2022 GS-8 Pay in Chicago
GS-8 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 29.18% on top of the base GS-8 pay scale. That means a GS-8 Step 1 salary jumps from $42,641 on the base table to $55,084 in Chicago.
2022 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 | $55,084 | $2,118.62 | $26.39 | +$12,443 |
| Step 2 | $56,919 | $2,189.19 | $27.27 | +$12,857 |
| Step 3 | $58,755 | $2,259.81 | $28.15 | +$13,272 |
| Step 4 | $60,591 | $2,330.42 | $29.03 | +$13,687 |
| Step 5 | $62,426 | $2,401.00 | $29.91 | +$14,101 |
| Step 6 | $64,262 | $2,471.62 | $30.79 | +$14,516 |
| Step 7 | $66,098 | $2,542.23 | $31.67 | +$14,931 |
| Step 8 | $67,933 | $2,612.81 | $32.55 | +$15,345 |
| Step 9 | $69,769 | $2,683.42 | $33.43 | +$15,760 |
| Step 10 | $71,604 | $2,754.00 | $34.31 | +$16,174 |
2022 GS-8 pay table for Chicago
Each step below already includes the 29.18% 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 | $55,084 | $2,118.62 | $26.39 | +$12,443 |
| Step 2 | $56,919 | $2,189.19 | $27.27 | +$12,857 |
| Step 3 | $58,755 | $2,259.81 | $28.15 | +$13,272 |
| Step 4 | $60,591 | $2,330.42 | $29.03 | +$13,687 |
| Step 5 | $62,426 | $2,401.00 | $29.91 | +$14,101 |
| Step 6 | $64,262 | $2,471.62 | $30.79 | +$14,516 |
| Step 7 | $66,098 | $2,542.23 | $31.67 | +$14,931 |
| Step 8 | $67,933 | $2,612.81 | $32.55 | +$15,345 |
| Step 9 | $69,769 | $2,683.42 | $33.43 | +$15,760 |
| Step 10 | $71,604 | $2,754.00 | $34.31 | +$16,174 |
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 2022, the Chicago pay area adds a 29.18% 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 $2,119 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,754. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2022 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-8 Chicago page.
Other grades in Chicago
GS-8 in Chicago questions
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How much does a GS-8 make in Chicago?
In 2022, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns $55,084 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $71,604. This is 29.18% 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 2022, it is 29.18%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $12,443 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 $2,119 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.