Every Pay Rate, Every Special Pay,
Every Allowance — The 2026 Military Pay Chart
The complete 2026 DFAS pay tables — every paygrade from E-1 to O-10 and W-1 to W-5, every year-of-service column, every allowance, every special pay. Real numbers, verifiable sources, no fluff.
Base pay is what fits on a chart. Total compensation is what hits your account. Below: both, with the math.
Figures are base pay only — they do not include BAH, BAS, special pays, bonuses, or the value of TRICARE and TSP match. O-5 with 20 years: $10,932.30/mo base. Always cross-check against your LES.
The whole chart, on paper.
Every paygrade, every year-of-service column, as a 4-page PDF — enlisted, warrant, officer, and prior-enlisted rates. Same DFAS 2026 numbers as the table below.
What changed January 1
Each year, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sets the across-the-board military pay raise, tied by statute to the Employment Cost Index. For 2026, that figure is 3.8%.
Across-the-board raise applied to every cell of the 2025 base pay chart, effective January 1, 2026.
The targeted +10% raise for E-1 to E-4 implemented April 1, 2025 remains baked into the 2026 chart — not reversed.
BAH rates also reset January 1 based on a separate DoD housing survey. Some MHAs went up, some down — check your ZIP.
2026 DFAS Monthly Base Pay — Every Paygrade, Every Year of Service
Source: DFAS published 2026 military pay tables, effective January 1, 2026. All figures are monthly base pay in U.S. dollars. Cells showing '—' indicate that combination of paygrade and years of service is not authorized (e.g. you can't be an E-9 with 2 years of service).
| Paygrade | <2 yr | 2 yr | 3 yr | 4 yr | 6 yr | 8 yr | 10 yr | 12 yr | 14 yr | 16 yr | 18 yr | 20 yr | 22 yr | 24 yr | 26 yr | 30 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enlisted | ||||||||||||||||
E-1 (PVT/SR/PVT/AB) | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 | 2,037.90 |
E-2 (PV2/SA/PFC/Amn) | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 | 2,284.20 |
E-3 (PFC/SN/LCpl/A1C) | 2,402.10 | 2,553.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 | 2,706.00 |
E-4 (SPC-CPL/PO3/Cpl/SrA) | 2,660.70 | 2,796.90 | 2,943.60 | 3,087.00 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 | 3,213.90 |
E-5 (SGT/PO2/Sgt/SSgt) | 2,902.50 | 3,098.10 | 3,249.00 | 3,393.00 | 3,468.90 | 3,632.70 | 3,743.70 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 | 3,846.00 |
E-6 (SSG/PO1/SSgt/TSgt) | 3,166.50 | 3,485.10 | 3,640.20 | 3,790.20 | 3,949.50 | 4,177.20 | 4,307.70 | 4,456.50 | 4,586.40 | 4,657.20 | 4,720.20 | 4,720.20 | 4,720.20 | 4,720.20 | 4,720.20 | 4,720.20 |
E-7 (SFC/CPO/GySgt/MSgt) | 3,660.90 | 3,997.50 | 4,148.10 | 4,353.00 | 4,510.50 | 4,733.70 | 4,884.90 | 5,017.50 | 5,213.10 | 5,343.00 | 5,479.80 | 5,532.90 | 5,639.10 | 5,710.80 | 5,710.80 | 5,710.80 |
E-8 (MSG-1SG/SCPO/MSgt-1stSgt/SMSgt) | — | — | — | — | — | 5,244.90 | 5,418.60 | 5,571.60 | 5,711.10 | 5,862.00 | 6,048.00 | 6,149.10 | 6,279.30 | 6,404.40 | 6,506.70 | 6,506.70 |
