2023 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2023 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $47,349 at Step 1 to $60,669 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 2023 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$47,349 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$60,669 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2023 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2023. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $47,349 | $1,821.12 | $22.69 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,829 | $1,878.04 | $23.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,309 | $1,934.96 | $24.11 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,789 | $1,991.88 | $24.82 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,269 | $2,048.81 | $25.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $54,749 | $2,105.73 | $26.23 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,229 | $2,162.65 | $26.94 | - |
| Step 8 | $57,709 | $2,219.58 | $27.65 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,189 | $2,276.50 | $28.36 | - |
| Step 10 | $60,669 | $2,333.42 | $29.07 | - |
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 2023. 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 | 44.15% | $68,254 | $87,454 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $64,470 | $82,607 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $63,869 | $81,836 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $63,670 | $81,582 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $62,733 | $80,380 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $62,505 | $80,089 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $62,179 | $79,671 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $62,051 | $79,507 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $61,985 | $79,422 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $61,454 | $78,742 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $61,350 | $78,609 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $61,104 | $78,293 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $60,782 | $77,881 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $60,749 | $77,838 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $60,531 | $77,559 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $59,844 | $76,680 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $59,835 | $76,667 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $59,177 | $75,824 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $58,779 | $75,314 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $58,249 | $74,635 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $57,643 | $73,858 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $57,619 | $73,828 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $57,501 | $73,676 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $57,472 | $73,640 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $57,467 | $73,634 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $57,458 | $73,622 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $57,458 | $73,622 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $57,420 | $73,573 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $57,373 | $73,513 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $57,273 | $73,385 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $57,122 | $73,191 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $57,098 | $73,161 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $56,994 | $73,027 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $56,558 | $72,469 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $56,535 | $72,439 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $56,397 | $72,263 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $56,393 | $72,257 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $56,232 | $72,051 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $56,170 | $71,972 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $56,151 | $71,947 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $56,061 | $71,832 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $56,019 | $71,777 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $55,971 | $71,717 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $55,957 | $71,699 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $55,872 | $71,589 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $55,843 | $71,553 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $55,697 | $71,365 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $55,668 | $71,329 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $55,645 | $71,298 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $55,592 | $71,231 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $55,540 | $71,165 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $55,460 | $71,062 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $55,446 | $71,043 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $55,162 | $70,679 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $47,349 | $60,669 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2023
GL-3 $30,918
GL-4 $34,705
GL-5 $39,910
GL-6 $42,080
GL-7 $45,426
GL-8 $47,349
GL-9 $50,662
GL-10 $55,790
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2023 is $47,349 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.