2019 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2019 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $42,947 at Step 1 to $55,025 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 2019 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$42,947 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$55,025 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2019 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2019. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $42,947 | $1,651.81 | $20.58 | - |
| Step 2 | $44,289 | $1,703.42 | $21.22 | - |
| Step 3 | $45,631 | $1,755.04 | $21.86 | - |
| Step 4 | $46,973 | $1,806.65 | $22.51 | - |
| Step 5 | $48,315 | $1,858.27 | $23.15 | - |
| Step 6 | $49,657 | $1,909.88 | $23.79 | - |
| Step 7 | $50,999 | $1,961.50 | $24.44 | - |
| Step 8 | $52,341 | $2,013.12 | $25.08 | - |
| Step 9 | $53,683 | $2,064.73 | $25.72 | - |
| Step 10 | $55,025 | $2,116.35 | $26.37 | - |
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 2019. 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 | 40.35% | $60,276 | $77,228 |
| New York-Newark | 33.06% | $57,145 | $73,216 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 32.54% | $56,922 | $72,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 31.47% | $56,462 | $72,341 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 29.32% | $55,539 | $71,158 |
| State of Alaska | 28.89% | $55,354 | $70,922 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.87% | $55,346 | $70,911 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 28.80% | $55,316 | $70,872 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 28.27% | $55,088 | $70,581 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.05% | $54,994 | $70,460 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.81% | $54,461 | $69,777 |
| Denver-Aurora | 26.30% | $54,242 | $69,497 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 26.04% | $54,130 | $69,354 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 25.59% | $53,937 | $69,106 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 25.30% | $53,813 | $68,946 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.21% | $53,344 | $68,347 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.00% | $53,254 | $68,231 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.13% | $52,881 | $67,752 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.12% | $52,876 | $67,747 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.64% | $52,241 | $66,932 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.58% | $51,785 | $66,349 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.45% | $51,730 | $66,278 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.21% | $51,627 | $66,146 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.99% | $51,532 | $66,024 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.67% | $51,395 | $65,848 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.60% | $51,365 | $65,810 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 19.47% | $51,309 | $65,738 |
| Richmond | 19.38% | $51,270 | $65,689 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.18% | $51,184 | $65,579 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.98% | $51,098 | $65,469 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.86% | $51,047 | $65,403 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.61% | $50,939 | $65,265 |
| Laredo | 18.22% | $50,772 | $65,051 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 17.46% | $50,446 | $64,632 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.19% | $50,330 | $64,484 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.19% | $50,330 | $64,484 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.05% | $50,269 | $64,407 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.04% | $50,265 | $64,401 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.79% | $50,158 | $64,264 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.68% | $50,111 | $64,203 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.65% | $50,098 | $64,187 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.60% | $50,076 | $64,159 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.57% | $50,063 | $64,143 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.49% | $50,029 | $64,099 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.33% | $49,960 | $64,011 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.20% | $49,904 | $63,939 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.18% | $49,896 | $63,928 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.07% | $49,849 | $63,868 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.01% | $49,823 | $63,835 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 15.91% | $49,780 | $63,779 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 15.87% | $49,763 | $63,757 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 15.77% | $49,720 | $63,702 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.67% | $49,677 | $63,647 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2019
GL-3 $28,042
GL-4 $31,477
GL-5 $36,196
GL-6 $38,171
GL-7 $41,204
GL-8 $42,947
GL-9 $45,953
GL-10 $50,605
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2019?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2019 is $42,947 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.