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2026 Military Pay Chart: Basic Pay by Rank and Years of Service

One table, every branch. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard all pay from the exact same monthly basic pay schedule below — the only thing that changes by service is the rank NAME attached to each pay grade, not the paycheck. Effective 2026-01-01.

One pay grade, six services, six rank names

"Army pay chart," "Navy pay chart," "Air Force pay chart," and "USMC pay chart" are all the same table — the one below. Congress sets basic pay by PAY GRADE (E-1 through E-9, W-1 through W-5, O-1 through O-10), not by service, so a Sergeant (Army, E-5) and a Petty Officer Second Class (Navy, E-5) with identical years of service are paid exactly the same base amount. What differs by branch is only the rank title attached to each grade — mapped out below.

Enlisted basic pay (E-1 to E-9)

E-1 splits into two rows: the lower rate applies to the first four months of active duty, and the higher flat rate applies from the fourth month onward. For noncommissioned officers serving as Sergeant Major of the Army, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy or Coast Guard, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, basic pay for this grade is a flat monthly rate regardless of cumulative years of service under 37 U.S.C. 205.

Grade 2 or lessOver 2Over 3Over 4Over 6Over 8Over 10Over 12Over 14Over 16Over 18Over 20Over 22Over 24Over 26Over 28Over 30Over 32Over 34Over 36Over 38Over 40
E-1 (under 4 months) $2,225.70
E-1 (4 months or more) $2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20$2,407.20
E-2 $2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90$2,697.90
E-3 $2,836.80$3,015.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00$3,198.00
E-4 $3,142.20$3,303.00$3,482.40$3,658.50$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40$3,815.40
E-5 $3,342.90$3,598.20$3,775.80$3,946.80$4,110.00$4,299.90$4,395.30$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70$4,421.70
E-6 $3,401.10$3,743.10$3,908.10$4,068.90$4,235.70$4,612.80$4,759.50$5,043.30$5,130.30$5,193.60$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70$5,267.70
E-7 $3,932.10$4,291.50$4,456.20$4,673.10$4,843.80$5,135.70$5,300.40$5,591.70$5,835.00$6,000.90$6,177.30$6,245.70$6,475.20$6,598.20$7,067.40$7,067.40$7,067.40$7,067.40$7,067.40$7,067.40$7,067.40$7,067.40
E-8 $5,656.50$5,907.00$6,061.80$6,247.20$6,448.20$6,811.20$6,995.40$7,308.30$7,481.70$7,908.90$7,908.90$8,067.30$8,067.30$8,067.30$8,067.30$8,067.30$8,067.30
E-9 $6,910.20$7,066.50$7,263.60$7,496.10$7,730.70$8,105.10$8,423.10$8,756.70$9,267.90$9,267.90$9,730.20$9,730.20$10,217.40$10,217.40$10,729.20$10,729.20
Senior enlisted advisor (flat) $11,166.90/month, all years of service

The senior-enlisted-advisor flat rate applies to the Sergeant Major of the Army, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy or Coast Guard, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau — one position per service, regardless of years of service.

Source: Executive Order 14368, Schedule 8, effective 2026-01-01.

Warrant officer basic pay (W-1 to W-5)

Warrant officers are technical specialists; the Air Force and Space Force do not use the warrant officer grade.