E-9 (SGM-CSM/MCPO/MGySgt-SgtMaj/CMSgt) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6,619.50 | 6,767.70 | 6,917.40 | 7,123.50 | 7,323.00 | 7,509.30 | 7,706.10 | 7,918.50 | 8,169.00 | 8,524.50 |
| Warrant Officers | ||||||||||||||||
W-1 (WO1) | 3,789.90 | 4,200.30 | 4,311.00 | 4,538.70 | 4,734.00 | 5,070.00 | 5,267.70 | 5,535.00 | 5,756.10 | 5,937.30 | 6,153.60 | 6,346.50 | 6,346.50 | 6,346.50 | 6,346.50 | 6,346.50 |
W-2 (CW2) | 4,301.10 | 4,716.60 | 4,843.50 | 4,942.50 | 5,130.90 | 5,488.80 | 5,706.30 | 5,897.70 | 6,082.50 | 6,271.50 | 6,480.00 | 6,726.00 | 6,726.00 | 6,966.00 | 6,966.00 | 6,966.00 |
W-3 (CW3) | 4,868.10 | 5,073.30 | 5,282.40 | 5,349.60 | 5,578.50 | 5,912.70 | 6,186.60 | 6,439.50 | 6,679.50 | 6,899.70 | 7,145.10 | 7,384.50 | 7,597.50 | 7,756.80 | 7,756.80 | 7,756.80 |
W-4 (CW4) | 5,325.00 | 5,735.10 | 5,903.70 | 5,983.50 | 6,258.90 | 6,537.00 | 6,815.70 | 7,168.80 | 7,459.80 | 7,753.50 | 7,994.40 | 8,240.10 | 8,480.40 | 8,678.40 | 8,890.50 | 8,890.50 |
W-5 (CW5) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9,375.00 | 9,619.80 | 9,868.20 | 10,554.60 |
| Commissioned Officers | ||||||||||||||||
O-1 (2LT/ENS) | 3,826.20 | 3,985.20 | 4,818.60 | 4,818.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 | 4,959.60 |
O-2 (1LT/LTJG) | 4,406.70 | 5,017.50 | 5,780.40 | 5,975.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 | 6,095.10 |
O-3 (CPT/LT) | 5,096.70 | 5,781.00 | 6,240.90 | 6,807.30 | 7,134.00 | 7,496.10 | 7,772.10 | 8,128.20 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 | 8,392.50 |
O-4 (MAJ/LCDR) | 5,800.20 | 6,709.50 | 7,155.00 | 7,263.60 | 7,520.10 | 7,968.90 | 8,390.70 | 8,752.50 | 9,076.80 | 9,305.10 | 9,496.50 | 9,496.50 | 9,496.50 | 9,496.50 | 9,496.50 | 9,496.50 |
O-5 (LTC/CDR) | 6,731.40 | 7,583.10 | 8,108.70 | 8,200.80 | 8,528.40 | 8,879.40 | 9,336.00 | 9,682.20 | 10,072.50 | 10,379.10 | 10,687.50 | 10,932.30 | 11,173.50 | 11,173.50 | 11,173.50 | 11,173.50 |
O-6 (COL/CAPT) | 8,071.50 | 8,863.20 | 9,441.30 | 9,441.30 | 9,487.80 | 9,897.90 | 9,942.90 | 9,942.90 | 10,403.70 | 11,154.00 | 11,714.10 | 12,120.30 | 12,462.00 | 12,771.30 | 13,406.70 | 14,075.70 |
O-7 (BG/RDML) | 10,632.60 | 11,130.30 | 11,354.40 | 11,536.80 | 11,872.80 | 12,210.00 | 12,589.50 | 12,971.70 | 13,356.00 | 13,755.90 | 14,158.80 | 14,158.80 | 14,158.80 | 14,158.80 | 14,158.80 | 14,860.80 |
O-8 (MG/RADM) | 12,836.10 | 13,244.10 | 13,523.40 | 13,604.40 | 13,948.20 | 14,387.70 | 14,536.50 | 14,895.60 | 15,268.50 | 15,268.50 | 15,648.00 | 15,648.00 | 15,648.00 | 15,648.00 | 15,648.00 | 15,648.00 |
O-9 (LTG/VADM) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16,667.10 | 16,667.10 | 16,667.10 | 16,667.10 | 16,667.10 |
O-10 (GEN/ADM) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17,675.10 | 17,675.10 | 17,675.10 | 17,675.10 | 17,675.10 |
Rows are paygrade. Columns are years of service (YOS). Cell value is monthly base pay in 2026 dollars. Multiply by 12 for annual base pay. Pay moves to a new column on your pay-anniversary date — not your promotion date.
