(203) 

APPENDIX NO. 4 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES FOR 2008 

The information in the body of this report reflects grades or salaries in effect on the first pay 

period on or after January 1, 2008. 

EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE (EX) 

Level I ............................................................................................................................ $191,300 

Level II ........................................................................................................................... 172,200 

Level III ......................................................................................................................... 158,500 

Level IV .......................................................................................................................... 149,000 

Level V ........................................................................................................................... 139,600 

SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE SCHEDULE (ES) 

Pay ranges for the Senior Executive Service (SES) are established by law. The minimum is 120 

percent of the rate of basic pay for GS–15, step 1. For agencies without a certified SES performance 

appraisal system, SES members’ pay may not exceed the rate payable for level III of the Executive 

Schedule. For agencies with a certified SES performance appraisal system, SES members’ pay may 

not exceed the rate payable for level II of the Executive Schedule. SES members are not entitled 

to locality-based comparability payments. 

Structure of the SES Pay System Minimum Maximum 

Agencies with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System ...................................................................... $114,468 $172,200 

Agencies without a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System ................................................................. 114,468 158,500 

SENIOR LEVEL (SL) 

Pay for SL positions ranges from 120 percent of the rate of basic pay for GS–15, step 1 to 

the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule. In addition to the 2008 basic pay rates 

listed below, SL employees are entitled to locality-based comparability payments for their respective 

locality pay area. The employee’s locality rate of pay may not exceed the rate payable for level III 

of the Executive Schedule. 

Minimum ....................................................................................................................... $114,468 

Maximum ....................................................................................................................... 149,000 

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204 FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES

GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) 

Initial appointments to positions under the General Schedule are normally made at the minimum 

rate of the grade, although under certain circumstances, individuals with superior qualifications or 

fulfilling a special agency need may be paid at a rate above the minimum rate. 

Step increases are granted to GS employees at the end of 52 weeks of service in steps 1, 2, 

and 3 of each grade; at the end of 104 weeks of service in steps 4, 5, and 6; and at the end of 

156 weeks of service in steps 7, 8, and 9. An employee’s work must be determined to be of an 

acceptable level of competence before granting a step increase. In addition to the periodic step increase, 

an employee whose work is outstanding may be advanced to the next higher step rate no more than 

once every 52 weeks. In addition to the 2008 basic pay rates listed below, GS employees are entitled 

to locality-based comparability payments for their respective locality pay area. The employee’s locality 

rate of pay may not exceed the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule. Certain GS 

employees may receive higher special rates instead of locality rates established to address significant 

recruitment or retention problems. 

