2026 GS Pay: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA locality pay area adds 33.72% locality pay to the GS base table. Figures are from OPM's Salary Table 2026-SD, effective January 2026.
- Locality pay
- 33.72%
- Annual pay range
- $30,199 to $197,200
- GS-1 step 1 to GS-15 step 10
- Capped cells
- 4 of 150
Annual pay by grade and step
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $30,199 | $31,212 | $32,216 | $33,216 | $34,218 | $34,805 | $35,798 | $36,798 | $36,840 | $37,773 |
| GS-2 | $33,956 | $34,763 | $35,889 | $36,840 | $37,252 | $38,347 | $39,442 | $40,537 | $41,632 | $42,728 |
| GS-3 | $37,051 | $38,287 | $39,522 | $40,758 | $41,993 | $43,229 | $44,465 | $45,700 | $46,936 | $48,171 |
| GS-4 | $41,591 | $42,978 | $44,364 | $45,751 | $47,138 | $48,524 | $49,911 | $51,298 | $52,684 | $54,071 |
| GS-5 | $46,533 | $48,084 | $49,636 | $51,187 | $52,738 | $54,289 | $55,840 | $57,391 | $58,942 | $60,494 |
| GS-6 | $51,871 | $53,600 | $55,329 | $57,058 | $58,787 | $60,516 | $62,245 | $63,974 | $65,703 | $67,432 |
| GS-7 | $57,641 | $59,563 | $61,484 | $63,406 | $65,328 | $67,249 | $69,171 | $71,092 | $73,014 | $74,935 |
| GS-8 | $63,835 | $65,963 | $68,090 | $70,218 | $72,345 | $74,473 | $76,600 | $78,728 | $80,855 | $82,983 |
| GS-9 | $70,507 | $72,857 | $75,208 | $77,559 | $79,910 | $82,261 | $84,611 | $86,962 | $89,313 | $91,664 |
| GS-10 | $77,643 | $80,231 | $82,818 | $85,406 | $87,993 | $90,581 | $93,168 | $95,756 | $98,343 | $100,931 |
| GS-11 | $85,307 | $88,151 | $90,995 | $93,839 | $96,684 | $99,528 | $102,372 | $105,216 | $108,060 | $110,905 |
| GS-12 | $102,246 | $105,655 | $109,063 | $112,472 | $115,880 | $119,289 | $122,697 | $126,106 | $129,515 | $132,923 |
| GS-13 | $121,585 | $125,638 | $129,691 | $133,744 | $137,797 | $141,850 | $145,903 | $149,956 | $154,009 | $158,062 |
| GS-14 | $143,677 | $148,467 | $153,256 | $158,046 | $162,836 | $167,626 | $172,416 | $177,206 | $181,996 | $186,785 |
| GS-15 | $169,001 | $174,634 | $180,268 | $185,902 | $191,535 | $197,169 | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped |
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $14.47 | $14.96 | $15.44 | $15.92 | $16.40 | $16.68 | $17.15 | $17.63 | $17.65 | $18.10 |
| GS-2 | $16.27 | $16.66 | $17.20 | $17.65 | $17.85 | $18.37 | $18.90 | $19.42 | $19.95 | $20.47 |
| GS-3 | $17.75 | $18.35 | $18.94 | $19.53 | $20.12 | $20.71 | $21.31 | $21.90 | $22.49 | $23.08 |
| GS-4 | $19.93 | $20.59 | $21.26 | $21.92 | $22.59 | $23.25 | $23.92 | $24.58 | $25.24 | $25.91 |
| GS-5 | $22.30 | $23.04 | $23.78 | $24.53 | $25.27 | $26.01 | $26.76 | $27.50 | $28.24 | $28.99 |
| GS-6 | $24.85 | $25.68 | $26.51 | $27.34 | $28.17 | $29.00 | $29.83 | $30.65 | $31.48 | $32.31 |
| GS-7 | $27.62 | $28.54 | $29.46 | $30.38 | $31.30 | $32.22 | $33.14 | $34.06 | $34.99 | $35.91 |
| GS-8 | $30.59 | $31.61 | $32.63 | $33.65 | $34.66 | $35.68 | $36.70 | $37.72 | $38.74 | $39.76 |
| GS-9 | $33.78 | $34.91 | $36.04 | $37.16 | $38.29 | $39.42 | $40.54 | $41.67 | $42.79 | $43.92 |
| GS-10 | $37.20 | $38.44 | $39.68 | $40.92 | $42.16 | $43.40 | $44.64 | $45.88 | $47.12 | $48.36 |
| GS-11 | $40.88 | $42.24 | $43.60 | $44.96 | $46.33 | $47.69 | $49.05 | $50.41 | $51.78 | $53.14 |
| GS-12 | $48.99 | $50.63 | $52.26 | $53.89 | $55.52 | $57.16 | $58.79 | $60.42 | $62.06 | $63.69 |
| GS-13 | $58.26 | $60.20 | $62.14 | $64.08 | $66.03 | $67.97 | $69.91 | $71.85 | $73.79 | $75.74 |
| GS-14 | $68.84 | $71.14 | $73.43 | $75.73 | $78.02 | $80.32 | $82.61 | $84.91 | $87.20 | $89.50 |
| GS-15 | $80.98 | $83.68 | $86.38 | $89.08 | $91.78 | $94.47 | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped |
Compare San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA with other locality pay areas
Where this locality pay area is
OPM's 2026 definitions list 1 place in this area, in CA. The legal definition is in 5 CFR 531.603.
