GS-9 Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$68,869 – $89,526 per year • 30.63% locality adjustment
GS-9 Salary Summary — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Complete GS-9 Pay Table — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $68,869 | $5,739 | $2,649 | $33.00 | $52,721 | +$16,148 |
| Step 2 | $71,165 | $5,930 | $2,737 | $34.10 | $54,478 | +$16,687 |
| Step 3 | $73,460 | $6,122 | $2,825 | $35.20 | $56,235 | +$17,225 |
| Step 4 | $75,755 | $6,313 | $2,914 | $36.30 | $57,992 | +$17,763 |
| Step 5 | $78,050 | $6,504 | $3,002 | $37.40 | $59,749 | +$18,301 |
| Step 6 | $80,345 | $6,695 | $3,090 | $38.50 | $61,506 | +$18,839 |
| Step 7 | $82,640 | $6,887 | $3,178 | $39.60 | $63,263 | +$19,377 |
| Step 8 | $84,936 | $7,078 | $3,267 | $40.70 | $65,020 | +$19,916 |
| Step 9 | $87,231 | $7,269 | $3,355 | $41.80 | $66,777 | +$20,454 |
| Step 10 | $89,526 | $7,461 | $3,443 | $42.90 | $68,534 | +$20,992 |
Compare Nearby Grades in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
How does GS-9 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-8 to GS-9 at Step 5 in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is a raise of $7,373 per year.
GS-9 Federal Jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Federal employees at GS-9 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area earn between $68,869 and $89,526 annually in 2026. This includes a 30.63% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-9 base pay of $52,721 to $68,534.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality area covers California. At Step 5, a GS-9 employee here earns $8,108 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-9 Step 1 in this area is $2,649, or approximately $33.00 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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