GENERAL SCHEDULE

Grade 

2008 Annual Rates and Steps 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

GS–1 ................................... $17,046 $17,615 $18,182 $18,746 $19,313 $19,646 $20,206 $20,771 $20,793 $21,324 

GS–2 ................................... 19,165 19,621 20,255 20,793 21,025 21,643 22,261 22,879 23,497 24,115 

GS–3 ................................... 20,911 21,608 22,305 23,002 23,699 24,396 25,093 25,790 26,487 27,184 

GS–4 ................................... 23,475 24,258 25,041 25,824 26,607 27,390 28,173 28,956 29,739 30,522 

GS–5 ................................... 26,264 27,139 28,014 28,889 29,764 30,639 31,514 32,389 33,264 34,139 

GS–6 ................................... 29,276 30,252 31,228 32,204 33,180 34,156 35,132 36,108 37,084 38,060 

GS–7 ................................... 32,534 33,618 34,702 35,786 36,870 37,954 39,038 40,122 41,206 42,290 

GS–8 ................................... 36,030 37,231 38,432 39,633 40,834 42,035 43,236 44,437 45,638 46,839 

GS–9 ................................... 39,795 41,122 42,449 43,776 45,103 46,430 47,757 49,084 50,411 51,738 

GS–10 ................................. 43,824 45,285 46,746 48,207 49,668 51,129 52,590 54,051 55,512 56,973 

GS–11 ................................. 48,148 49,753 51,358 52,963 54,568 56,173 57,778 59,383 60,988 62,593 

GS–12 ................................. 57,709 59,633 61,557 63,481 65,405 67,329 69,253 71,177 73,101 75,025 

GS–13 ................................. 68,625 70,913 73,201 75,489 77,777 80,065 82,353 84,641 86,929 89,217 

GS–14 ................................. 81,093 83,796 86,499 89,202 91,905 94,608 97,311 100,014 102,717 105,420 

GS–15 ................................. 95,390 98,570 101,750 104,930 108,110 111,290 114,470 117,650 120,830 124,010 

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FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES 205 

2008 LOCALITY PAY AREAS AND RATES 

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL 17.30% 

Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-NH-RI-ME 22.51% 

Buffalo-Niagara-Cattaraugus, NY 15.37% 

Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI 23.16% 

Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN 17.77% 

Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH 17.11% 

Columbus-Marion-Chillicothe, OH 15.80% 

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX 18.74% 

Dayton-Springfield-Greenville, OH 15.26% 

Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO 21.03% 

Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI 22.53% 

Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic, CT-MA 23.97% 

Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX 27.39% 

Huntsville-Decatur, AL 14.23% 

Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN 13.51% 

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA 25.26% 

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL 19.11% 

Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI 16.73% 

Minneapolis-St. Paul-St. Cloud, MN-WI 19.43% 

New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA 26.36% 

Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD 20.14% 

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 14.74% 

Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA 14.93% 

Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA 18.72% 

Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC 16.82% 

Richmond, VA 15.40% 

Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Yuba City, CA-NV 20.25% 

San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 22.00% 

San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA 32.53% 

Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia, WA 19.75% 

Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA 20.89% 

Rest of U.S. 13.18% 

Note: Locality pay areas are defined in 5 CFR 531.603(b) and are available on the Office of Personnel Management Web site at http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/locdef.asp. 

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206 FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES

WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE-NORTHERN VIRGINIA, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA 

LOCALITY PAY SCHEDULE 

The following salary tables reflect the locality pay rates for the Washington-Baltimore-Northern 

Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area in 2008. The tables incorporate a locality payment of 

20.89 percent. 

GENERAL SCHEDULE

Grade 

2008 Annual Rates and Steps 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

GS–1 ................................... $20,607 $21,295 $21,980 $22,662 $23,347 $23,750 $24,427 $25,110 $25,137 $25,779 

GS–2 ................................... 23,169 23,720 24,486 25,137 25,417 26,164 26,911 27,658 28,406 29,153 

GS–3 ................................... 25,279 26,122 26,965 27,807 28,650 29,492 30,335 31,178 32,020 32,863 

GS–4 ................................... 28,379 29,325 30,272 31,219 32,165 33,112 34,058 35,005 35,951 36,898 

GS–5 ................................... 31,751 32,808 33,866 34,924 35,982 37,039 38,097 39,155 40,213 41,271 

GS–6 ................................... 35,392 36,572 37,752 38,931 40,111 41,291 42,471 43,651 44,831 46,011 

GS–7 ................................... 39,330 40,641 41,951 43,262 44,572 45,883 47,193 48,503 49,814 51,124 

GS–8 ................................... 43,557 45,009 46,460 47,912 49,364 50,816 52,268 53,720 55,172 56,624 

GS–9 ................................... 48,108 49,712 51,317 52,921 54,525 56,129 57,733 59,338 60,942 62,546 

GS–10 ................................. 52,979 54,745 56,511 58,277 60,044 61,810 63,576 65,342 67,108 68,875 

GS–11 ................................. 58,206 60,146 62,087 64,027 65,967 67,908 69,848 71,788 73,728 75,669 

GS–12 ................................. 69,764 72,090 74,416 76,742 79,068 81,394 83,720 86,046 88,372 90,698 

GS–13 ................................. 82,961 85,727 88,493 91,259 94,025 96,791 99,557 102,323 105,088 107,854 

GS–14 ................................. 98,033 101,301 104,569 107,836 111,104 114,372 117,639 120,907 124,175 127,442 

GS–15 ................................. 115,317 119,161 123,006 126,850 130,694 134,538 138,383 142,227 146,071 149,000 

SENIOR-LEVEL (SL) 

