2025 GS-8 Pay in Rest of U.S.
GS-8 employees with a duty station in Rest of U.S. earn 17.06% 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 $55,328 in Rest of U.S..
2025 GS-8 Pay in Rest of U.S.
Locality-adjusted GS-8 rates for Rest of U.S..
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $55,328 | $2,128.00 | $26.51 | +$8,063 |
| Step 2 | $57,173 | $2,198.96 | $27.39 | +$8,332 |
| Step 3 | $59,018 | $2,269.92 | $28.28 | +$8,601 |
| Step 4 | $60,863 | $2,340.88 | $29.16 | +$8,870 |
| Step 5 | $62,708 | $2,411.85 | $30.05 | +$9,139 |
| Step 6 | $64,553 | $2,482.81 | $30.93 | +$9,408 |
| Step 7 | $66,398 | $2,553.77 | $31.82 | +$9,677 |
| Step 8 | $68,242 | $2,624.69 | $32.70 | +$9,945 |
| Step 9 | $70,087 | $2,695.65 | $33.58 | +$10,214 |
| Step 10 | $71,932 | $2,766.62 | $34.47 | +$10,483 |
2025 GS-8 pay table for Rest of U.S.
Each step below already includes the 17.06% 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 | $55,328 | $2,128.00 | $26.51 | +$8,063 |
| Step 2 | $57,173 | $2,198.96 | $27.39 | +$8,332 |
| Step 3 | $59,018 | $2,269.92 | $28.28 | +$8,601 |
| Step 4 | $60,863 | $2,340.88 | $29.16 | +$8,870 |
| Step 5 | $62,708 | $2,411.85 | $30.05 | +$9,139 |
| Step 6 | $64,553 | $2,482.81 | $30.93 | +$9,408 |
| Step 7 | $66,398 | $2,553.77 | $31.82 | +$9,677 |
| Step 8 | $68,242 | $2,624.69 | $32.70 | +$9,945 |
| Step 9 | $70,087 | $2,695.65 | $33.58 | +$10,214 |
| Step 10 | $71,932 | $2,766.62 | $34.47 | +$10,483 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Rest of U.S. pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-8 in Rest of U.S.: 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 Rest of U.S. pay area adds a 17.06% 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 Rest of U.S.
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns roughly $2,128 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,767. 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 Rest of U.S. page.
Other grades in Rest of U.S.
GS-8 in Rest of U.S. questions
-
How much does a GS-8 make in Rest of U.S.?
In 2025, a GS-8 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns $55,328 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $71,932. This is 17.06% higher than the base GS-8 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-8 in Rest of U.S.?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Rest of U.S. in 2025, it is 17.06%. On a GS-8 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $8,063 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-8 in Rest of U.S.?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-8 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns roughly $2,128 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.