Per 5 U.S.C. § 5304, monthly basic pay for general/flag officers is statutorily capped at Level II of the Executive Schedule. That ceiling effectively limits O-7 through O-10 take-home base pay below what the chart implies in some columns.
What's NOT in base pay
Base pay is one column in your LES. For most service members, allowances and special pays are 25–60% on top. Here's the catalog.
Tax-free housing allowance — varies by ZIP, paygrade, dependents
BAH is the largest non-base-pay item on most LESs. The DoD publishes annual BAH rates (per ZIP code × paygrade × with/without dependents) based on a national rental market survey conducted each spring. Rates take effect Jan 1.
- NOT federally taxed. NOT state-taxed in most states.
- Two rates per ZIP: with dependents / without dependents.
- Single E-5 at Fort Liberty, NC vs Naval Base San Diego, CA can differ by $1,500+/mo.
- If you live in government quarters, you receive Partial BAH (small flat rate) instead.
Tax-free food allowance — flat rate
Same rate regardless of rank or family size. Enlisted on Essential Station Messing (eating in the chow hall) receive BAS but have meal deductions taken. Officers always receive full BAS in cash.
Continental-US high-cost area supplement
Paid only at specific high-cost CONUS locations where non-housing costs significantly exceed the national average. Limited to a small number of duty stations. Taxable.
Overseas cost-of-living adjustment
Paid at most overseas duty stations to offset higher non-housing costs and currency fluctuation. Adjusted twice monthly. Not taxed. Separate from Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA), which replaces BAH for OCONUS assignments.
Flight, jump, dive, sea, sub, hazard
Tied to the duty you perform, not just the rank you hold. See the full reference table below — they range from $50 to over $1,000/month.
Jump to Special Pay Table →Lump-sum payments — yes, fully taxed
Enlistment bonuses (EB), Selective Re-enlistment Bonuses (SRB), Critical Skills Retention Bonuses (CSRB), and pilot/officer retention bonuses are taxed as supplemental wage income — currently a flat 22% federal withholding plus state and FICA. Often paid in installments; only the installment received that year is taxed that year.
Federal income tax is excluded for any month spent in a designated combat zone
If you serve even one day of a calendar month in a designated Combat Zone (or Qualified Hazardous Duty Area or Direct Support Area), the entire month's base pay is excluded from federal income tax. For enlisted, this exclusion is unlimited. For commissioned officers, the exclusion is capped at the highest enlisted rate of pay plus Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay for that month.
What this looks like in practice: an E-5 with 6 years deployed to a CZTE zone for a 9-month rotation pays zero federal income tax on ~$31k of base pay for that year. That's a real ~$3,500–$5,000 in their pocket depending on bracket, plus the $225/mo HFP/IDP on top, plus Family Separation Allowance if they have dependents, plus Hardship Duty Pay if the location qualifies. It is the single largest pay event in most careers.
Designated zones are listed in IRS Publication 3 (Armed Forces Tax Guide). They change as operational areas change.
Four real take-home pay scenarios
Base pay + allowances + special pays — minus taxes, SGLI, and TSP — equals what hits your account. Here are four common military households, calculated end-to-end using 2026 figures.
Single E-4 with 4 years
NoteAt E-4 with 4 years, the BAH+BAS combined is worth roughly 60% as much as base pay — and it isn't taxed. The 5% TSP contribution captures the full BRS government match (1% auto + 4% match).
Married E-6 with 8 years
NoteWashington has no state income tax — a real $1,500+/yr advantage over high-tax states. CTC + spouse make federal withholding small. BAH at JBLM is well above the national average.
