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Guides · Pay & Benefits

FLPB, Explained

Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus is the military paying you to keep a language sharp. It sounds simple, then you hit a wall of acronyms — DLPT, OPI, ILR, modality — and the question you actually want answered, how much, turns into “it depends.”

Here's how the system works, what actually drives your monthly number, and exactly where to look up your rate — without us making up figures that'll be stale by next fiscal year.

The short answer

FLPB pays a monthly bonus set by your DLPT/ILR proficiency level and language — more for higher scores and strategic languages, capped per DoDI 1340.27. The exact amount is on the current DFAS table.

What drives the amount
DriverWhat it meansEffect on your check
ILR proficiency levelYour DLPT/OPI scores, read as ILR levels per modality (e.g. L2/R2, L3/R3).Higher scores pay more. Most category languages start at 2/2.
Number of languagesHow many qualifying languages you certify in.Adds up — but the total still hits the monthly cap.
Strategic vs. notWhether the language is on the DoD strategic / dominant-language list.Strategic and harder languages generally pay at the top of the range.
DoDI 1340.27 capThe statutory ceiling on FLPB (37 U.S.C. § 353).No more than $1,000/month and $12,000/year, period.

Dollar figures are illustrative ranges from the cited sources — per the DFAS FLPB table, verify current. The exact rate for your language and scores is on the current DFAS table and your service eligibility message.

In This Guide
DLPT & ILR, ExplainedWhat Drives the BonusWho Is EligibleHow to Claim ItCommon QuestionsOfficial Sources
SEC 1The scoring system everyone searches for and nobody explains plainly.

DLPT & ILR, Explained

The DLPT Is the Test
The Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) is the standardized exam the DoD uses to measure how well you actually read and listen in a foreign language. There's a separate DLPT for each language. Most versions test two skills — Listening (L) and Reading (R). If your language or job requires speaking, that's measured separately by an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Your DLPT/OPI results are what FLPB is built on — no current test scores, no bonus.
ILR Is the Ruler
Your DLPT and OPI scores are reported on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale — the federal government's common yardstick for language ability. It runs from 0 (no proficiency) up through 5 (native/bilingual). The levels you'll actually see on a DLPT score report:
ILR LevelPlain English
0 / 0+No-to-memorized proficiency. Survival phrases at best.
1 / 1+Elementary. You can handle simple, predictable exchanges.
2 / 2+Limited Working. You function in routine work situations. This is the usual FLPB floor.
3 / 3+General Professional. You handle most work and abstract topics. Pays toward the top.
4 – 5Advanced Professional to native. Rare. Top of the table.
How to Read a Score Like “2/2”
When you see a score written 2/2, the first number is your Listening ILR level and the second is your Reading ILR level. A 3/2+ means Listening 3, Reading 2-plus. If speaking is in play, you might see a third number from the OPI, like 2/2/1+ (Listening / Reading / Speaking). FLPB looks at each of these — “by modality” — which is how you can get paid more for being strong in more skills.
★ NoteYour scores expire. The DLPT/OPI must be current — generally taken within the last 12 months — to keep drawing the bonus. Re-test on schedule or the money stops.
SEC 2Three levers move your number. The cap holds the ceiling.

What Drives the Bonus

Lever 1 — Your Proficiency Level
The higher your ILR scores, the more you're paid. The Army's current approach is a “Pay by Modality” table — instead of one lump payment, it credits each skill you score high in (e.g. an amount for Listening 3, plus an amount for Reading 3). Score 3/3 and you can stack both modalities; score 2/2 and you sit lower in the table. The other services structure it similarly through their own messages.
Lever 2 — How Many Languages
Hold more than one qualifying language and you can be paid for each — but the total is bounded by the monthly cap below. Per the cited sources, a single language typically runs in the $100–$500/mo range, and two or more can reach up to $1,000/mo combined (per the DFAS FLPB table — verify current).
Lever 3 — Strategic vs. Not
Not every language pays, and not every language pays the same. The DoD prioritizes strategic and dominant languages — the ones the mission actually needs. Those tend to pay at the top of the range; less-critical languages may pay less or not be on the list at all. Which languages qualify, and at what level, is set by your service's eligibility message and changes year to year.
⚠ Watch OutA language that paid last year may not be on this year's list. Don't plan your finances around FLPB continuing — it's discretionary pay, and the eligible-language list is reviewed and revised.
The Ceiling — DoDI 1340.27
No matter how many languages you hold or how high you score, FLPB is capped. DoD Instruction 1340.27, implementing 37 U.S.C. § 353, sets the ceiling at $1,000 per month per member and $12,000 per year. That's the wall every service table lives under.
SEC 3Both officers and enlisted — but the details live in your service message.

