GS-8 Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$62,364 – $81,069 per year • 30.63% locality adjustment
GS-8 Salary Summary — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Complete GS-8 Pay Table — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $62,364 | $5,197 | $2,399 | $29.88 | $47,741 | +$14,623 |
| Step 2 | $64,442 | $5,370 | $2,479 | $30.88 | $49,332 | +$15,110 |
| Step 3 | $66,521 | $5,543 | $2,559 | $31.87 | $50,923 | +$15,598 |
| Step 4 | $68,599 | $5,717 | $2,638 | $32.87 | $52,514 | +$16,085 |
| Step 5 | $70,677 | $5,890 | $2,718 | $33.87 | $54,105 | +$16,572 |
| Step 6 | $72,756 | $6,063 | $2,798 | $34.86 | $55,696 | +$17,060 |
| Step 7 | $74,834 | $6,236 | $2,878 | $35.86 | $57,287 | +$17,547 |
| Step 8 | $76,912 | $6,409 | $2,958 | $36.85 | $58,878 | +$18,034 |
| Step 9 | $78,991 | $6,583 | $3,038 | $37.85 | $60,469 | +$18,522 |
| Step 10 | $81,069 | $6,756 | $3,118 | $38.84 | $62,060 | +$19,009 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
How does GS-8 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-7 to GS-8 at Step 5 in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is a raise of $6,858 per year.
GS-8 Federal Jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Federal employees at GS-8 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area earn between $62,364 and $81,069 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.63% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-8 base pay of $47,741 to $62,060.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-8 employee here earns $7,342 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-8 Step 1 in this area is $2,399, or approximately $29.88 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-8 jobs?
Browse 12,548+ active federal job openings on FreeJobAlert.
Browse Federal Jobs →