IDF Pay Calculator — How Much Do Israeli Soldiers Really Earn?
Estimate monthly pay across all four service tracks: compulsory conscript, Lone Soldier (chayal boded), career soldier (Keva), and commissioned officer. Outputs in NIS with USD reference, plus discharge grant (pikadon) projection.
Full transparency: unlike most allied militaries, the IDF does not publish a single public pay table. Figures below are consolidated from Israeli press reporting (Calcalist, Globes, Bamahane, 2022–2024), public Knesset testimony, and published commission reports. They are estimates — verify with the IDF Manpower Directorate (AKA) before relying on them.
Choose your service track
Estimated monthly pay
Conscript pay reference (jobnik baseline)
What the recruiter won't tell you
Many recruits who request combat duty are assigned to support or rear roles based on intake needs, medical profile (kaba), and unit availability. If combat pay is your financial plan, ask what happens if you are reassigned.
Even with the ~1,500 NIS Lone Soldier supplement, total compulsory pay remains well below the Israeli minimum wage (~5,571 NIS/mo). Housing, food and uniforms are provided in kind, but cash income is constrained.
Career soldier (Keva) signing bonuses and retention bonuses often come with multi-year commitments and clawback clauses if you exit early. Read the contract before signing.
A portion of pikadon is restricted to specific uses (education, housing, vocational training) and may be paid out conditionally. Confirm the breakdown with your unit discharge officer.
Israeli press reporting (Calcalist, Globes, Bamahane magazine, 2022–2024) · Public Knesset testimony · Public commission reports on soldier pay · Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) for the 2026 average wage figure. All conscript pay numbers are estimates. No single government source exists. Verify with the IDF Manpower Directorate (AKA) before relying on figures for financial planning.