2023 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2023 is $44,389 at Step 1, rising to $57,709 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 2023.
2023 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2023.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,389 | $1,707.27 | $21.27 | - |
| Step 2 | $45,869 | $1,764.19 | $21.98 | - |
| Step 3 | $47,349 | $1,821.12 | $22.69 | - |
| Step 4 | $48,829 | $1,878.04 | $23.40 | - |
| Step 5 | $50,309 | $1,934.96 | $24.11 | - |
| Step 6 | $51,789 | $1,991.88 | $24.82 | - |
| Step 7 | $53,269 | $2,048.81 | $25.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $54,749 | $2,105.73 | $26.23 | - |
| Step 9 | $56,229 | $2,162.65 | $26.94 | - |
| Step 10 | $57,709 | $2,219.58 | $27.65 | - |
2023 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2023, 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 | $44,389 | $1,707.27 | $21.27 | - |
| Step 2 | $45,869 | $1,764.19 | $21.98 | - |
| Step 3 | $47,349 | $1,821.12 | $22.69 | - |
| Step 4 | $48,829 | $1,878.04 | $23.40 | - |
| Step 5 | $50,309 | $1,934.96 | $24.11 | - |
| Step 6 | $51,789 | $1,991.88 | $24.82 | - |
| Step 7 | $53,269 | $2,048.81 | $25.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $54,749 | $2,105.73 | $26.23 | - |
| Step 9 | $56,229 | $2,162.65 | $26.94 | - |
| Step 10 | $57,709 | $2,219.58 | $27.65 | - |
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 2023, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 44.15% | $63,987 | $83,188 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $60,440 | $78,577 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $59,876 | $77,844 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $59,690 | $77,601 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $58,811 | $76,459 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $58,598 | $76,182 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $58,292 | $75,783 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $58,172 | $75,628 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $58,110 | $75,547 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $57,612 | $74,901 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $57,515 | $74,774 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $57,284 | $74,473 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $56,982 | $74,081 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $56,951 | $74,041 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $56,747 | $73,775 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $56,103 | $72,938 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $56,094 | $72,927 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $55,477 | $72,125 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $55,105 | $71,640 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $54,607 | $70,994 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $54,039 | $70,255 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $54,017 | $70,226 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $53,906 | $70,082 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $53,879 | $70,047 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $53,875 | $70,041 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $53,866 | $70,030 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $53,866 | $70,030 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $53,831 | $69,984 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $53,786 | $69,926 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $53,693 | $69,805 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $53,551 | $69,620 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $53,529 | $69,591 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $53,431 | $69,464 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $53,023 | $68,933 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $53,000 | $68,905 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $52,872 | $68,737 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $52,867 | $68,731 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $52,716 | $68,535 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $52,659 | $68,460 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $52,641 | $68,437 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $52,557 | $68,327 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $52,517 | $68,276 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $52,472 | $68,218 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $52,459 | $68,200 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $52,379 | $68,097 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $52,352 | $68,062 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $52,215 | $67,883 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $52,188 | $67,848 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $52,166 | $67,820 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $52,117 | $67,756 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $52,068 | $67,693 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $51,993 | $67,595 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $51,980 | $67,577 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $51,713 | $67,231 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2023
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2023 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 2023
GS-8 questions for 2023
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2023 is $44,389 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2023 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 44.15%), 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.