2024 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2024 is $46,475 at Step 1, rising to $60,416 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 2024.
2024 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2024.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $46,475 | $1,787.50 | $22.27 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,024 | $1,847.08 | $23.01 | - |
| Step 3 | $49,573 | $1,906.65 | $23.75 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,122 | $1,966.23 | $24.50 | - |
| Step 5 | $52,671 | $2,025.81 | $25.24 | - |
| Step 6 | $54,220 | $2,085.38 | $25.98 | - |
| Step 7 | $55,769 | $2,144.96 | $26.72 | - |
| Step 8 | $57,318 | $2,204.54 | $27.46 | - |
| Step 9 | $58,867 | $2,264.12 | $28.21 | - |
| Step 10 | $60,416 | $2,323.69 | $28.95 | - |
2024 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2024, 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 | $46,475 | $1,787.50 | $22.27 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,024 | $1,847.08 | $23.01 | - |
| Step 3 | $49,573 | $1,906.65 | $23.75 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,122 | $1,966.23 | $24.50 | - |
| Step 5 | $52,671 | $2,025.81 | $25.24 | - |
| Step 6 | $54,220 | $2,085.38 | $25.98 | - |
| Step 7 | $55,769 | $2,144.96 | $26.72 | - |
| Step 8 | $57,318 | $2,204.54 | $27.46 | - |
| Step 9 | $58,867 | $2,264.12 | $28.21 | - |
| Step 10 | $60,416 | $2,323.69 | $28.95 | - |
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 2024, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 45.41% | $67,579 | $87,851 |
| New York-Newark | 37.24% | $63,782 | $82,915 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 35.84% | $63,132 | $82,069 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.72% | $62,611 | $81,392 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.26% | $61,933 | $80,510 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.05% | $61,835 | $80,383 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.97% | $61,333 | $79,731 |
| State of Alaska | 31.96% | $61,328 | $79,725 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 31.62% | $61,170 | $79,520 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 30.81% | $60,794 | $79,030 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.41% | $60,608 | $78,789 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.88% | $60,362 | $78,468 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.16% | $60,027 | $78,033 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.82% | $59,869 | $77,828 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.55% | $59,744 | $77,665 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.15% | $59,093 | $76,819 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.91% | $58,981 | $76,674 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 25.66% | $58,400 | $75,919 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.42% | $57,824 | $75,170 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.45% | $57,373 | $74,584 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.15% | $56,769 | $73,798 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.02% | $56,709 | $73,720 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.01% | $56,704 | $73,714 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.99% | $56,695 | $73,701 |
| Richmond | 21.91% | $56,658 | $73,653 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.90% | $56,653 | $73,647 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.80% | $56,607 | $73,587 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.79% | $56,602 | $73,581 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.69% | $56,555 | $73,520 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.48% | $56,458 | $73,393 |
| Laredo | 21.33% | $56,388 | $73,303 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.14% | $56,300 | $73,188 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.78% | $56,133 | $72,970 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.25% | $55,886 | $72,650 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.99% | $55,765 | $72,493 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.73% | $55,645 | $72,336 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.63% | $55,598 | $72,276 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.26% | $55,426 | $72,052 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.23% | $55,412 | $72,034 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.10% | $55,352 | $71,955 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.97% | $55,291 | $71,877 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.92% | $55,268 | $71,847 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.66% | $55,147 | $71,690 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.65% | $55,143 | $71,684 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.49% | $55,068 | $71,587 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.46% | $55,054 | $71,569 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.05% | $54,864 | $71,321 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.94% | $54,813 | $71,255 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.91% | $54,799 | $71,237 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.89% | $54,789 | $71,224 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.68% | $54,692 | $71,098 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.60% | $54,655 | $71,049 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.40% | $54,562 | $70,928 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.35% | $54,538 | $70,898 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.18% | $54,459 | $70,795 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.15% | $54,445 | $70,777 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.11% | $54,427 | $70,753 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.82% | $54,292 | $70,578 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2024
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2024 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 2024
GS-8 questions for 2024
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2024?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2024 is $46,475 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2024 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 45.41%), 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.