Single O-3 with 4 years
NoteAn O-3 at 4 years grosses ~$110k/yr including allowances, but the higher federal/state burden eats more of the base pay than at junior enlisted ranks. Norfolk BAH is mid-range — coastal CA officers would clear $9k/mo take-home.
Married O-5 with 14 years
NoteAt O-5/14 with NCR BAH, total compensation crosses the $170k/yr civilian-equivalent line. This is the paygrade where most officers hit financial inflection — pension is fully accruing, BAH is at its highest, and TSP contributions have a decade to compound.
Estimates assume standard W-4 withholding, BRS retirement system, $500k SGLI coverage, 5% TSP traditional contribution, and DFAS 2026 base pay tables. BAH figures use 2026 published rates for the named MHA. Your LES will differ — these scenarios are illustrative. For a personalized estimate, use the Pay Calculator.
Enlisted vs Officer — what 20 years actually pays
Cumulative base pay only (not including allowances, special pays, bonuses, or pension), assuming a typical promotion curve and continuous active duty. Numbers are 2026 dollars — actual cumulative pay over 20 historical years would be lower in nominal dollars but each year is rolled up from current scale.
20-year enlisted (retiring E-7)
High-3 pension @ E-7: ~$2,800/mo for life ≈ $33.6k/yr. Net present value at age 38 retirement: ~$840k–$1.05M depending on lifespan assumptions.
Most E-7s also collect VA disability after retirement. Add TRICARE-for-Life equivalent (~$15k/yr cash value at age 60+), plus typical $30k–$60k in special pays/bonuses across the career, and the 20-year enlisted package easily clears $2M in total value.
20-year officer (retiring O-5)
High-3 pension @ O-5: ~$6,200/mo for life ≈ $74.4k/yr. Net present value at age 42 retirement: ~$1.85M–$2.3M depending on lifespan assumptions.
The officer/enlisted divergence is real, but it is mostly back-loaded. Through year 4, a senior E-5 with sea pay and BAH may take home more cash than a single O-2 in a low-BAH location. The gap explodes after promotion to O-4.
2026 Special Pays Reference Table
The most common monthly special and incentive pays, with current rates. For a deeper dive — including eligibility nuance and 'are you getting paid right?' guidance — see the Special Pay Decoder.
| Pay | Rate | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Hostile Fire / Imminent Danger Pay (HFP/IDP) | $225 / mo | Any service member serving in a designated HFP/IDP area. |
| Hardship Duty Pay — Location (HDP-L) | $50 – $150 / mo | Assigned to a designated hardship location (varies by site). |
| Family Separation Allowance (FSA-II) | $250 / mo | Members with dependents separated 30+ days due to orders. |
| Parachute Duty Pay (HDIP) | $150 / mo | Static-line jump duty in a coded billet. |
| HALO / Military Free-Fall Pay | $225 / mo | MFF-qualified members in MFF-coded billets. |
| Demolition Duty Pay | $150 / mo | Members in positions requiring regular handling of explosives. |
| Toxic Fuels / Pesticides Pay | $150 / mo | Regular handling of toxic fuels or pesticides in coded billets. |
| Flight Deck Duty Pay (HDIP-FD) | $150 / mo | Non-aircrew personnel working on carrier or amphib flight decks. |
| Diving Duty Pay — SCUBA | $150 / mo | SCUBA-qualified divers in diving billets. |
| Diving Duty Pay — 2nd Class | $215 / mo | Navy 2nd Class Divers in current diving billets. |
| Diving Duty Pay — Master Diver | up to $340 / mo | Navy Master Divers; rate scales with qualification level. |
| Submarine Duty Incentive Pay (SUBPAY) | $75 – $835 / mo | Submarine-qualified personnel; rate scales with rank and consecutive sub time. |
| Sea Pay | $50 – $1,000 / mo | Members on sea duty; rate scales with rank and consecutive years at sea. |
| Career Sea Pay Premium | $100 / mo | After 36 consecutive months of sea duty. |
| Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP — rated officer) | $125 – $1,000 / mo | Rated aviation officers; rate scales with years of aviation service. |
| Aviation Incentive Pay — Enlisted (Career Aviator) | $150 – $400 / mo | Aircrew-rated enlisted in flying billets. |
| Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay — Crewmember | $150 / mo | Non-rated crewmembers performing regular flight duty. |
| Foreign Language Proficiency Pay (FLPP) | up to $1,000 / mo | Members certified in DLPT-tested critical languages. |
| Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) | $75 – $450 / mo | Recruiters, drill sergeants, RDCs, MTIs, and other coded special-duty billets. |
| Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) | tax exclusion | All members serving in a designated combat zone; enlisted exclude all base pay, officers up to E-9 + HFP cap. |
Annual military pay raises — the last 10 years
By statute (37 U.S.C. § 1009), the annual military pay raise is tied to the Employment Cost Index unless Congress votes to deviate. The percentages below are the NDAA-authorized rates.