Minimum ....................................................................................................................... $138,380 

Maximum ....................................................................................................................... 158,500 

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FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES 207 

SPECIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (LEO) PAY SCHEDULES 

Law enforcement officers at grades GS–3 through GS–10 are entitled to special base rates that 

are higher than General Schedule base rates. Such LEOs receive the locality payments applicable 

in their locality pay area on top of these special base rates. The locality pay area definitions and 

pay percentages are the same as those used for regular General Schedule employees. 

SPECIAL SALARY RATES FOR LEOS

Grade 

2008 Annual Rates and Steps 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

GS–3 ................................... $25,093 $25,790 $26,487 $27,184 $27,881 $28,578 $29,275 $29,972 $30,669 $31,366 

GS–4 ................................... 28,173 28,956 29,739 30,522 31,305 32,088 32,871 33,654 34,437 35,220 

GS–5 ................................... 32,389 33,264 34,139 35,014 35,889 36,764 37,639 38,514 39,389 40,264 

GS–6 ................................... 34,156 35,132 36,108 37,084 38,060 39,036 40,012 40,988 41,964 42,940 

GS–7 ................................... 36,870 37,954 39,038 40,122 41,206 42,290 43,374 44,458 45,542 46,626 

GS–8 ................................... 38,432 39,633 40,834 42,035 43,236 44,437 45,638 46,839 48,040 49,241 

GS–9 ................................... 41,122 42,449 43,776 45,103 46,430 47,757 49,084 50,411 51,738 53,065 

GS–10 ................................. 45,285 46,746 48,207 49,668 51,129 52,590 54,051 55,512 56,973 58,434 

NOTE: These special base rates for law enforcement officers (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 5541(3) and 5 CFR 550.103) are authorized by 

section 403 of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990, as amended. By law, these rates must be the basis for computing locality payments. (5 CFR part 531, subpart F.) 

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208 FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES

THE FOREIGN SERVICE SCHEDULE 

Class 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Step 1 .................................................. $95,390 $77,294 $62,631 $50,749 $41,122 $36,762 $32,864 $29,379 $26,264 

Step 2 .................................................. 98,252 79,613 64,510 52,271 42,356 37,865 33,850 30,260 27,052 

Step 3 .................................................. 101,199 82,001 66,445 53,840 43,626 39,001 34,865 31,168 27,863 

Step 4 .................................................. 104,235 84,461 68,439 55,455 44,935 40,171 35,911 32,103 28,699 

Step 5 .................................................. 107,362 86,995 70,492 57,118 46,283 41,376 36,989 33,066 29,560 

Step 6 .................................................. 110,583 89,605 72,606 58,832 47,672 42,617 38,098 34,058 30,447 

Step 7 .................................................. 113,901 92,293 74,785 60,597 49,102 43,896 39,241 35,080 31,361 

Step 8 .................................................. 117,318 95,062 77,028 62,415 50,575 45,213 40,419 36,132 32,301 

Step 9 .................................................. 120,837 97,914 79,339 64,287 52,092 46,569 41,631 37,216 33,270 

Step 10 ................................................ 124,010 100,851 81,719 66,216 53,655 47,966 42,880 38,333 34,269 

Step 11 ................................................ 124,010 103,877 84,171 68,202 55,265 49,405 44,166 39,483 35,297 

