2021 GS-8 Pay in CHICAGO
GS-8 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 28.59% on top of the base GS-8 pay scale. That means a GS-8 Step 1 salary jumps from $41,723 on the base table to $53,652 in CHICAGO.
2021 GS-8 Pay in CHICAGO
Locality-adjusted GS-8 rates for Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $53,652 | $2,063.54 | $25.71 | +$11,929 |
| Step 2 | $55,440 | $2,132.31 | $26.56 | +$12,326 |
| Step 3 | $57,229 | $2,201.12 | $27.42 | +$12,724 |
| Step 4 | $59,018 | $2,269.92 | $28.28 | +$13,122 |
| Step 5 | $60,806 | $2,338.69 | $29.14 | +$13,519 |
| Step 6 | $62,595 | $2,407.50 | $29.99 | +$13,917 |
| Step 7 | $64,384 | $2,476.31 | $30.85 | +$14,315 |
| Step 8 | $66,172 | $2,545.08 | $31.71 | +$14,712 |
| Step 9 | $67,961 | $2,613.88 | $32.56 | +$15,110 |
| Step 10 | $69,750 | $2,682.69 | $33.42 | +$15,508 |
2021 GS-8 pay table for CHICAGO
Each step below already includes the 28.59% 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 | $53,652 | $2,063.54 | $25.71 | +$11,929 |
| Step 2 | $55,440 | $2,132.31 | $26.56 | +$12,326 |
| Step 3 | $57,229 | $2,201.12 | $27.42 | +$12,724 |
| Step 4 | $59,018 | $2,269.92 | $28.28 | +$13,122 |
| Step 5 | $60,806 | $2,338.69 | $29.14 | +$13,519 |
| Step 6 | $62,595 | $2,407.50 | $29.99 | +$13,917 |
| Step 7 | $64,384 | $2,476.31 | $30.85 | +$14,315 |
| Step 8 | $66,172 | $2,545.08 | $31.71 | +$14,712 |
| Step 9 | $67,961 | $2,613.88 | $32.56 | +$15,110 |
| Step 10 | $69,750 | $2,682.69 | $33.42 | +$15,508 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more CHICAGO pays
Step-increase waiting periods
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 2021, the CHICAGO pay area adds a 28.59% 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 $2,064 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,683. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2021 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 2021, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns $53,652 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $69,750. This is 28.59% 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 2021, it is 28.59%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,929 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 $2,064 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.