Grade 2 or lessOver 2Over 3Over 4Over 6Over 8Over 10Over 12Over 14Over 16Over 18Over 20Over 22Over 24Over 26Over 28Over 30Over 32Over 34Over 36Over 38Over 40
W-1 $4,056.60$4,493.70$4,611.00$4,859.10$5,152.20$5,584.20$5,786.10$6,069.30$6,346.50$6,564.90$6,766.20$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10$7,010.10
W-2 $4,621.80$5,058.90$5,193.30$5,286.00$5,585.40$6,051.00$6,282.60$6,509.40$6,787.50$7,005.00$7,201.50$7,437.00$7,591.50$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20$7,714.20
W-3 $5,223.30$5,440.50$5,664.30$5,736.90$5,970.90$6,431.10$6,910.50$7,136.40$7,397.70$7,665.90$8,150.40$8,476.50$8,671.80$8,879.70$9,162.60$9,162.60$9,162.60$9,162.60$9,162.60$9,162.60$9,162.60$9,162.60
W-4 $5,719.80$6,152.10$6,328.50$6,502.20$6,801.90$7,098.00$7,398.00$7,848.30$8,243.70$8,619.90$8,928.60$9,228.90$9,669.60$10,032.00$10,445.40$10,445.40$10,653.60$10,653.60$10,653.60$10,653.60$10,653.60$10,653.60
W-5 $10,169.70$10,685.70$11,070.30$11,495.10$11,495.10$12,070.80$12,070.80$12,673.50$12,673.50$13,308.30$13,308.30

Source: Executive Order 14368, Schedule 8, effective 2026-01-01.

Commissioned officer basic pay (O-1 to O-10)

Pay for grades O-7 through O-10 (and the top years-of-service columns of O-6 and below) is capped at the Executive Schedule Level II monthly rate — $18,999.90 for 2026 — a cap on senior federal executive pay generally, set under 5 U.S.C. 5311-5318, not a military-specific rule.

Grade 2 or lessOver 2Over 3Over 4Over 6Over 8Over 10Over 12Over 14Over 16Over 18Over 20Over 22Over 24Over 26Over 28Over 30Over 32Over 34Over 36Over 38Over 40
O-1 $4,150.20$4,320.00$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40$5,222.40
O-2 $4,782.00$5,446.20$6,272.40$6,484.50$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70$6,617.70
O-3 $5,534.10$6,273.90$6,770.40$7,382.70$7,737.00$8,125.50$8,375.70$8,788.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20$9,004.20
O-4 $6,294.60$7,286.40$7,773.60$7,881.00$8,332.20$8,816.40$9,420.00$9,888.30$10,214.40$10,401.60$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90$10,509.90
O-5 $7,295.40$8,218.20$8,787.00$8,894.10$9,249.60$9,461.40$9,928.50$10,271.70$10,715.10$11,391.30$11,713.80$12,032.70$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80$12,394.80
O-6 $8,751.30$9,613.80$10,245.00$10,245.00$10,284.30$10,725.00$10,783.50$10,783.50$11,396.40$12,479.70$13,115.40$13,751.10$14,112.90$14,479.20$15,188.70$15,188.70$15,408.30$15,408.30$15,408.30$15,408.30$15,408.30$15,408.30
O-7 $11,540.10$12,076.20$12,324.30$12,522.00$12,878.70$13,231.80$13,639.20$14,045.70$14,454.30$15,735.30$16,817.70$16,817.70$16,817.70$16,817.70$16,904.40$16,904.40$17,242.20$17,242.20$17,242.20$17,242.20$17,242.20$17,242.20
O-8 $13,888.50$14,343.90$14,645.40$14,729.40$15,106.50$15,735.30$15,882.00$16,479.60$16,651.80$17,166.60$17,911.80$18,598.20$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90
O-9 $18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90
O-10 $18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90$18,999.90

Source: Executive Order 14368, Schedule 8, effective 2026-01-01.

Commissioned officers with prior enlisted or warrant service (O-1E to O-3E)

A lower-starting pay track for O-1 through O-3 officers who already have over 4 years of active duty service as an enlisted member or warrant officer — it does not apply below 4 years of service, since that prior service is the qualifying condition.

Grade 2 or lessOver 2Over 3Over 4Over 6Over 8Over 10Over 12Over 14Over 16Over 18Over 20Over 22Over 24Over 26Over 28Over 30Over 32Over 34Over 36Over 38Over 40
O-1E $5,222.40$5,576.70$5,783.10$5,993.70$6,200.70$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50$6,484.50
O-2E $6,484.50$6,617.70$6,828.00$7,183.80$7,458.90$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50$7,663.50
O-3E $7,382.70$7,737.00$8,125.50$8,375.70$8,788.20$9,137.10$9,336.90$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60$9,609.60

Source: Executive Order 14368, Schedule 8, effective 2026-01-01.

