46 | $29,496 | +$9,035 |
| Step 8 | $39,600 | $3,300 | $1,523 | $18.97 | $30,315 | +$9,285 |
| Step 9 | $40,670 | $3,389 | $1,564 | $19.49 | $31,134 | +$9,536 |
| Step 10 | $41,740 | $3,478 | $1,605 | $20.00 | $31,953 | +$9,787 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
How does GS-2 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 at Step 5 in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is a raise of $2,964 per year.
GS-2 Federal Jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Federal employees at GS-2 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area earn between $33,171 and $41,740 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.63% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-2 base pay of $25,393 to $31,953.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-2 employee here earns $3,780 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-2 Step 1 in this area is $1,276, or approximately $15.89 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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