2025 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2025 is $47,265 at Step 1, rising to $61,449 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 2025.
2025 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2025.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $47,265 | $1,817.88 | $22.65 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,841 | $1,878.50 | $23.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,417 | $1,939.12 | $24.16 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,993 | $1,999.73 | $24.91 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,569 | $2,060.35 | $25.67 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,145 | $2,120.96 | $26.42 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,721 | $2,181.58 | $27.18 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,297 | $2,242.19 | $27.93 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,873 | $2,302.81 | $28.69 | - |
| Step 10 | $61,449 | $2,363.42 | $29.44 | - |
2025 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2025, 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 | $47,265 | $1,817.88 | $22.65 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,841 | $1,878.50 | $23.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,417 | $1,939.12 | $24.16 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,993 | $1,999.73 | $24.91 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,569 | $2,060.35 | $25.67 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,145 | $2,120.96 | $26.42 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,721 | $2,181.58 | $27.18 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,297 | $2,242.19 | $27.93 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,873 | $2,302.81 | $28.69 | - |
| Step 10 | $61,449 | $2,363.42 | $29.44 | - |
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 2025, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-8 Step 1 | GS-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $69,168 | $89,924 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $65,202 | $84,769 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $64,503 | $83,859 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $63,808 | $82,956 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $63,307 | $82,305 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $63,203 | $82,170 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $62,664 | $81,469 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $62,560 | $81,334 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $62,428 | $81,162 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $62,187 | $80,848 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $61,851 | $80,412 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $61,690 | $80,203 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $61,331 | $79,736 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $61,029 | $79,343 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $60,967 | $79,263 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $60,320 | $78,421 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $60,149 | $78,200 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $59,615 | $77,506 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $58,925 | $76,608 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $58,509 | $76,068 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $57,876 | $75,244 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $57,862 | $75,226 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $57,857 | $75,220 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $57,796 | $75,140 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $57,777 | $75,115 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $57,772 | $75,109 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $57,763 | $75,097 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $57,734 | $75,060 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $57,630 | $74,925 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $57,621 | $74,912 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $57,470 | $74,716 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $57,389 | $74,611 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $57,205 | $74,372 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $57,082 | $74,212 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $56,883 | $73,954 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $56,789 | $73,831 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $56,732 | $73,757 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $56,562 | $73,536 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $56,515 | $73,475 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $56,458 | $73,401 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $56,449 | $73,389 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $56,378 | $73,296 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $56,231 | $73,106 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $56,212 | $73,081 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $56,151 | $73,001 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $56,141 | $72,989 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $55,929 | $72,713 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $55,886 | $72,657 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $55,881 | $72,651 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $55,844 | $72,602 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $55,777 | $72,516 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $55,740 | $72,467 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $55,716 | $72,436 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $55,617 | $72,307 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $55,607 | $72,295 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $55,598 | $72,282 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $55,546 | $72,215 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $55,328 | $71,932 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2025
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2025 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 2025
GS-8 questions for 2025
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2025?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2025 is $47,265 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2025 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), 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.