| Year | Raise | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +3.8% | Across-the-board NDAA pay raise. |
| 2025 | +4.5% (+14.5% E-1 to E-4) | FY25 NDAA: 4.5% baseline plus a targeted 10% additional bump for junior enlisted (E-1 through E-4), effective April 1, 2025. |
| 2024 | +5.2% | Largest baseline raise since 2002. |
| 2023 | +4.6% | ECI-tied; first raise above 4% in 20 years. |
| 2022 | +2.7% | Standard ECI-tied increase. |
| 2021 | +3.0% | Standard ECI-tied increase. |
| 2020 | +3.1% | Largest raise in a decade at the time. |
| 2019 | +2.6% | Standard ECI-tied increase. |
| 2018 | +2.4% | Standard ECI-tied increase. |
| 2017 | +2.1% | Standard ECI-tied increase. |
Tax treatment of military pay
Every line item on your LES is in one of three categories: federally taxed, federally untaxed (allowances), or excluded by special rule (CZTE).
- Base pay
- Most special pays (flight, jump, sea, sub, FLPP, SDAP)
- Bonuses (EB, SRB, CSRB) — 22% supplemental withholding
- Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP)
- Career sea pay premium
- Reserve drill pay
State-tax treatment varies. Nine states have no income tax. Several states (e.g. PA, IL, NY, IN, MI) fully exempt active-duty military pay earned out of state, or exempt military pay altogether for residents.
- BAH — Basic Allowance for Housing
- BAS — Basic Allowance for Subsistence
- OHA / MIHA — Overseas housing & move-in housing allowance
- COLA (CONUS and OCONUS)
- Family Separation Allowance (FSA)
- Dislocation Allowance (DLA)
- Per diem and travel reimbursements
- TRICARE and SGLI in-kind benefits
The 'allowance' label is the rule of thumb: if DFAS calls it an allowance, it's almost always tax-free. If they call it pay, it's almost always taxed.
- Base pay (enlisted: unlimited; officer: capped)
- Hostile Fire / Imminent Danger Pay during the month
- Re-enlistment bonus signed in a CZTE zone (huge!)
- Hardship Duty Pay during the month
- Career sea/sub pays during the month
Excluded from federal income tax — but FICA still applies, and the income still counts for IRA contribution limits and EITC eligibility. Re-enlisting in a combat zone makes the entire SRB tax-free; this is a known planning lever.
How Reserve and National Guard pay works
Reservists and Guardsmen use the same 2026 base pay table as active duty — but they're paid by the drill, not by the month.
One drill = 4 hours, paid at 1/30th of the corresponding monthly active-duty base pay rate. A standard battle assembly weekend (Saturday + Sunday) is 4 drills = 4/30ths of monthly active-duty pay.
Example — E-5 with 6 years: 2026 active-duty monthly base pay is $3,468.90. One drill = $115.63. A weekend (4 drills) = $462.52.