| Place | State | FIPS code |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego County, CA | CA | 06073 |
Changes from 2025
Locality pay was 33.72% in 2025 and is 33.72% in 2026 (0.00 points). The base table went up 1% for 2026.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | +$299+1.0% | +$309+1.0% | +$320+1.0% | +$329+1.0% | +$339+1.0% | +$345+1.0% | +$354+1.0% | +$363+1.0% | +$365+1.0% | +$372+1.0% |
| GS-2 | +$336+1.0% | +$343+1.0% | +$356+1.0% | +$365+1.0% | +$368+1.0% | +$379+1.0% | +$389+1.0% | +$400+1.0% | +$410+1.0% | +$422+1.0% |
| GS-3 | +$366+1.0% | +$380+1.0% | +$393+1.0% | +$407+1.0% | +$419+1.0% | +$433+1.0% | +$447+1.0% | +$460+1.0% | +$474+1.0% | +$486+1.0% |
| GS-4 | +$412+1.0% | +$426+1.0% | +$438+1.0% | +$452+1.0% | +$466+1.0% | +$478+1.0% | +$492+1.0% | +$506+1.0% | +$518+1.0% | +$532+1.0% |
| GS-5 | +$461+1.0% | +$477+1.0% | +$494+1.0% | +$510+1.0% | +$526+1.0% | +$542+1.0% | +$557+1.0% | +$573+1.0% | +$589+1.0% | +$606+1.0% |
| GS-6 | +$513+1.0% | +$531+1.0% | +$548+1.0% | +$565+1.0% | +$583+1.0% | +$600+1.0% | +$617+1.0% | +$635+1.0% | +$652+1.0% | +$670+1.0% |
| GS-7 | +$571+1.0% | +$590+1.0% | +$608+1.0% | +$627+1.0% | +$646+1.0% | +$664+1.0% | +$684+1.0% | +$702+1.0% | +$721+1.0% | +$739+1.0% |
| GS-8 | +$632+1.0% | +$653+1.0% | +$672+1.0% | +$693+1.0% | +$713+1.0% | +$733+1.0% | +$753+1.0% | +$773+1.0% | +$793+1.0% | +$813+1.0% |
| GS-9 | +$698+1.0% | +$722+1.0% | +$746+1.0% | +$770+1.0% | +$795+1.0% | +$819+1.0% | +$842+1.0% | +$866+1.0% | +$891+1.0% | +$915+1.0% |
| GS-10 | +$769+1.0% | +$795+1.0% | +$820+1.0% | +$845+1.0% | +$870+1.0% | +$896+1.0% | +$921+1.0% | +$947+1.0% | +$972+1.0% | +$998+1.0% |
| GS-11 | +$845+1.0% | +$875+1.0% | +$904+1.0% | +$933+1.0% | +$963+1.0% | +$992+1.0% | +$1,022+1.0% | +$1,051+1.0% | +$1,080+1.0% | +$1,110+1.0% |
| GS-12 | +$1,012+1.0% | +$1,046+1.0% | +$1,079+1.0% | +$1,113+1.0% | +$1,146+1.0% | +$1,179+1.0% | +$1,212+1.0% | +$1,246+1.0% | +$1,280+1.0% | +$1,313+1.0% |
| GS-13 | +$1,204+1.0% | +$1,244+1.0% | +$1,284+1.0% | +$1,324+1.0% | +$1,364+1.0% | +$1,404+1.0% | +$1,444+1.0% | +$1,484+1.0% | +$1,524+1.0% | +$1,564+1.0% |
| GS-14 | +$1,423+1.0% | +$1,471+1.0% | +$1,519+1.0% | +$1,567+1.0% | +$1,615+1.0% | +$1,663+1.0% | +$1,712+1.0% | +$1,760+1.0% | +$1,808+1.0% | +$1,856+1.0% |
| GS-15 | +$1,673+1.0% | +$1,729+1.0% | +$1,785+1.0% | +$1,842+1.0% | +$1,897+1.0% | +$1,969+1.0% | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change |
Places in the area
The places in this area are the same as in 2025.
Data sources
- GS locality pay table, Salary Table 2026-SD, effective January 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2026 General Schedule tables, SD.xml. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
- Pay cap (level IV of the Executive Schedule), Salary Table No. 2026-EX, effective January 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): EX.xml. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
- GS locality pay table, Salary Table 2025-SD, effective January 2025
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2025 General Schedule tables, SD.xml. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- Pay cap (level IV of the Executive Schedule), Salary Table No. 2025-EX, effective January 2025
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): EX.xml. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- Locality pay area definitions, 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2026 locality pay area definitions. Retrieved October 18, 2026.