2021 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2021 is $41,723 at Step 1, rising to $54,242 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 2021.
2021 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2021.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $41,723 | $1,604.73 | $19.99 | - |
| Step 2 | $43,114 | $1,658.23 | $20.66 | - |
| Step 3 | $44,505 | $1,711.73 | $21.32 | - |
| Step 4 | $45,896 | $1,765.23 | $21.99 | - |
| Step 5 | $47,287 | $1,818.73 | $22.66 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,678 | $1,872.23 | $23.32 | - |
| Step 7 | $50,069 | $1,925.73 | $23.99 | - |
| Step 8 | $51,460 | $1,979.23 | $24.66 | - |
| Step 9 | $52,851 | $2,032.73 | $25.32 | - |
| Step 10 | $54,242 | $2,086.23 | $25.99 | - |
2021 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2021, 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 | $41,723 | $1,604.73 | $19.99 | - |
| Step 2 | $43,114 | $1,658.23 | $20.66 | - |
| Step 3 | $44,505 | $1,711.73 | $21.32 | - |
| Step 4 | $45,896 | $1,765.23 | $21.99 | - |
| Step 5 | $47,287 | $1,818.73 | $22.66 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,678 | $1,872.23 | $23.32 | - |
| Step 7 | $50,069 | $1,925.73 | $23.99 | - |
| Step 8 | $51,460 | $1,979.23 | $24.66 | - |
| Step 9 | $52,851 | $2,032.73 | $25.32 | - |
| Step 10 | $54,242 | $2,086.23 | $25.99 | - |
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 2021, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 41.44% | $59,013 | $76,720 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $55,900 | $72,673 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $55,625 | $72,315 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $55,245 | $71,822 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $54,440 | $70,775 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $54,144 | $70,390 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $54,102 | $70,336 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $54,027 | $70,238 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $53,869 | $70,032 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $53,652 | $69,750 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $53,122 | $69,061 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $53,042 | $68,958 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $52,997 | $68,898 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $52,725 | $68,546 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $52,588 | $68,367 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $52,145 | $67,792 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $52,012 | $67,618 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $51,628 | $67,119 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $51,532 | $66,994 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $50,969 | $66,262 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $50,468 | $65,611 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $50,410 | $65,535 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $50,297 | $65,389 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $50,272 | $65,356 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $50,151 | $65,199 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $50,118 | $65,155 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $50,076 | $65,101 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $50,047 | $65,063 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $50,005 | $65,009 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $49,884 | $64,852 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $49,817 | $64,765 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $49,725 | $64,646 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $49,600 | $64,483 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $49,304 | $64,098 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $49,183 | $63,940 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $49,141 | $63,886 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $49,100 | $63,832 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $49,087 | $63,816 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $48,999 | $63,702 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $48,899 | $63,572 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $48,895 | $63,566 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $48,870 | $63,534 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $48,833 | $63,485 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $48,783 | $63,420 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $48,770 | $63,403 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $48,720 | $63,338 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $48,703 | $63,317 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $48,682 | $63,290 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $48,632 | $63,224 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $48,611 | $63,197 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $48,536 | $63,100 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $48,507 | $63,062 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $48,378 | $62,894 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $48,378 | $62,894 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2021
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2021 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 2021
GS-8 questions for 2021
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2021 is $41,723 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2021 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 41.44%), 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.