Who Is Eligible

The Baseline
FLPB is open to both enlisted members and officers, active and reserve component, who hold a current, qualifying DLPT/OPI score in a language the service is paying for. For most category (immediate and emerging strategic) languages the floor is ILR 2/2. Below that, you generally don't draw the bonus.
Your Service Sets the Specifics
FLPB is a DoD-wide authority, but each service runs its own program — which languages are eligible, what minimum scores they require, and whether a written agreement is required. You find your rules in your branch's message:
ServiceWhere to look
ArmyALARACT / MILPER message (current "Pay by Modality" table)
NavyNAVADMIN — annual FLPB eligibility message
Marine CorpsMARADMIN — annual FLPB eligibility requirements
Air & Space ForceDAFI 36-4005 and the current DAF FLPB message
★ NoteIf you're weighing a language-coded job (cryptologic linguist, civil affairs, SOF, attaché track), FLPB is a real recurring add to your pay — but only while your scores are current and the language is on the list. Treat it as a bonus, not base income.
SEC 4Test, certify, sign, and re-test. Then watch your LES.

How to Claim It

The Steps
  1. Schedule and pass the DLPT (and OPI if required). Coordinate through your unit / education or language office. You need current scores at or above your service’s threshold.
  2. Confirm the language is on the current eligibility list. Check your service message (ALARACT/MILPER, NAVADMIN, MARADMIN, DAF message) for this fiscal year.
  3. Complete any required FLPB written agreement. Some services require a signed agreement; the Army updated this with its Pay by Modality rollout.
  4. Verify it on your LES. FLPB should appear as a separate line on your Leave and Earnings Statement once processed. If it’s missing, chase it through finance.
  5. Re-test before your scores expire. Scores generally must be re-certified annually. Miss the window and the bonus stops until you re-test.
⚠ Watch OutFLPB is discretionary and budget-dependent. Passing the DLPT does not guarantee payment if your language isn't funded that year — confirm against the current message before you bank on it.
Cross-Reference Your Other Special Pays
FLPB is one of several special and incentive pays that stack on top of base pay. If you're sorting out what you actually qualify for, our special pay guide walks the broader landscape — jump, dive, hazardous duty, sea pay, and the rest.
FAQThe questions people actually type into the search bar.

Common Questions

How is FLPB calculated?

FLPB is not a single flat number — it is a monthly bonus set by three things: your proficiency level (your DLPT/OPI scores expressed in ILR levels, like Listening/Reading 2/2 or 3/3), how many qualifying languages you hold, and how strategically important the language is to the service. Higher ILR scores and more strategic languages pay more. The actual dollar amounts live in the current DFAS FLPB pay table (the Army now uses a "Pay by Modality" table that pays for each modality you score high in), and they are capped by DoDI 1340.27. Because the table and the eligible-language list change, you read the amount off the current DFAS table and your service eligibility message — you do not compute it from a formula.

What ILR score do I need for FLPB?

For most category (immediate and emerging strategic) languages, the floor is ILR level 2/2 — meaning Limited Working Proficiency in both Listening and Reading on the DLPT. Below that you generally do not qualify. Some languages require speaking proficiency measured by an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Higher scores (2+/2+, 3/3, and above) pay more under the modality table, up to the cap. Exact thresholds for your language are set by your service eligibility message (MARADMIN, NAVADMIN, ALARACT/MILPER), so check the current list rather than assuming.

How much is foreign language pay?

Per the DFAS FLPB table, single-language bonuses typically run in the $100–$500 per month range, with up to $1,000 per month total if you hold two or more qualifying languages — verify current. By law (37 U.S.C. § 353) and DoDI 1340.27, the monthly maximum cannot exceed $1,000 per month per member, and total annual FLPB is capped at $12,000. Those figures are illustrative ranges from the cited sources; the exact rate for your language and scores is on the current DFAS table and your service eligibility message.

Where is the current FLPB pay table?

The current Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus pay table is published by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) at dfas.mil under Military Members → Pay Entitlements → Pay Tables → FLPB. The governing instruction with the monthly cap is DoD Instruction 1340.27. Your specific eligibility — which languages pay, at what ILR level, and how much — comes from your service message: ALARACT/MILPER for the Army, NAVADMIN for the Navy, MARADMIN for the Marine Corps, and the relevant DAFI/message for the Air and Space Forces.

Official Sources

Dollar amounts change with the annual table and the eligible-language list. Always read your rate off these, not off a stale summary.

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Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated May 2026Editorial standards