GS-8 Pay Scale (2026)
This page shows 2026 General Schedule pay for GS-8. It lists the salary for GS-8 at each step and shows how the total changes across locality pay areas.
| Step | Base | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore | New York-Newark | San Jose-San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $47,738 | $55,882 | $63,940 | $65,855 | $69,860 |
| Step 2 | $49,329 | $57,745 | $66,071 | $68,049 | $72,188 |
| Step 3 | $50,920 | $59,607 | $68,202 | $70,244 | $74,516 |
| Step 4 | $52,511 | $61,469 | $70,333 | $72,439 | $76,845 |
| Step 5 | $54,102 | $63,332 | $72,464 | $74,634 | $79,173 |
| Step 6 | $55,693 | $65,194 | $74,595 | $76,828 | $81,501 |
| Step 7 | $57,284 | $67,057 | $76,726 | $79,023 | $83,829 |
| Step 8 | $58,875 | $68,919 | $78,857 | $81,218 | $86,158 |
| Step 9 | $60,466 | $70,781 | $80,988 | $83,413 | $88,486 |
| Step 10 | $62,057 | $72,644 | $83,119 | $85,608 | $90,814 |
GS-8 in every locality pay area
- Washington-Baltimore
- San Jose-San Francisco
- New York-Newark
- Los Angeles-Long Beach
- Houston-The Woodlands
- San Diego-Chula Vista
- Boston-Worcester
- State of Alaska
- Hartford-East Hartford
- Seattle-Tacoma
- Chicago-Naperville
- Denver-Aurora
- Sacramento-Roseville
- Detroit-Warren
- Philadelphia-Reading
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Portland-Vancouver
- Miami-Port St. Lucie
- Atlanta-
- Phoenix-Mesa
- Milwaukee-Racine
- Buffalo-Cheektowaga
- Richmond
- Raleigh-Durham
- Cleveland-Akron
- State of Hawaii
- Columbus-Marion
- Cincinnati-Wilmington
- Huntsville-Decatur
- Laredo
- Dayton-Springfield
- Pittsburgh-New Castle
- Albany-Schenectady
- Austin-Round Rock
- Colorado Springs
- St. Louis-St. Charles
- Charlotte-Concord
- Las Vegas-Henderson
- Burlington-South Burlington
- Harrisburg-Lebanon
- Tucson-Nogales
- Kansas City-Overland Park
- Davenport-Moline
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk
- San Antonio-New Braunfels
- Albuquerque-Santa Fe
- Birmingham-Hoover
- Omaha-Council Bluffs
- Indianapolis-Carmel
- Des Moines-Ames
- Palm Bay-Melbourne
- Rochester-Batavia
- Spokane-Spokane Valley
- Fresno-Madera
- Corpus Christi-Kingsville
- Reno-Fernley
- Rest of U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How many steps does GS-8 have?
GS-8 has ten within-grade steps, each a fixed increment above the previous one, shown here for 2026.
How does locality pay affect GS-8?
The base GS-8 rate is increased by the locality percentage for each pay area, so GS-8 pay is higher in higher-locality areas for 2026.
What determines a GS-8 employee's step?
Step placement generally depends on time in grade and performance, and each step raises GS-8 pay by a set amount.
Is GS-8 pay shown before or after tax?
All GS-8 figures are gross 2026 amounts, before tax, withholding, or deductions.
Source: OPM Salary Table 2026-GS · effective January 11, 2026. Rates current as of July 20, 2026. Reference figures for general information — official pay is set by your agency, DFAS or OPM. See methodology.