2018 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2018 is $39,707 at Step 1, rising to $51,623 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 2018.
2018 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2018.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $39,707 | $1,527.19 | $19.03 | - |
| Step 2 | $41,031 | $1,578.12 | $19.66 | - |
| Step 3 | $42,355 | $1,629.04 | $20.29 | - |
| Step 4 | $43,679 | $1,679.96 | $20.93 | - |
| Step 5 | $45,003 | $1,730.88 | $21.56 | - |
| Step 6 | $46,327 | $1,781.81 | $22.20 | - |
| Step 7 | $47,651 | $1,832.73 | $22.83 | - |
| Step 8 | $48,975 | $1,883.65 | $23.47 | - |
| Step 9 | $50,299 | $1,934.58 | $24.10 | - |
| Step 10 | $51,623 | $1,985.50 | $24.74 | - |
2018 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2018, 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 | $39,707 | $1,527.19 | $19.03 | - |
| Step 2 | $41,031 | $1,578.12 | $19.66 | - |
| Step 3 | $42,355 | $1,629.04 | $20.29 | - |
| Step 4 | $43,679 | $1,679.96 | $20.93 | - |
| Step 5 | $45,003 | $1,730.88 | $21.56 | - |
| Step 6 | $46,327 | $1,781.81 | $22.20 | - |
| Step 7 | $47,651 | $1,832.73 | $22.83 | - |
| Step 8 | $48,975 | $1,883.65 | $23.47 | - |
| Step 9 | $50,299 | $1,934.58 | $24.10 | - |
| Step 10 | $51,623 | $1,985.50 | $24.74 | - |
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 2018, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $55,304 | $71,901 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $52,465 | $68,209 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $52,310 | $68,008 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $51,845 | $67,404 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $50,912 | $66,191 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $50,908 | $66,186 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $50,833 | $66,088 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $50,777 | $66,015 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $50,618 | $65,809 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $50,615 | $65,804 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $50,130 | $65,174 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $49,820 | $64,771 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $49,677 | $64,586 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $49,578 | $64,456 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $49,471 | $64,317 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $48,998 | $63,703 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $48,987 | $63,687 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $48,697 | $63,310 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $48,653 | $63,254 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $48,109 | $62,546 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $47,704 | $62,020 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $47,680 | $61,989 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $47,597 | $61,880 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $47,458 | $61,700 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $47,323 | $61,524 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $47,287 | $61,478 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $47,239 | $61,416 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $47,168 | $61,323 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $47,049 | $61,168 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $47,025 | $61,137 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $46,993 | $61,096 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $46,898 | $60,972 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $46,616 | $60,605 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $46,342 | $60,249 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $46,294 | $60,187 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $46,259 | $60,141 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $46,255 | $60,136 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $46,247 | $60,125 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $46,151 | $60,001 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $46,144 | $59,991 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $46,128 | $59,970 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $46,120 | $59,960 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $46,100 | $59,934 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $46,092 | $59,924 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $46,032 | $59,847 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $45,965 | $59,759 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $45,810 | $59,557 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2018
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2018 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 2018
GS-8 questions for 2018
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2018 is $39,707 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2018 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 39.28%), 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.