58 locality pay areasPage last changed 2026-10-07

California GS pay scale 2026: the 6 locality pay areas in the state

In 2026 a GS-12 step 5 in California is paid $101,443 to $126,817, depending on which of its 6 locality pay areas, Rest of U.S. included, the duty station is in.

Spread at GS-12 step 5

$25,374

Goes furthest

$109,691At U.S. prices, in San Jose, CA.

Against Rest of U.S.

+$25,374over $101,443

Which areas cover California, and what each pays

GS-12 step 5 in 2026 in each area that covers California, what it buys at national average prices (BEA price level, U.S. = 100) and how many of the state’s 58 counties it covers; the county of the duty station decides (how that works). Source: the OPM 2026 General Schedule table of each area — Salary Table 2026-SF (San Jose, CA), Salary Table 2026-LA (Los Angeles, CA), Salary Table 2026-SD (San Diego, CA), Salary Table 2026-SAC (Sacramento, CA), Salary Table 2026-FN (Fresno, CA), Salary Table 2026-RUS (Rest of U.S.).
Locality pay area	Locality pay	On paper	Price level	What it buys	Counties here
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA	46.34%	$126,817	115.6	$109,691	16
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA	36.47%	$118,264	113.6	$104,137	9
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	33.72%	$115,880	111.9	$103,569	1
Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV	29.76%	$112,449	106.7	$105,418	12
Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA	17.65%	$101,954	102.2	$99,800	5
Rest of U.S.	17.06%	$101,443	—	—	15

The $25,374 between its best- and lowest-paid areas is the widest spread inside any of the 38 states with more than one area.

California is split among six locality pay areas, Rest of U.S. included, the third-most of any state, as many as Ohio.

Only fifteen of its 58 counties are on the Rest of U.S. rate, the fourth-smallest share of the 35 states with such counties.

Its best-paid area, San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA, pays the most of the 58 areas at GS-12 step 5.

Its lowest-paid named area, Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA, pays the fourth-least of the 58 areas at GS-12 step 5, Rest of U.S. included.

Counties of California in each locality pay area, as OPM’s 2026 definitions list them; the county of the duty station decides (how that works).
Locality pay area	Counties
San Jose, CA	Alameda County, Calaveras County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Merced County, Monterey County, Napa County, San Benito County, San Francisco County, San Joaquin County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Solano County, Sonoma County, Stanislaus County
Los Angeles, CA	Imperial County, Kern County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County
San Diego, CA	San Diego County
Sacramento, CA	Alpine County, Amador County, Butte County, Colusa County, El Dorado County, Nevada County, Placer County, Sacramento County, Sierra County, Sutter County, Yolo County, Yuba County
Fresno, CA	Fresno County, Kings County, Madera County, Mariposa County, Tulare County
Rest of U.S.	all other counties of California (15)

Federal jobs in California, area by area

247,845 federal civilian jobs in California in 2025, 1.36% of all jobs in the state, 6,417 fewer than in 2024, down 2.52%, by the locality pay area of the worksite county; every federal pay system counted. The share is of the 238,135 jobs BLS places in a county. BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, 2025. Sources and caveats.
Locality pay area	Federal jobs, 2025	Share, %	Change from 2024
Los Angeles, CA	103,156	43.3	−3,917
San Jose, CA	51,624	21.7	−1,539
San Diego, CA	47,564	20.0	−574
Sacramento, CA	16,631	7.0	−555
Fresno, CA	12,449	5.2	−483
Rest of U.S.	6,711	2.8	−307
No county reported	9,710	—	—

Its 247,845 federal civilian jobs are the most of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Average pay per federal job in California, overtime included, was $109,304 in 2025, the fourth-highest of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Of the jobs placed in a county here, 2.8% are on the Rest of U.S. rate, the second-lowest share of the 35 states with such jobs and more than one area.

Every grade at step 5 in California

Annual rates in U.S. dollars at step 5; ▲ marks a cell cut to the $197,200 statutory ceiling. For any other step, the pay calculator finds the area from a ZIP code.
Grade	San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland	Los Angeles-Long Beach	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	Sacramento-Roseville	Fresno-Madera-Hanford	Rest of U.S.
GS-1	37,447	34,921	34,218	33,204	30,105	29,954
GS-2	40,767	38,018	37,252	36,149	32,775	32,611
GS-3	45,957	42,857	41,993	40,750	36,947	36,762
GS-4	51,586	48,107	47,138	45,742	41,473	41,265
GS-5	57,715	53,822	52,738	51,176	46,400	46,167
GS-6	64,335	59,996	58,787	57,046	51,722	51,463
GS-7	71,493	66,671	65,328	63,393	57,477	57,188
GS-8	79,173	73,833	72,345	70,203	63,651	63,332
GS-9	87,451	81,553	79,910	77,543	70,306	69,954
GS-10	96,298	89,803	87,993	85,387	77,418	77,030
GS-11	105,808	98,672	96,684	93,820	85,064	84,638
GS-12	126,817	118,264	115,880	112,449	101,954	101,443
GS-13	150,802	140,631	137,797	133,716	121,237	120,629
GS-14	178,204	166,185	162,836	158,014	143,267	142,549
GS-15	197,200	195,474	191,535	185,863	168,517	167,672

What a move inside California is worth after prices

A transfer at GS-12 step 5 between areas of California: the raise on paper, what it is worth at national average prices, and how much of it is left. Tax and housing are not in these figures (what the comparison leaves out).
Move	On paper	After prices	Kept
Sacramento, CA to San Jose, CA	+$14,368	+$4,273	30%
Fresno, CA to San Jose, CA	+$24,863	+$9,891	40%
Sacramento, CA to Los Angeles, CA	+$5,815	−$1,281	none
Fresno, CA to Los Angeles, CA	+$16,310	+$4,336	27%

Where else these areas reach

Locality pay areas are lists of counties and ignore state lines: inside one area a move across a state line does not change pay (how that works; every state and the areas in it).
Area	Counties here	Also covers
San Jose, CA	16	nowhere else
Los Angeles, CA	9	nowhere else
San Diego, CA	1	nowhere else
Sacramento, CA	12	Nevada
Fresno, CA	5	nowhere else