An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$43,389 GS-8 Step 1 in Rest of U.S. (2014)
$56,406 GS-8 Step 10 in Rest of U.S. (2014)
+$5,382 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2014 GS-8 pay table for Rest of U.S.

Each step below already includes the 14.16% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-8 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $43,389 $1,668.81 $20.79 +$5,382
Step 2 $44,835 $1,724.42 $21.48 +$5,561
Step 3 $46,282 $1,780.08 $22.18 +$5,741
Step 4 $47,728 $1,835.69 $22.87 +$5,920
Step 5 $49,174 $1,891.31 $23.56 +$6,099
Step 6 $50,621 $1,946.96 $24.26 +$6,279
Step 7 $52,067 $2,002.58 $24.95 +$6,458
Step 8 $53,514 $2,058.23 $25.64 +$6,638
Step 9 $54,960 $2,113.85 $26.33 +$6,817
Step 10 $56,406 $2,169.46 $27.03 +$6,996
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more Rest of U.S. pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $38,007
  • Rest of U.S. GS-8 Step 1 $43,389
  • Locality add-on +$5,382
  • Adjustment percent 14.16%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $49,410
  • Rest of U.S. GS-8 Step 10 $56,406

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-8 in Rest of U.S.: what to expect

Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.

For 2014, the Rest of U.S. pay area adds a 14.16% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-8 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Promoted to GS-9 after one year in grade.

The rough military equivalent for GS-8 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-8 in Rest of U.S.

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns roughly $1,669 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,169. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2014 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-8 Rest of U.S. page.

Other grades in Rest of U.S.

GS-8 in Rest of U.S. questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in Rest of U.S.?
    In 2014, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns $43,389 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $56,406. This is 14.16% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 in Rest of U.S.?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Rest of U.S. in 2014, it is 14.16%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $5,382 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in Rest of U.S.?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns roughly $1,669 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.