2025 GS-8 Pay in Chicago
GS-8 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 30.86% on top of the base GS-8 pay scale. That means a GS-8 Step 1 salary jumps from $47,265 on the base table to $61,851 in Chicago.
2025 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 | $61,851 | $2,378.88 | $29.64 | +$14,586 |
| Step 2 | $63,913 | $2,458.19 | $30.62 | +$15,072 |
| Step 3 | $65,976 | $2,537.54 | $31.61 | +$15,559 |
| Step 4 | $68,038 | $2,616.85 | $32.60 | +$16,045 |
| Step 5 | $70,100 | $2,696.15 | $33.59 | +$16,531 |
| Step 6 | $72,163 | $2,775.50 | $34.58 | +$17,018 |
| Step 7 | $74,225 | $2,854.81 | $35.57 | +$17,504 |
| Step 8 | $76,287 | $2,934.12 | $36.55 | +$17,990 |
| Step 9 | $78,350 | $3,013.46 | $37.54 | +$18,477 |
| Step 10 | $80,412 | $3,092.77 | $38.53 | +$18,963 |
2025 GS-8 pay table for Chicago
Each step below already includes the 30.86% 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 | $61,851 | $2,378.88 | $29.64 | +$14,586 |
| Step 2 | $63,913 | $2,458.19 | $30.62 | +$15,072 |
| Step 3 | $65,976 | $2,537.54 | $31.61 | +$15,559 |
| Step 4 | $68,038 | $2,616.85 | $32.60 | +$16,045 |
| Step 5 | $70,100 | $2,696.15 | $33.59 | +$16,531 |
| Step 6 | $72,163 | $2,775.50 | $34.58 | +$17,018 |
| Step 7 | $74,225 | $2,854.81 | $35.57 | +$17,504 |
| Step 8 | $76,287 | $2,934.12 | $36.55 | +$17,990 |
| Step 9 | $78,350 | $3,013.46 | $37.54 | +$18,477 |
| Step 10 | $80,412 | $3,092.77 | $38.53 | +$18,963 |
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 2025, the Chicago pay area adds a 30.86% 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 $2,379 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,093. 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 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 2025, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns $61,851 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $80,412. This is 30.86% 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 2025, it is 30.86%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $14,586 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 $2,379 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.