GS-3 Pay in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA

$37,301 โ€“ $48,496 per year • 34.62% locality adjustment

2026 rates • $5,514 more than Rest of US at Step 5

GS-3 Salary Summary โ€” Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA

Entry (Step 1) $37,301/yr $1,435 biweekly
Mid (Step 5) $42,276/yr $1,626 biweekly
Top (Step 10) $48,496/yr $1,865 biweekly
Locality Adj. +34.62% +$10,872 at Step 5

Complete GS-3 Pay Table โ€” Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (2026)

Step Annual Monthly Biweekly Hourly Base Pay Locality Add
Step 1 $37,301 $3,108 $1,435 $17.87 $27,708 +$9,593
Step 2 $38,544 $3,212 $1,482 $18.47 $28,632 +$9,912
Step 3 $39,788 $3,316 $1,530 $19.06 $29,556 +$10,232
Step 4 $41,032 $3,419 $1,578 $19.66 $30,480 +$10,552
Step 5 $42,276 $3,523 $1,626 $20.26 $31,404 +$10,872
Step 6 $43,520 $3,627 $1,674 $20.85 $32,328 +$11,192
Step 7 $44,764 $3,730 $1,722 $21.45 $33,252 +$11,512
Step 8 $46,008 $3,834 $1,770 $22.05 $34,176 +$11,832
Step 9 $47,252 $3,938 $1,817 $22.64 $35,100 +$12,152
Step 10 $48,496 $4,041 $1,865 $23.24 $36,024 +$12,472

Compare Nearby Grades in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA

How does GS-3 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?

GS-2
$37,502
GS-3
$42,276
GS-4
$47,455

Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 at Step 5 in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA is a raise of $4,774 per year.

GS-3 Federal Jobs in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA

Federal employees at GS-3 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA locality area earn between $37,301 and $48,496 annually in 2026. This includes a 34.62% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-3 base pay of $27,708 to $36,024.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-3 employee here earns $5,514 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, Los Angeles-Long Beach, 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-3 Step 1 in this area is $1,435, or approximately $17.87 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance โ€” it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.

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