GS-6 Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$50,677 – $65,878 per year • 30.63% locality adjustment
GS-6 Salary Summary — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Complete GS-6 Pay Table — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $50,677 | $4,223 | $1,949 | $24.28 | $38,794 | +$11,883 |
| Step 2 | $52,366 | $4,364 | $2,014 | $25.09 | $40,087 | +$12,279 |
| Step 3 | $54,055 | $4,505 | $2,079 | $25.90 | $41,380 | +$12,675 |
| Step 4 | $55,744 | $4,645 | $2,144 | $26.71 | $42,673 | +$13,071 |
| Step 5 | $57,433 | $4,786 | $2,209 | $27.52 | $43,966 | +$13,467 |
| Step 6 | $59,122 | $4,927 | $2,274 | $28.33 | $45,259 | +$13,863 |
| Step 7 | $60,811 | $5,068 | $2,339 | $29.14 | $46,552 | +$14,259 |
| Step 8 | $62,500 | $5,208 | $2,404 | $29.95 | $47,845 | +$14,655 |
| Step 9 | $64,189 | $5,349 | $2,469 | $30.76 | $49,138 | +$15,051 |
| Step 10 | $65,878 | $5,490 | $2,534 | $31.57 | $50,431 | +$15,447 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
How does GS-6 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 at Step 5 in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is a raise of $5,914 per year.
GS-6 Federal Jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Federal employees at GS-6 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area earn between $50,677 and $65,878 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.63% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-6 base pay of $38,794 to $50,431.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-6 employee here earns $5,966 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-6 Step 1 in this area is $1,949, or approximately $24.28 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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