2017 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2017 is $39,159 at Step 1, rising to $50,904 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 2017.
2017 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2017.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $39,159 | $1,506.12 | $18.76 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,464 | $1,556.31 | $19.39 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,769 | $1,606.50 | $20.01 | - |
| Step 4 | $43,074 | $1,656.69 | $20.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $44,379 | $1,706.88 | $21.26 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,684 | $1,757.08 | $21.89 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,989 | $1,807.27 | $22.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $48,294 | $1,857.46 | $23.14 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,599 | $1,907.65 | $23.77 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,904 | $1,957.85 | $24.39 | - |
2017 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2017, 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 | $39,159 | $1,506.12 | $18.76 | - |
| Step 2 | $40,464 | $1,556.31 | $19.39 | - |
| Step 3 | $41,769 | $1,606.50 | $20.01 | - |
| Step 4 | $43,074 | $1,656.69 | $20.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $44,379 | $1,706.88 | $21.26 | - |
| Step 6 | $45,684 | $1,757.08 | $21.89 | - |
| Step 7 | $46,989 | $1,807.27 | $22.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $48,294 | $1,857.46 | $23.14 | - |
| Step 9 | $49,599 | $1,907.65 | $23.77 | - |
| Step 10 | $50,904 | $1,957.85 | $24.39 | - |
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 2017, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $54,106 | $70,334 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $51,384 | $66,796 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $51,287 | $66,669 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $50,770 | $65,997 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $49,955 | $64,938 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $49,783 | $64,714 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $49,771 | $64,699 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $49,724 | $64,638 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $49,673 | $64,572 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $49,626 | $64,511 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $49,215 | $63,976 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $48,812 | $63,452 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $48,651 | $63,243 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $48,612 | $63,192 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $48,506 | $63,055 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $48,056 | $62,469 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $48,013 | $62,413 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $47,825 | $62,169 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $47,754 | $62,077 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $47,265 | $61,441 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $46,877 | $60,937 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $46,838 | $60,886 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $46,803 | $60,840 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $46,607 | $60,586 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $46,466 | $60,403 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $46,431 | $60,357 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $46,399 | $60,316 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $46,282 | $60,163 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $46,176 | $60,026 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $46,153 | $59,995 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $46,137 | $59,975 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $46,047 | $59,858 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $45,691 | $59,395 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $45,421 | $59,044 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $45,413 | $59,033 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $45,397 | $59,013 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $45,366 | $58,972 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $45,366 | $58,972 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $45,358 | $58,962 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $45,291 | $58,876 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $45,287 | $58,870 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $45,280 | $58,860 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $45,264 | $58,840 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $45,252 | $58,825 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $45,221 | $58,784 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $45,174 | $58,723 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $45,056 | $58,570 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2017
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2017 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 2017
GS-8 questions for 2017
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2017 is $39,159 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2017 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 38.17%), 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.