2015 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2015 is $38,387 at Step 1, rising to $49,907 at Step 10. Add the locality pay adjustment for your duty station on top. This page shows the base table first, then every locality-adjusted version of GS-8 for 2015.
2015 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,387 | $1,476.42 | $18.39 | - |
| Step 2 | $39,667 | $1,525.65 | $19.01 | - |
| Step 3 | $40,947 | $1,574.88 | $19.62 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,227 | $1,624.12 | $20.23 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,507 | $1,673.35 | $20.85 | - |
| Step 6 | $44,787 | $1,722.58 | $21.46 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,067 | $1,771.81 | $22.07 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,347 | $1,821.04 | $22.69 | - |
| Step 9 | $48,627 | $1,870.27 | $23.30 | - |
| Step 10 | $49,907 | $1,919.50 | $23.91 | - |
2015 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2015, before any locality adjustment. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay and hourly rate for every step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,387 | $1,476.42 | $18.39 | - |
| Step 2 | $39,667 | $1,525.65 | $19.01 | - |
| Step 3 | $40,947 | $1,574.88 | $19.62 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,227 | $1,624.12 | $20.23 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,507 | $1,673.35 | $20.85 | - |
| Step 6 | $44,787 | $1,722.58 | $21.46 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,067 | $1,771.81 | $22.07 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,347 | $1,821.04 | $22.69 | - |
| Step 9 | $48,627 | $1,870.27 | $23.30 | - |
| Step 10 | $49,907 | $1,919.50 | $23.91 | - |
Who is a GS-8?
Typical role. Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.
Career progression. Promoted to GS-9 after one year in grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-8 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-8 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2015, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $51,880 | $67,449 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $49,412 | $64,240 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $49,408 | $64,235 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $48,813 | $63,462 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $48,299 | $62,793 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $48,022 | $62,434 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $47,907 | $62,284 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $47,865 | $62,229 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $47,684 | $61,994 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $47,673 | $61,980 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $47,634 | $61,930 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $47,032 | $61,146 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $46,909 | $60,986 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $46,759 | $60,792 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $46,752 | $60,782 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $46,433 | $60,368 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $46,368 | $60,283 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $46,322 | $60,223 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $46,199 | $60,063 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $45,792 | $59,534 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $45,558 | $59,230 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $45,508 | $59,165 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $45,335 | $58,940 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $45,158 | $58,711 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $44,974 | $58,471 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $44,905 | $58,381 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $44,821 | $58,271 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $44,725 | $58,147 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $44,709 | $58,127 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $44,671 | $58,077 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $44,621 | $58,012 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $44,537 | $57,902 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $44,022 | $57,233 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $43,823 | $56,974 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2015 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Senior technicians, investigators and lead administrative support. Less common than GS-7 or GS-9, often reserved for specialized technical work.
How step increases work
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable. You move from Step 1 to Step 4 one year at a time, from Step 4 to Step 7 every two years, and from Step 7 to Step 10 every three years. Managers can award a one-time quality step increase (QSI) to accelerate progression for employees whose performance is rated outstanding.
Browse other grades in 2015
GS-8 questions for 2015
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2015 is $38,387 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-8 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-8 Step 10?
If you never get a quality step increase, it takes roughly 18 years to move from Step 1 to Step 10. Steps 1-4 take one year each, Steps 5-7 take two years each, and Steps 8-10 take three years each. A quality step increase can shorten that timeline by one year per QSI. -
How do I get promoted from GS-8 to GS-9?
Promotion from GS-8 to GS-9 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-8 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-9 vacancy. Open the GS-9 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-8?
GS-8 is roughly equivalent to O-3 Captain. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.