GS-8 Pay in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
$56,869 – $73,926 per year • 19.12% locality adjustment
GS-8 Salary Summary — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Complete GS-8 Pay Table — Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA (2026)
| Step | Annual | Monthly | Biweekly | Hourly | Base Pay | Locality Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $56,869 | $4,739 | $2,187 | $27.25 | $47,741 | +$9,128 |
| Step 2 | $58,764 | $4,897 | $2,260 | $28.16 | $49,332 | +$9,432 |
| Step 3 | $60,659 | $5,055 | $2,333 | $29.07 | $50,923 | +$9,736 |
| Step 4 | $62,555 | $5,213 | $2,406 | $29.97 | $52,514 | +$10,041 |
| Step 5 | $64,450 | $5,371 | $2,479 | $30.88 | $54,105 | +$10,345 |
| Step 6 | $66,345 | $5,529 | $2,552 | $31.79 | $55,696 | +$10,649 |
| Step 7 | $68,240 | $5,687 | $2,625 | $32.70 | $57,287 | +$10,953 |
| Step 8 | $70,135 | $5,845 | $2,698 | $33.61 | $58,878 | +$11,257 |
| Step 9 | $72,031 | $6,003 | $2,770 | $34.51 | $60,469 | +$11,562 |
| Step 10 | $73,926 | $6,161 | $2,843 | $35.42 | $62,060 | +$11,866 |
Compare Nearby Grades in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
How does GS-8 Step 5 compare to adjacent grades in this locality?
Promotion from GS-7 to GS-8 at Step 5 in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA is a raise of $6,254 per year.
GS-8 Federal Jobs in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA
Federal employees at GS-8 in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area earn between $56,869 and $73,926 annually in 2026. This includes a 19.12% locality pay adjustment on top of the GS-8 base pay of $47,741 to $62,060.
The Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA locality area covers Iowa. At Step 5, a GS-8 employee here earns $1,115 more per year than the same grade and step under the "Rest of United States" rate (17.06%).
The biweekly pay for a GS-8 Step 1 in this area is $2,187, or approximately $27.25 per hour based on the standard 2,087-hour work year. Step increases are automatic with acceptable performance — it takes 18 years to progress from Step 1 to Step 10.
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