Rank names by branch, at each pay grade

The dollar amounts above are set by pay grade, not by rank name — use this table to find your grade's pay row from your service's own rank title.

GradeArmyNavy / Coast GuardAir Force / Space ForceMarine Corps
E-1 Private Seaman Recruit Airman Basic / Specialist 1 Private
E-2 Private 2nd Class Seaman Apprentice Airman / Specialist 2 Private First Class
E-3 Private First Class Seaman Airman First Class / Specialist 3 Lance Corporal
E-4 Corporal / Specialist Petty Officer 3rd Class Senior Airman / Specialist 4 Corporal
E-5 Sergeant Petty Officer 2nd Class Staff Sergeant / Sergeant Sergeant
E-6 Staff Sergeant Petty Officer 1st Class Technical Sergeant Staff Sergeant
E-7 Sergeant First Class Chief Petty Officer Master Sergeant Gunnery Sergeant
E-8 Master Sergeant / First Sergeant Senior Chief Petty Officer Senior Master Sergeant Master Sergeant / First Sergeant
E-9 Sergeant Major / Command Sergeant Major Master Chief Petty Officer Chief Master Sergeant Master Gunnery Sergeant / Sergeant Major
GradeArmyNavy / Coast GuardMarine Corps
W-1 Warrant Officer 1 Warrant Officer 1 Warrant Officer 1
W-2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 Chief Warrant Officer 2
W-3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chief Warrant Officer 3
W-4 Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chief Warrant Officer 4
W-5 Chief Warrant Officer 5 Chief Warrant Officer 5 Chief Warrant Officer 5
GradeArmyNavy / Coast GuardAir Force / Space ForceMarine Corps
O-1 Second Lieutenant Ensign Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant
O-2 First Lieutenant Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant First Lieutenant
O-3 Captain Lieutenant Captain Captain
O-4 Major Lieutenant Commander Major Major
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel Commander Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel
O-6 Colonel Captain Colonel Colonel
O-7 Brigadier General Rear Admiral (lower half) Brigadier General Brigadier General
O-8 Major General Rear Admiral (upper half) Major General Major General
O-9 Lieutenant General Vice Admiral Lieutenant General Lieutenant General
O-10 General Admiral General General

Rank titles sourced from each service's official site (goarmy.com, navy.com, airforce.com, marines.com, spaceforce.com, gocoastguard.com) and the DoD Office of the Actuary's pay-grade reference. Junior Space Force enlisted titles (Specialist 1-4) reflect that branch's 2024 rank-name reform.

How military pay is actually taxed

This is a tax site, so here's the part the pay chart itself doesn't tell you: not every dollar above is treated the same way on your return.

Basic pay is fully taxable

Every figure in the tables above is ordinary taxable wages — subject to federal income tax withholding, state income tax (where applicable), and FICA, exactly like a civilian paycheck.

BAH and BAS are tax-free

Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for Subsistence are excluded from gross income as "qualified military benefits" under 26 U.S.C. §134 — they never show up as taxable wages, and because states start from a federal income figure that never included them, they do not reappear at state level.

Combat zone pay: full exclusion for enlisted, capped for officers

Under 26 U.S.C. §112, enlisted members and warrant officers exclude ALL pay for a month with qualifying combat-zone service. Commissioned officers get the same exclusion, capped at the "maximum enlisted amount" defined by §112(c)(5): the highest enlisted basic pay for the month ($11,166.90) plus hostile fire/imminent danger pay under 37 U.S.C. §310, at the rate the Defense Department currently sets.

Basic pay counts toward the Social Security wage base

Basic pay is subject to FICA like any wages, up to the $184,500 Social Security wage base for 2026 — see the FICA calculator linked below to run your own withholding.

