2016 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2016 is $38,771 at Step 1, rising to $50,399 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 2016.
2016 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2016.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,771 | $1,491.19 | $18.58 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,063 | $1,540.88 | $19.20 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,355 | $1,590.58 | $19.82 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,647 | $1,640.27 | $20.43 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,939 | $1,689.96 | $21.05 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,231 | $1,739.65 | $21.67 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,523 | $1,789.35 | $22.29 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,815 | $1,839.04 | $22.91 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,107 | $1,888.73 | $23.53 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,399 | $1,938.42 | $24.15 | - |
2016 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2016, 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 | $38,771 | $1,491.19 | $18.58 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,063 | $1,540.88 | $19.20 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,355 | $1,590.58 | $19.82 | - |
| Step 4 | $42,647 | $1,640.27 | $20.43 | - |
| Step 5 | $43,939 | $1,689.96 | $21.05 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,231 | $1,739.65 | $21.67 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,523 | $1,789.35 | $22.29 | - |
| Step 8 | $47,815 | $1,839.04 | $22.91 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,107 | $1,888.73 | $23.53 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,399 | $1,938.42 | $24.15 | - |
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 2016, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.75% | $52,632 | $68,417 |
| New York-Newark | 29.20% | $50,092 | $65,116 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 29.11% | $50,057 | $65,070 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.65% | $49,491 | $64,334 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 26.20% | $48,929 | $63,604 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.44% | $48,634 | $63,221 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 25.19% | $48,537 | $63,095 |
| State of Alaska | 25.16% | $48,526 | $63,079 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.78% | $48,378 | $62,888 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.73% | $48,359 | $62,863 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.40% | $48,231 | $62,696 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.93% | $47,661 | $61,955 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.61% | $47,537 | $61,794 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 22.26% | $47,401 | $61,618 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 22.22% | $47,386 | $61,598 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 21.30% | $47,029 | $61,134 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 21.05% | $46,932 | $61,008 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 21.04% | $46,928 | $61,003 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.69% | $46,793 | $60,827 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.58% | $46,362 | $60,267 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.87% | $46,087 | $59,909 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.76% | $46,044 | $59,854 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.39% | $45,901 | $59,667 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.94% | $45,727 | $59,441 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.41% | $45,521 | $59,173 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 17.31% | $45,482 | $59,123 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 17.12% | $45,409 | $59,027 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.81% | $45,288 | $58,871 |
| Richmond | 16.76% | $45,269 | $58,846 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.68% | $45,238 | $58,806 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.50% | $45,168 | $58,715 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.37% | $45,118 | $58,649 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.92% | $44,556 | $57,919 |
| Laredo | 14.59% | $44,428 | $57,752 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 14.55% | $44,412 | $57,732 |
| Colorado Springs | 14.52% | $44,401 | $57,717 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 14.51% | $44,397 | $57,712 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 14.51% | $44,397 | $57,712 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 14.49% | $44,389 | $57,702 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 14.49% | $44,389 | $57,702 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 14.49% | $44,389 | $57,702 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 14.47% | $44,381 | $57,692 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 14.44% | $44,370 | $57,677 |
| Davenport-Moline | 14.43% | $44,366 | $57,672 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 14.42% | $44,362 | $57,667 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 14.37% | $44,342 | $57,641 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.35% | $44,335 | $57,631 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2016
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2016 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 2016
GS-8 questions for 2016
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2016?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2016 is $38,771 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2016 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.75%), 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.