2026 GS-8 Pay Scale
The GS-8 base salary range for 2026 is $47,738 at Step 1, rising to $62,057 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 2026.
2026 GS-8 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-8 rates for 2026.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $47,738 | $1,836.08 | $22.87 | - |
| Step 2 | $49,329 | $1,897.27 | $23.64 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,920 | $1,958.46 | $24.40 | - |
| Step 4 | $52,511 | $2,019.65 | $25.16 | - |
| Step 5 | $54,102 | $2,080.85 | $25.92 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,693 | $2,142.04 | $26.69 | - |
| Step 7 | $57,284 | $2,203.23 | $27.45 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,875 | $2,264.42 | $28.21 | - |
| Step 9 | $60,466 | $2,325.62 | $28.97 | - |
| Step 10 | $62,057 | $2,386.81 | $29.74 | - |
2026 GS-8 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-8 salary schedule for 2026, 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 | $47,738 | $1,836.08 | $22.87 | - |
| Step 2 | $49,329 | $1,897.27 | $23.64 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,920 | $1,958.46 | $24.40 | - |
| Step 4 | $52,511 | $2,019.65 | $25.16 | - |
| Step 5 | $54,102 | $2,080.85 | $25.92 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,693 | $2,142.04 | $26.69 | - |
| Step 7 | $57,284 | $2,203.23 | $27.45 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,875 | $2,264.42 | $28.21 | - |
| Step 9 | $60,466 | $2,325.62 | $28.97 | - |
| Step 10 | $62,057 | $2,386.81 | $29.74 | - |
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 2026, 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% | $69,860 | $90,814 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $65,855 | $85,608 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $65,148 | $84,689 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $64,446 | $83,777 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $63,940 | $83,119 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $63,835 | $82,983 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $63,291 | $82,275 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $63,186 | $82,139 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $63,052 | $81,965 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $62,809 | $81,648 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $62,470 | $81,208 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $62,308 | $80,997 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $61,945 | $80,525 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $61,639 | $80,128 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $61,577 | $80,047 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $60,923 | $79,197 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $60,751 | $78,974 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $60,212 | $78,272 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $59,515 | $77,366 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $59,095 | $76,820 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $58,455 | $75,989 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $58,441 | $75,970 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $58,436 | $75,964 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $58,374 | $75,883 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $58,355 | $75,858 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $58,350 | $75,852 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $58,341 | $75,840 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $58,312 | $75,803 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $58,207 | $75,666 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $58,197 | $75,654 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $58,045 | $75,455 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $57,963 | $75,350 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $57,777 | $75,108 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $57,653 | $74,946 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $57,453 | $74,686 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $57,357 | $74,561 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $57,300 | $74,487 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $57,128 | $74,264 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $57,080 | $74,202 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $57,023 | $74,127 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $57,013 | $74,115 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $56,942 | $74,022 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $56,794 | $73,829 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $56,775 | $73,804 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $56,713 | $73,724 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $56,703 | $73,711 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $56,488 | $73,432 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $56,445 | $73,376 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $56,441 | $73,370 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $56,402 | $73,320 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $56,336 | $73,233 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $56,297 | $73,184 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $56,274 | $73,153 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $56,173 | $73,022 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $56,164 | $73,010 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $56,154 | $72,998 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $56,102 | $72,929 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $55,882 | $72,644 |
Top and bottom GS-8 localities in 2026
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-8 pay scale
GS-8 is part of the 2026 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 2026
GS-8 questions for 2026
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What is the starting salary for GS-8 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GS-8 in 2026 is $47,738 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2026 (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.