2020 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2020 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $44,064 at Step 1 to $56,457 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 2020 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$44,064 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$56,457 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2020 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2020. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,064 | $1,694.77 | $21.11 | - |
| Step 2 | $45,441 | $1,747.73 | $21.77 | - |
| Step 3 | $46,818 | $1,800.69 | $22.43 | - |
| Step 4 | $48,195 | $1,853.65 | $23.09 | - |
| Step 5 | $49,572 | $1,906.62 | $23.75 | - |
| Step 6 | $50,949 | $1,959.58 | $24.41 | - |
| Step 7 | $52,326 | $2,012.54 | $25.07 | - |
| Step 8 | $53,703 | $2,065.50 | $25.73 | - |
| Step 9 | $55,080 | $2,118.46 | $26.39 | - |
| Step 10 | $56,457 | $2,171.42 | $27.05 | - |
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 2020. 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 | 41.44% | $62,324 | $79,853 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $59,037 | $75,641 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $58,746 | $75,268 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $58,345 | $74,755 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $57,495 | $73,665 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $57,182 | $73,264 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $57,138 | $73,208 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $57,058 | $73,106 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $56,891 | $72,892 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $56,662 | $72,598 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $56,102 | $71,881 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $56,019 | $71,774 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $55,970 | $71,712 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $55,684 | $71,345 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $55,538 | $71,158 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $55,071 | $70,560 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $54,930 | $70,379 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $54,525 | $69,860 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $54,423 | $69,730 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $53,829 | $68,968 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $53,300 | $68,290 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $53,238 | $68,211 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $53,119 | $68,059 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $53,093 | $68,025 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $52,965 | $67,861 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $52,930 | $67,816 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $52,886 | $67,760 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $52,855 | $67,720 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $52,811 | $67,664 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $52,683 | $67,500 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $52,612 | $67,410 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $52,515 | $67,285 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $52,383 | $67,116 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $52,070 | $66,715 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $51,943 | $66,552 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $51,899 | $66,495 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $51,855 | $66,439 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $51,841 | $66,422 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $51,749 | $66,303 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $51,643 | $66,168 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $51,639 | $66,162 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $51,612 | $66,128 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $51,573 | $66,077 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $51,520 | $66,010 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $51,506 | $65,993 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $51,454 | $65,925 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $51,436 | $65,902 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $51,414 | $65,874 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $51,361 | $65,806 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $51,339 | $65,778 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $51,260 | $65,676 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $51,229 | $65,637 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $51,092 | $65,462 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $44,064 | $56,457 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2020
GL-3 $28,770
GL-4 $32,297
GL-5 $37,141
GL-6 $39,162
GL-7 $42,273
GL-8 $44,064
GL-9 $47,148
GL-10 $51,921
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2020 is $44,064 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.