Annual training (AT): 2 weeks of active-duty pay at your full daily rate, plus BAH and BAS for those days. AT pay alone for an E-5/6 runs roughly $1,600–$1,800 plus allowances.
When a Reservist or Guardsman is placed on Title 10 or Title 32 active duty orders, they shift to full active-duty pay including BAH and BAS for the duration of the orders. CZTE applies the same way if the deployment qualifies.
BAH-Reserve Component (BAH-RC) / Type II: a separate, lower BAH rate applies for short-duration orders (under 30 days). Long-duration orders (30+ days) get the standard active-duty BAH rate for the duty location.
Retirement points: Reservists/Guard accrue retirement points (1 per drill, 1 per AT day, 15 free per anniversary year for membership). Points convert to a Reserve pension at age 60 (earlier with qualifying mobilization time).
Retirement Points Tracker →States that don't tax military pay
State tax treatment varies enormously. Your State of Legal Residence (SLR) — not where you're stationed — usually determines what state, if any, taxes your military pay. Picking SLR wisely can save thousands per year.
Service members with SLR in these states pay zero state income tax on any earnings:
- Alaska
- Florida
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
These states tax other income but exclude military pay entirely (terms vary by residency / out-of-state status):
- Arizona (residents)
- Arkansas (active duty)
- Connecticut (residents)
- Illinois (full exemption)
- Indiana (full exemption)
- Massachusetts (combat-zone pay)
- Michigan (full exemption)
- Minnesota (active duty)
- Pennsylvania (out-of-state)
- Wisconsin (active duty)
Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA), you do NOT become a tax resident of the state where you're stationed unless you affirmatively change your SLR.
Practical effect: a service member with SLR in Texas stationed in California pays no state income tax. A spouse with the same SLR generally inherits the same protection for their earned income under MSRRA, provided certain conditions are met.
State law changes regularly. Verify your specific state's current rules with their Department of Revenue and confirm SLR status with your finance office before adjusting withholding. The above is a high-level snapshot, not tax advice.
Common LES line items mapped to this chart
The Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) you pull from MyPay every two weeks abbreviates everything. Here's the translation between LES abbreviations and the categories on this page.
| LES code | What it is | Category |
|---|---|---|
| BASE PAY | Monthly base pay from this chart, prorated by pay period | Taxable |
| BAH | Basic Allowance for Housing for your duty ZIP | Tax-free |
| BAS | Basic Allowance for Subsistence | Tax-free |
| COLA / COLA-CONUS / COLA-OCONUS | Cost of living adjustment | CONUS taxable / OCONUS tax-free |
| HFP / IDP | Hostile Fire / Imminent Danger Pay | CZTE-excludable |
| FSA / FSH | Family Separation Allowance | Tax-free |
| HDP-L | Hardship Duty Pay — Location | CZTE-excludable |
| SDAP | Special Duty Assignment Pay | Taxable |
| FLPP | Foreign Language Proficiency Pay | Taxable |
| SUB PAY | Submarine Duty Incentive Pay | Taxable / CZTE-excludable when deployed |
| SEA PAY | Sea pay (rate by rank + consecutive sea time) | Taxable |
| ACIP | Aviation Career Incentive Pay (rated officers) | Taxable |
| FITW | Federal Income Tax Withheld | Deduction |
| SITW | State Income Tax Withheld (per SLR) | Deduction |
| FICA-SS / FICA-MEDICARE | Social Security + Medicare (7.65% combined) | Deduction |
| SGLI | Servicemembers Group Life Insurance premium | Deduction |
| TSP-BASE / TSP-INC / TSP-ROTH | Thrift Savings Plan contributions | Deduction |
| AFRH | Armed Forces Retirement Home, $0.50/mo enlisted | Deduction |
| MID-MONTH PAY | Mid-month direct deposit (advance against entitlement) | Already paid |
When does the money actually hit?
Military pay is paid twice monthly via DFAS direct deposit. Allowances and special pays follow the same schedule. Here's the calendar most members miss.
