2018 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2018 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $42,355 at Step 1 to $54,271 at Step 10. Use this page to see the full step table, salary range in the locality pay areas, and how GL-8 fits into a federal law enforcement career ladder.
Archive year. This is the 2018 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$42,355 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$54,271 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2018 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2018. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,355 | $1,629.04 | $20.29 | - |
| Step 2 | $43,679 | $1,679.96 | $20.93 | - |
| Step 3 | $45,003 | $1,730.88 | $21.56 | - |
| Step 4 | $46,327 | $1,781.81 | $22.20 | - |
| Step 5 | $47,651 | $1,832.73 | $22.83 | - |
| Step 6 | $48,975 | $1,883.65 | $23.47 | - |
| Step 7 | $50,299 | $1,934.58 | $24.10 | - |
| Step 8 | $51,623 | $1,985.50 | $24.74 | - |
| Step 9 | $52,947 | $2,036.42 | $25.37 | - |
| Step 10 | $54,271 | $2,087.35 | $26.00 | - |
What kind of role is GL-8?
Typical role. Senior journeyman law enforcement positions and lead officers with more complex assignments.
Typical qualification path. One year of specialized experience at the GL-7 level.
Career progression. GL-8 often serves as a stepping point to supervisory or senior investigator roles.
Step progression for GL-8
GL-8 salary in every locality pay area
The table below compares GL-8 Step 1 and Step 10 across all published locality pay areas for 2018. Use it to see how much location changes federal law enforcement salary.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GL-8 Step 1 | GL-8 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $58,992 | $75,589 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $55,964 | $71,708 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $55,798 | $71,497 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $55,303 | $70,862 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $54,308 | $69,586 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $54,303 | $69,581 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $54,223 | $69,478 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $54,164 | $69,402 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $53,994 | $69,185 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $53,990 | $69,179 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $53,473 | $68,517 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $53,143 | $68,094 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $52,990 | $67,898 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $52,884 | $67,763 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $52,770 | $67,616 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $52,266 | $66,970 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $52,253 | $66,954 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $51,944 | $66,558 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $51,898 | $66,498 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $51,317 | $65,755 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $50,885 | $65,201 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $50,860 | $65,169 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $50,771 | $65,055 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $50,623 | $64,865 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $50,479 | $64,680 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $50,441 | $64,631 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $50,390 | $64,566 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $50,314 | $64,469 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $50,186 | $64,306 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $50,161 | $64,273 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $50,127 | $64,230 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $50,025 | $64,099 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $49,725 | $63,714 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $49,433 | $63,340 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $49,382 | $63,275 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $49,344 | $63,226 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $49,339 | $63,220 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $49,331 | $63,209 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $49,229 | $63,079 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $49,221 | $63,068 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $49,204 | $63,047 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $49,195 | $63,036 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $49,174 | $63,009 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $49,166 | $62,998 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $49,102 | $62,916 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $49,030 | $62,824 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $48,865 | $62,612 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $42,355 | $54,271 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2018
GL-3 $27,653
GL-4 $31,043
GL-5 $35,700
GL-6 $37,639
GL-7 $40,634
GL-8 $42,355
GL-9 $45,319
GL-10 $49,907
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2018 is $42,355 at Step 1 before locality pay. In the highest-paying locality area, GL-8 starts higher once the duty-station adjustment is applied. -
How long does it take to move through GL-8 steps?
Within-grade step increases follow the same OPM timing used for other statutory pay systems: one year between Steps 1 to 4, two years between Steps 4 to 7, and three years between Steps 7 to 10, assuming acceptable performance. -
Does GL-8 include LEAP or overtime?
No. This table shows basic pay only. It does not include law enforcement availability pay, overtime, premium pay, retention incentives, or other agency-specific compensation.