2024 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2024 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $49,573 at Step 1 to $63,514 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 2024 GL-8 pay scale.
Current year: 2026 GL-8.
$49,573 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$63,514 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2024 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2024. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $49,573 | $1,906.65 | $23.75 | - |
| Step 2 | $51,122 | $1,966.23 | $24.50 | - |
| Step 3 | $52,671 | $2,025.81 | $25.24 | - |
| Step 4 | $54,220 | $2,085.38 | $25.98 | - |
| Step 5 | $55,769 | $2,144.96 | $26.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $57,318 | $2,204.54 | $27.46 | - |
| Step 7 | $58,867 | $2,264.12 | $28.21 | - |
| Step 8 | $60,416 | $2,323.69 | $28.95 | - |
| Step 9 | $61,965 | $2,383.27 | $29.69 | - |
| Step 10 | $63,514 | $2,442.85 | $30.43 | - |
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 2024. 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 | 45.41% | $72,084 | $92,356 |
| New York-Newark | 37.24% | $68,034 | $87,167 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 35.84% | $67,340 | $86,277 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.72% | $66,785 | $85,566 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.26% | $66,061 | $84,639 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.05% | $65,957 | $84,505 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.97% | $65,421 | $83,819 |
| State of Alaska | 31.96% | $65,417 | $83,813 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 31.62% | $65,248 | $83,597 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 30.81% | $64,846 | $83,083 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.41% | $64,648 | $82,829 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.88% | $64,385 | $82,492 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.16% | $64,028 | $82,035 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.82% | $63,860 | $81,819 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.55% | $63,726 | $81,647 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.15% | $63,032 | $80,758 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.91% | $62,913 | $80,606 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 25.66% | $62,293 | $79,812 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.42% | $61,679 | $79,024 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.45% | $61,198 | $78,408 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.15% | $60,553 | $77,582 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.02% | $60,489 | $77,500 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.01% | $60,484 | $77,493 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.99% | $60,474 | $77,481 |
| Richmond | 21.91% | $60,434 | $77,430 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.90% | $60,429 | $77,424 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.80% | $60,380 | $77,360 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.79% | $60,375 | $77,354 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.69% | $60,325 | $77,290 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.48% | $60,221 | $77,157 |
| Laredo | 21.33% | $60,147 | $77,062 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.14% | $60,053 | $76,941 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.78% | $59,874 | $76,712 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.25% | $59,612 | $76,376 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.99% | $59,483 | $76,210 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.73% | $59,354 | $76,045 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.63% | $59,304 | $75,982 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.26% | $59,121 | $75,747 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.23% | $59,106 | $75,728 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.10% | $59,041 | $75,645 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.97% | $58,977 | $75,563 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.92% | $58,952 | $75,531 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.66% | $58,823 | $75,366 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.65% | $58,818 | $75,359 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.49% | $58,739 | $75,258 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.46% | $58,724 | $75,239 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.05% | $58,521 | $74,978 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.94% | $58,466 | $74,908 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.91% | $58,452 | $74,889 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.89% | $58,442 | $74,877 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.68% | $58,338 | $74,743 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.60% | $58,298 | $74,692 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.40% | $58,199 | $74,565 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.35% | $58,174 | $74,534 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.18% | $58,090 | $74,426 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.15% | $58,075 | $74,407 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.11% | $58,055 | $74,381 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.82% | $57,911 | $74,197 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $49,573 | $63,514 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2024
GL-3 $32,369
GL-4 $36,334
GL-5 $41,781
GL-6 $44,060
GL-7 $47,562
GL-8 $49,573
GL-9 $53,043
GL-10 $58,412
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2024?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2024 is $49,573 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.