2021 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2021 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $44,505 at Step 1 to $57,024 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 2021 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$44,505 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$57,024 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2021 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2021. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,505 | $1,711.73 | $21.32 | - |
| Step 2 | $45,896 | $1,765.23 | $21.99 | - |
| Step 3 | $47,287 | $1,818.73 | $22.66 | - |
| Step 4 | $48,678 | $1,872.23 | $23.32 | - |
| Step 5 | $50,069 | $1,925.73 | $23.99 | - |
| Step 6 | $51,460 | $1,979.23 | $24.66 | - |
| Step 7 | $52,851 | $2,032.73 | $25.32 | - |
| Step 8 | $54,242 | $2,086.23 | $25.99 | - |
| Step 9 | $55,633 | $2,139.73 | $26.66 | - |
| Step 10 | $57,024 | $2,193.23 | $27.32 | - |
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 2021. 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% | $62,948 | $80,655 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $59,628 | $76,401 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $59,334 | $76,024 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $58,929 | $75,505 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $58,070 | $74,405 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $57,754 | $74,000 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $57,710 | $73,943 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $57,630 | $73,840 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $57,460 | $73,624 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $57,229 | $73,327 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $56,664 | $72,603 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $56,579 | $72,495 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $56,530 | $72,432 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $56,241 | $72,061 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $56,094 | $71,873 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $55,622 | $71,269 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $55,480 | $71,086 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $55,070 | $70,561 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $54,968 | $70,430 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $54,367 | $69,661 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $53,833 | $68,976 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $53,771 | $68,896 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $53,651 | $68,742 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $53,624 | $68,708 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $53,495 | $68,543 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $53,459 | $68,497 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $53,415 | $68,440 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $53,384 | $68,400 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $53,339 | $68,343 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $53,210 | $68,178 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $53,139 | $68,087 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $53,041 | $67,961 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $52,908 | $67,790 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $52,592 | $67,385 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $52,462 | $67,220 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $52,418 | $67,163 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $52,373 | $67,106 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $52,360 | $67,089 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $52,267 | $66,969 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $52,160 | $66,832 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $52,155 | $66,826 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $52,129 | $66,792 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $52,089 | $66,741 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $52,035 | $66,672 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $52,022 | $66,655 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $51,968 | $66,587 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $51,951 | $66,564 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $51,928 | $66,536 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $51,875 | $66,467 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $51,853 | $66,439 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $51,773 | $66,336 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $51,742 | $66,296 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $51,604 | $66,119 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $51,604 | $66,119 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $44,505 | $57,024 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2021
GL-3 $29,058
GL-4 $32,620
GL-5 $37,512
GL-6 $39,553
GL-7 $42,698
GL-8 $44,505
GL-9 $47,619
GL-10 $52,440
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2021 is $44,505 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.