An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$56,883 GS-8 Step 1 in Austin (2025)
$73,954 GS-8 Step 10 in Austin (2025)
+$9,618 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2025 GS-8 pay table for Austin

Each step below already includes the 20.35% 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 $56,883 $2,187.81 $27.26 +$9,618
Step 2 $58,780 $2,260.77 $28.16 +$9,939
Step 3 $60,677 $2,333.73 $29.07 +$10,260
Step 4 $62,574 $2,406.69 $29.98 +$10,581
Step 5 $64,470 $2,479.62 $30.89 +$10,901
Step 6 $66,367 $2,552.58 $31.80 +$11,222
Step 7 $68,264 $2,625.54 $32.71 +$11,543
Step 8 $70,160 $2,698.46 $33.62 +$11,863
Step 9 $72,057 $2,771.42 $34.53 +$12,184
Step 10 $73,954 $2,844.38 $35.44 +$12,505

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more Austin pays

  • Base GS-8 Step 1 $47,265
  • Austin GS-8 Step 1 $56,883
  • Locality add-on +$9,618
  • Adjustment percent 20.35%
  • Base GS-8 Step 10 $61,449
  • Austin GS-8 Step 10 $73,954

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-8 in Austin: 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 2025, the Austin pay area adds a 20.35% 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 Austin

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Austin earns roughly $2,188 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,844. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2025 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-8 Austin page.

Other grades in Austin

GS-8 in Austin questions

  • How much does a GS-8 make in Austin?
    In 2025, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Austin earns $56,883 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $73,954. This is 20.35% higher than the base GS-8 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 in Austin?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Austin in 2025, it is 20.35%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,618 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in Austin?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in Austin earns roughly $2,188 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.