Step 12 ................................................ 124,010 106,993 86,696 70,248 56,922 50,887 45,491 40,667 36,356 

Step 13 ................................................ 124,010 110,203 89,297 72,356 58,630 52,414 46,856 41,887 37,446 

Step 14 ................................................ 124,010 113,509 91,976 74,527 60,389 53,986 48,262 43,144 38,570 

SENIOR FOREIGN SERVICE SCHEDULE 

The Senior Foreign Service (SFS) pay system is an open-range, performance-based pay system 

that is linked to the SES pay system. SFS members, like SES members, are not entitled to automatic 

across-the-board increases and locality-based comparability payments. Instead, pay adjustments are 

based on a member’s individual performance and/or contribution to the agency’s performance. 

The Executive order prescribes three SFS salary classes that are linked to the SES as follows: 

(1) Career Minister (CM). with a range from 94 percent of the rate payable to level III of 

the Executive Schedule to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule 

(Note: Career Ambassador (CA) SFS members are also paid within the CM rate range); 

(2) Minister-Counselor (MC) with a range from 90 percent of the rate payable to level III 

of the Executive Schedule to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule; 

and 

(3) Counselor (OC), with a range from 120 percent of the rate payable to GS–15, step 1 

to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule. 

The 2008 pay ranges for the SFS classes are: 

SFS Class Minimum Maximum 

OC ......................................................................................................... $114,468 $161,670 

MC ......................................................................................................... $114,468 $169,595 

CM, CA ................................................................................................. $114,468 $172,200 

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FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES 209 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 

FEDERAL SALARY SCHEDULES EFFECTIVE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST 

APPLICABLE PAY PERIOD BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2008 

SCHEDULE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH

(38 U.S.C. 7306)* 

Minimum Maximum 

Assistant Under Secretaries for Health .................................................................................................... ........................ $150,588** 

(Only applies to incumbents who are not physicians or dentists) 

Service Directors .......................................................................................................................................... $111,873 $138,939

Director, National Center for Preventive Health ...................................................................................... 95,390 138,939

Physician and Dentist Base and Longevity Schedule*** 

Physician Grade ........................................................................................................................................... $93,818 $137,596

Dentist Grade ............................................................................................................................................... 93,818 137,596

Clinical Podiatrist, Chiropractor, and Optometrist Schedule 

Chief Grade .................................................................................................................................................. $95,390 $124,010

Senior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 81,093 105,420

Intermediate Grade ..................................................................................................................................... 68,625 89,217

Full Grade .................................................................................................................................................... 57,709 75,025

Associate Grade ........................................................................................................................................... 48,148 62,593

Physician Assistant and Expanded-Function 

Dental Auxiliary Schedule**** 

Director Grade ............................................................................................................................................. $95,390 $124,010

Assistant Director Grade ............................................................................................................................ 81,093 105,420

Chief Grade .................................................................................................................................................. 68,625 89,217

Senior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 57,709 75,025

Intermediate Grade ..................................................................................................................................... 48,148 62,593

Full Grade .................................................................................................................................................... 39,795 51,738

Associate Grade ........................................................................................................................................... 34,244 44,513

Junior Grade ................................................................................................................................................ 29,276 38,060

*This schedule does not apply to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health, the Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Assistant Under Secretaries for Health who are physicians or dentists, Medical Directors, the Assistant Under Secretary for Nursing 

Programs, or the Director of Nursing Services. 

**Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 7404(d), the rate of basic pay payable to these employees is limited to the rate for level V of the Executive Schedule, which is $139,600. 

***Pursuant to section 3 of Public Law 108–445 and 38 U.S.C. 7431, Veterans Health Administration physicians and dentists 

may also be paid market pay and performance pay. 

****Pursuant to section 301(a) of Public Law 102–40, these positions are paid according to the Nurse Schedule in 38 U.S.C. 

4107(b), as in effect on August 14, 1990, with subsequent adjustments. 

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