2026 GL-8 Pay Scale
The 2026 base salary range for GL-8 runs from $50,920 at Step 1 to $65,239 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.
$50,920 GL-8 Step 1 base salary
$65,239 GL-8 Step 10 base salary
Second Lieutenant Approximate military comparison
2026 GL-8 step table
This is the nationwide base GL-8 table for 2026. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay, and hourly rate for each step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $50,920 | $1,958.46 | $24.40 | - |
| Step 2 | $52,511 | $2,019.65 | $25.16 | - |
| Step 3 | $54,102 | $2,080.85 | $25.92 | - |
| Step 4 | $55,693 | $2,142.04 | $26.69 | - |
| Step 5 | $57,284 | $2,203.23 | $27.45 | - |
| Step 6 | $58,875 | $2,264.42 | $28.21 | - |
| Step 7 | $60,466 | $2,325.62 | $28.97 | - |
| Step 8 | $62,057 | $2,386.81 | $29.74 | - |
| Step 9 | $63,648 | $2,448.00 | $30.50 | - |
| Step 10 | $65,239 | $2,509.19 | $31.26 | - |
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 2026. 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 | 46.34% | $74,516 | $95,471 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $70,244 | $89,997 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $69,491 | $89,032 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $68,742 | $88,073 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $68,202 | $87,381 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $68,090 | $87,238 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $67,510 | $86,494 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $67,398 | $86,350 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $67,255 | $86,168 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $66,995 | $85,835 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $66,634 | $85,372 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $66,461 | $85,150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $66,074 | $84,654 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $65,748 | $84,237 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $65,682 | $84,152 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $64,984 | $83,258 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $64,801 | $83,023 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $64,225 | $82,286 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $63,482 | $81,333 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $63,034 | $80,759 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $62,352 | $79,885 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $62,336 | $79,866 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $62,331 | $79,859 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $62,265 | $79,774 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $62,245 | $79,748 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $62,240 | $79,742 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $62,229 | $79,729 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $62,199 | $79,689 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $62,087 | $79,546 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $62,077 | $79,533 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $61,914 | $79,324 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $61,827 | $79,213 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $61,628 | $78,959 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $61,496 | $78,789 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $61,282 | $78,515 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $61,180 | $78,385 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $61,119 | $78,306 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $60,936 | $78,072 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $60,885 | $78,006 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $60,824 | $77,928 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $60,814 | $77,915 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $60,737 | $77,817 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $60,580 | $77,615 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $60,559 | $77,589 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $60,493 | $77,504 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $60,483 | $77,491 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $60,254 | $77,197 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $60,208 | $77,139 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $60,203 | $77,132 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $60,162 | $77,080 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $60,091 | $76,989 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $60,050 | $76,936 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $60,024 | $76,904 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $59,918 | $76,767 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $59,907 | $76,754 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $59,897 | $76,741 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $59,841 | $76,669 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $59,607 | $76,369 |
| For Areas Outside the United States | 0.00% | $50,920 | $65,239 |
Best and lowest locality outcomes for GL-8
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
Browse other GL grades in 2026
GL-3 $33,252
GL-4 $37,325
GL-5 $42,919
GL-6 $45,256
GL-7 $48,854
GL-8 $50,920
GL-9 $54,485
GL-10 $59,999
GL-8 questions
-
What is the starting salary for GL-8 in 2026?
The base starting salary for GL-8 in 2026 is $50,920 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.