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

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$51,557 GS-8 Step 1 in CHICAGO (2019)
$67,023 GS-8 Step 10 in CHICAGO (2019)
+$11,294 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2019 GS-8 pay table for CHICAGO

Each step below already includes the 28.05% 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 $51,557 $1,982.96 $24.70 +$11,294
Step 2 $53,275 $2,049.04 $25.53 +$11,670
Step 3 $54,994 $2,115.15 $26.35 +$12,047
Step 4 $56,712 $2,181.23 $27.17 +$12,423
Step 5 $58,430 $2,247.31 $28.00 +$12,799
Step 6 $60,149 $2,313.42 $28.82 +$13,176
Step 7 $61,867 $2,379.50 $29.64 +$13,552
Step 8 $63,586 $2,445.62 $30.47 +$13,929
Step 9 $65,304 $2,511.69 $31.29 +$14,305
Step 10 $67,023 $2,577.81 $32.11 +$14,682
← GS-7 Calculate my take-home GS-9 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more CHICAGO pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $40,263
  • CHICAGO GS-8 Step 1 $51,557
  • Locality add-on +$11,294
  • Adjustment percent 28.05%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $52,341
  • CHICAGO GS-8 Step 10 $67,023

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 2019, the CHICAGO pay area adds a 28.05% 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 $1,983 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,578. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2019 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 2019, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns $51,557 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $67,023. This is 28.05% 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 2019, it is 28.05%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,294 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 $1,983 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.