2022 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2022 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $45,483 at Step 1 to $58,272 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 2022 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$45,483 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$58,272 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2022 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2022. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $45,483 | $1,749.35 | $21.79 | - |
| Step 2 | $46,904 | $1,804.00 | $22.47 | - |
| Step 3 | $48,325 | $1,858.65 | $23.16 | - |
| Step 4 | $49,746 | $1,913.31 | $23.84 | - |
| Step 5 | $51,167 | $1,967.96 | $24.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $52,588 | $2,022.62 | $25.20 | - |
| Step 7 | $54,009 | $2,077.27 | $25.88 | - |
| Step 8 | $55,430 | $2,131.92 | $26.56 | - |
| Step 9 | $56,851 | $2,186.58 | $27.24 | - |
| Step 10 | $58,272 | $2,241.23 | $27.92 | - |
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 2022. 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 | 42.74% | $64,922 | $83,177 |
| New York-Newark | 35.06% | $61,429 | $78,702 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.96% | $60,929 | $78,061 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 33.61% | $60,770 | $77,857 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 31.53% | $59,824 | $76,645 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 30.87% | $59,524 | $76,261 |
| State of Alaska | 30.42% | $59,319 | $75,998 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.20% | $59,219 | $75,870 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 30.09% | $59,169 | $75,806 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.18% | $58,755 | $75,276 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 28.28% | $58,346 | $74,751 |
| Denver-Aurora | 28.10% | $58,264 | $74,646 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.86% | $58,155 | $74,507 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 27.30% | $57,900 | $74,180 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.95% | $57,741 | $73,976 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 25.68% | $57,163 | $73,236 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 25.49% | $57,077 | $73,126 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.34% | $56,554 | $72,455 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.80% | $56,308 | $72,141 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.63% | $55,776 | $71,459 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.32% | $55,180 | $70,696 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.25% | $55,148 | $70,655 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.94% | $55,007 | $70,474 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.94% | $55,007 | $70,474 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.84% | $54,962 | $70,416 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.78% | $54,934 | $70,381 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.69% | $54,893 | $70,328 |
| Richmond | 20.64% | $54,871 | $70,299 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.45% | $54,784 | $70,189 |
| State of Hawaii | 20.40% | $54,762 | $70,159 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.93% | $54,548 | $69,886 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.90% | $54,534 | $69,868 |
| Laredo | 19.85% | $54,511 | $69,839 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.80% | $54,034 | $69,227 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 18.68% | $53,979 | $69,157 |
| Colorado Springs | 18.42% | $53,861 | $69,006 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 18.35% | $53,829 | $68,965 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.25% | $53,784 | $68,907 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.06% | $53,697 | $68,796 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.90% | $53,624 | $68,703 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.77% | $53,565 | $68,627 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.67% | $53,520 | $68,569 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 17.62% | $53,497 | $68,540 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.58% | $53,479 | $68,516 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 17.39% | $53,392 | $68,406 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.26% | $53,333 | $68,330 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.18% | $53,297 | $68,283 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.14% | $53,279 | $68,260 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.01% | $53,220 | $68,184 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.93% | $53,183 | $68,137 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.82% | $53,133 | $68,073 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.81% | $53,129 | $68,068 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 16.52% | $52,997 | $67,899 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.20% | $52,851 | $67,712 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $45,483 | $58,272 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2022
GL-3 $29,699
GL-4 $33,338
GL-5 $38,335
GL-6 $40,424
GL-7 $43,635
GL-8 $45,483
GL-9 $48,667
GL-10 $53,593
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2022?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2022 is $45,483 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.