- Mid-month payday — the 1st through 15th of each month is paid on the 15th (or the prior business day if the 15th is a weekend/holiday). This is roughly half of your monthly entitlement.
- End-of-month payday — the 16th through last day is paid on the 1st of the following month (or the prior business day). This is the second half.
- February anomaly — February's mid-month payday can feel late because of the short month. Plan accordingly.
- Allowances — BAH, BAS, and most special pays are split across the two paydays just like base pay.
- Bonuses (EB / SRB / CSRB) — paid on a separate schedule. Anniversary installments usually arrive 30–45 days after the contracted date. Initial enlistment bonus payments are notoriously slow.
- January 1 — new pay chart takes effect. New BAH rates take effect. New BAS rate takes effect.
- January 1 each year — TSP contribution limit resets. For 2026: $23,500 elective deferral, $7,500 catch-up at age 50+, additional age-60-to-63 catch-up of $11,250.
- January 31 — DFAS posts W-2 forms in MyPay.
- April 15 — federal tax filing deadline (members in combat zones receive automatic extension equal to time in zone + 180 days).
- October 1 — start of new federal fiscal year; new NDAA rates are debated by Congress for the following January.
What does this all mean?
If you ever wonder why military pay arguments are so heated online, it's because nobody is comparing the same thing.
Most service members underestimate their own pay.
They look at the LES, see the base pay line, and compare it to civilian salaries. But BAH and BAS aren't taxed and don't appear on a civilian W-2 — so comparing a $4,200/mo gross to a $50k civilian job ignores roughly $20–$30k of tax-free value. The honest comparison adds ~30% to military gross to reach a civilian-equivalent number.
Most civilians overestimate what the military pays.
They see 'an O-5 makes $130k base' and think the whole branch is rolling in money. They don't see the unpaid 16-hour days, the unpaid weekends in the field, the unpaid PCS-driven spouse career destruction, the unpaid burden on kids. Real hourly rate for a deployed E-5 is closer to $7–$12/hr. Real hourly rate for a hospital-corps O-3 on call in Korea isn't dramatically higher.
Military comp is 'more than you think but less than equivalent private sector after 20 years.'
The first 4–8 years of military pay is genuinely competitive with civilian work at similar education levels — especially when you account for BAH, BAS, and TRICARE. After year 10, civilian counterparts with comparable specialized skills (pilots, cyber, doctors, lawyers) start to pull dramatically ahead. The pension and TRICARE-for-Life close some of that gap on the back end, but only for the small minority who make it to 20.
The pay chart isn't a salary — it's a system.
Base pay is one input. BAH location lottery is another. Branch-specific bonuses, deployment cycles, OPTEMPO, and whether your job has a special pay attached to it can swing total compensation by 30–50% between two service members at the same rank with the same time in service. Two E-6s with 8 years can take home wildly different paychecks depending on where they're stationed and what they do.
Primary government sources for 2026 military pay
Every figure on this page is derived from the following primary federal sources. Verify the current numbers against the source before any decision that depends on them.
- DFAS — Military Pay Tables
Defense Finance and Accounting Service official base-pay tables effective January 1, 2026.
- Defense Travel Management Office — BAH Rates
Authoritative Basic Allowance for Housing rates by ZIP code, paygrade, and dependency status.
- Defense Travel Management Office — CONUS COLA
Cost-of-living allowance rates for designated high-cost CONUS duty stations.
- DFAS — Special and Incentive Pays
Authoritative S&I pay rates: HFP/IDP, FSA, jump pay, sea pay, SDAP, FLPP, and more.
- DoD Financial Management Regulation (Volume 7A)
The governing regulation for military pay entitlements administered by DFAS.
- IRS Publication 3 — Armed Forces' Tax Guide
Federal tax treatment of military pay, including Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) designations and rules.
Common questions about the 2026 pay chart
How much does the military pay in 2026?+
In 2026, monthly base pay starts at $2,037.90 for an E-1 with less than 2 years of service and tops out at $17,675.10 for an O-10 (4-star general/admiral). The vast majority of service members earn between $2,400 and $9,500 per month in base pay — but base pay is only the start. BAH, BAS, and special pays often add 30–60% on top of base pay, and BAH/BAS are not federally taxed.