State income tax treatment of military pay varies widely — several states fully exempt active-duty military pay and others tax it like any other income. Check your state's rules on the state income tax calculator , and see the taxes for military service members guide for residency rules (SCRA) and other service-specific deductions.

BAH, BAS, and special/incentive pays are not in this table

This page covers basic pay only — Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) varies by duty-station ZIP code, pay grade, and dependency status across thousands of military housing areas, so it can't be reduced to one chart. Use the official DoD BAH calculator to look up your own rate.

Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) is set annually by the Department of Defense as a flat monthly rate (a separate rate for officers and for enlisted members) — see the DFAS pay tables for the current published rate.

Special and incentive pays — hazardous duty, flight pay, sea pay, special duty assignment pay, enlistment and reenlistment bonuses, and dozens more — are set by their own separate schedules and are not part of Schedule 8 basic pay.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a separate Army pay chart, Navy pay chart, Air Force pay chart, or USMC pay chart?

No. Every branch — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard — pays from the exact same monthly basic pay table, set once a year by Executive Order under 37 U.S.C. 203(a) and adjusted under 37 U.S.C. 1009. An Army Sergeant (E-5) and a Navy Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) with the same years of service earn the identical $3,342.90-to-$4,395.30 base pay range shown in the table above — only the RANK NAME differs by service, not the paycheck.

What is the 2026 military pay raise?

3.8% across the board, effective January 1, 2026, per Executive Order 14368. Junior enlisted members in pay grades E-1 through E-4 (and the lower years-of-service columns of E-5) see a larger year-over-year increase than 3.8%, because their 2025 comparison figure predates a separate targeted junior-enlisted pay raise that took effect in April 2025 — the 3.8% figure describes the January 2026 adjustment only, not the full two-step increase junior enlisted troops saw across both changes.

What is the military pay scale by years of service?

Within each rank, basic pay steps up at 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, and 40 years of service — 22 columns in total, shown in full above for every enlisted, warrant, and commissioned officer grade. Pay plateaus (stops increasing) at different YOS points depending on grade: for example E-4 basic pay is flat from 6 years onward, while O-3 basic pay is flat from 14 years onward.

Why is basic pay capped at $18,999.90 for O-8, O-9, and O-10?

By law, basic pay for pay grades O-7 through O-10 cannot exceed the rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5311-5318) — a cap on federal executive pay generally, not something specific to the military. That cap is $18,999.90/month for 2026, and it rises by a much smaller percentage each year than the military's own basic pay raise, which is why the highest years-of-service columns for O-8 through O-10 (and part of O-7) show a flatter, smaller year-over-year increase than every other grade in the table.

Is BAH or BAS taxable?

No. Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) are both excluded from gross income as "qualified military benefits" under 26 U.S.C. §134 — they never appear as taxable wages on a W-2, unlike basic pay. That also means BAH and BAS don't get taxed by any state, don't count toward the FICA wage base, and aren't reduced by federal withholding.

Is combat zone pay tax-free for everyone?

Not identically. Under 26 U.S.C. §112, enlisted members and warrant officers exclude ALL military pay earned during a month with any qualifying combat-zone service, with no dollar cap. Commissioned officers get the same exclusion but it's capped at what §112(c)(5) calls the "maximum enlisted amount": the highest rate of enlisted basic pay for that month — the flat senior-enlisted-advisor rate shown above, $11,166.90/month for 2026 — plus hostile fire/imminent danger pay under 37 U.S.C. §310 for an officer entitled to it, at the rate the Defense Department currently sets. An officer's combat-zone pay above that combined amount is still taxable.

Sources

Related insights

Use these guides for rule explanations, planning context, and follow-up questions beyond the calculator result.

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Last updated July 26, 2026 Tax year 2026

Data sources: Executive Order 14368 of December 18, 2025 — Schedule 837 U.S.C. §203(a) / §100926 U.S.C. §§112, 134

This tool is general information only, not financial advice.

Reviewed by USTax Tools Editorial Desk

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