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

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$48,634 GS-8 Step 1 in CHICAGO (2016)
$63,221 GS-8 Step 10 in CHICAGO (2016)
+$9,863 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2016 GS-8 pay table for CHICAGO

Each step below already includes the 25.44% 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 $48,634 $1,870.54 $23.30 +$9,863
Step 2 $50,255 $1,932.88 $24.08 +$10,192
Step 3 $51,876 $1,995.23 $24.86 +$10,521
Step 4 $53,496 $2,057.54 $25.63 +$10,849
Step 5 $55,117 $2,119.88 $26.41 +$11,178
Step 6 $56,738 $2,182.23 $27.19 +$11,507
Step 7 $58,358 $2,244.54 $27.96 +$11,835
Step 8 $59,979 $2,306.88 $28.74 +$12,164
Step 9 $61,600 $2,369.23 $29.52 +$12,493
Step 10 $63,221 $2,431.58 $30.29 +$12,822
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more CHICAGO pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $38,771
  • CHICAGO GS-8 Step 1 $48,634
  • Locality add-on +$9,863
  • Adjustment percent 25.44%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $50,399
  • CHICAGO GS-8 Step 10 $63,221

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 CHICAGO: 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 2016, the CHICAGO pay area adds a 25.44% 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 CHICAGO

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns roughly $1,871 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,432. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2016 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-8 CHICAGO page.

Other grades in CHICAGO

GS-8 in CHICAGO questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in CHICAGO?
    In 2016, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns $48,634 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $63,221. This is 25.44% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 in CHICAGO?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For CHICAGO in 2016, it is 25.44%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,863 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in CHICAGO?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns roughly $1,871 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.