When does the new pay chart take effect?+
New military base pay rates take effect on January 1 each year, set by the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The 2026 pay chart became effective January 1, 2026. BAH rates separately update January 1 each year based on a separate DoD survey. BAS rates also adjust January 1. Note that if Congress authorizes a targeted raise for a specific paygrade band (as it did for junior enlisted in 2025), that piece may have a different effective date.
What's the difference between base pay and total compensation?+
Base pay is the taxable monthly salary tied to your paygrade and years of service — the number printed on the DFAS pay chart. Total compensation includes base pay plus BAH (housing allowance, tax-free), BAS (food allowance, tax-free), any special pays you rate (flight pay, sea pay, etc.), the value of TRICARE health coverage, and the employer-side value of your TSP match (post-BRS members) and pension accrual. A typical E-5 with 6 years of service and a family at Fort Liberty has a total compensation package roughly 60–80% higher than their base pay alone.
Is BAH taxable?+
No. Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is not federally taxed, and most states do not tax it either. The same is true of Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS). This 'tax-free' treatment is the single biggest reason military total compensation outpaces equivalent civilian gross salary — a dollar of BAH is worth roughly $1.20–$1.30 of taxable civilian pay depending on your bracket and state.
How does the annual pay raise work?+
By statute, military base pay is tied to the Employment Cost Index (ECI), a Department of Labor measure of private-sector wage growth. Each year, the President proposes a raise (usually matching ECI), Congress debates it in the annual NDAA, and the final percentage takes effect January 1 of the following year. Congress can — and often does — authorize larger raises or targeted raises for specific paygrade bands.
What is the highest military pay?+
The highest paygrade in the published pay chart is O-10 (4-star general or admiral) at $17,675.10/month. However, by federal law (5 U.S.C. § 5304), basic pay for general and flag officers is capped at Level II of the Executive Schedule, which in 2026 limits monthly take-home base pay to roughly $19,300/month. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs receives slightly higher specified rates set separately by statute. None of those numbers include BAH, special pays, or housing-in-kind for senior officers.
Why is military pay confusing?+
Military pay is confusing because no single number tells the story. A civilian sees 'salary' and knows what they earn; a service member has base pay (taxed), BAH (untaxed, varies by ZIP), BAS (untaxed, fixed), maybe 1–4 special pays (some taxed, some not), maybe a re-enlistment bonus (lump-sum, taxed), and sometimes a Combat Zone Tax Exclusion that zeros out federal income tax for months at a time. Add in TSP, SGLI deductions, and TRICARE-as-a-benefit, and your gross-to-net is a moving target every month.
When do you get a pay raise?+
Two ways: (1) the annual NDAA pay raise on January 1, which raises every cell in the chart, and (2) individual pay-table movement when you cross into a new years-of-service column (typically every 2 years early on, then less frequently after 14–18 years) or promote to a new paygrade. A typical E-4 moving to E-5 with 4 years of service gets about a $300/month base pay bump on top of any annual NDAA raise.
Base pay: 2026 DFAS Military Pay Tables (dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables), effective January 1, 2026, reflecting the 3.8% NDAA across-the-board raise and the targeted +10% junior-enlisted (E-1 to E-4) bridge from April 2025.
BAH/BAS: 2026 published rates from the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO). BAS rates from the USDA-tied annual subsistence adjustment.
Special pays: DFAS Special and Incentive Pay tables; statutory rates under Title 37 U.S.C.
Tax treatment: IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces Tax Guide. CZTE designations per Executive Order and IRS designation (see Pub. 3 for current list).
Take-home scenarios are illustrative estimates. Withholding varies with W-4 elections, state of legal residence, dependents, and deductions. Always verify your specific situation with your finance office, your tax professional, or your LES. Honest MOS does not provide tax or legal advice.