2018 Military Pay Charts

Updated: December 24, 2022
In this Article

    The 2018 military pay charts are official with a 2.4% pay increase as approved by President Trump on Dec. 12, 2017.

    Pay increases will be effective on Jan. 1, 2018 and be reflected on the first paychecks that go out on Jan. 12, 2018.

    See the 2019 military pay charts as signed into law by President Trump on Aug. 13, 2018.

    See 2025 military pay rates and charts here.

    Next Steps:

    • President Trump signed the NDAA into law on 12/2/2017. The 2017 version was signed into law on Dec. 23, 2016.

    The 2018 2.4% pay increase is in line with private sector wage growth.

    2018 Military Pay Scale

    GRADE2 OR LESSOVER 2OVER 3OVER 4OVER 6OVER 8
    O-10 (*1)$-$-$-$-$-$-
    O-9 (*1)$-$-$-$-$-$-
    O-8 (*1) $10,399 $10,739 $10,966 $11,028 $11,311 $11,782
    O-7 (*1) $8,641 $9,042 $9,228 $9,375 $9,643 $9,907
    O-6 (*2) $6,552 $7,199 $7,671 $7,671 $7,700 $8,031
    O-5 $5,462 $6,154 $6,579 $6,659 $6,926 $7,084
    O-4 $4,713 $5,456 $5,820 $5,901 $6,239 $6,601
    O-3 $4,144 $4,697 $5,070 $5,528 $5,793 $6,083
    O-2 $3,580 $4,078 $4,696 $4,855 $4,955 $4,955
    O-1 $3,108 $3,235 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910
    O-3 (*3)$-$-$- $5,528 $5,793 $6,083
    O-2 (*3)$-$-$- $4,855 $4,955 $5,113
    O-1 (*3)$-$-$- $3,910 $4,175 $4,330
    W-5$-$-$-$-$-$-
    W-4 $4,282 $4,606 $4,739 $4,869 $5,093 $5,315
    W-3 $3,911 $4,074 $4,241 $4,296 $4,471 $4,815
    W-2 $3,461 $3,788 $3,889 $3,958 $4,182 $4,531
    W-1 $3,038 $3,364 $3,452 $3,638 $3,858 $4,182
    E-9 (*4)$-$-$-$-$-$-
    E-8$-$-$-$-$- $4,235
    E-7 $2,944 $3,213 $3,336 $3,499 $3,627 $3,845
    E-6 $2,546 $2,802 $2,926 $3,046 $3,172 $3,454
    E-5 $2,333 $2,490 $2,610 $2,733 $2,925 $3,126
    E-4 $2,139 $2,248 $2,370 $2,490 $2,596 $2,596
    E-3 $1,931 $2,052 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177
    E-2 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836
    E-1 > 4 mos $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638
    E-1 < 4 mos$1,514 $-$-$-$-$-

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    2018 Military Pay Scale

    GRADEOVER 10OVER 12OVER 14OVER 16OVER 18OVER 20
    O-10 (*1)$-$-$-$-$- $15,800
    O-9 (*1)$-$-$-$-$- $14,696
    O-8 (*1) $11,891 $12,339 $12,467 $12,853 $13,411 $13,925
    O-7 (*1) $10,212 $10,517 $10,822 $11,782 $12,592 $12,592
    O-6 (*2) $8,074 $8,074 $8,532 $9,344 $9,820 $10,296
    O-5 $7,434 $7,691 $8,022 $8,530 $8,771 $9,009
    O-4 $7,053 $7,404 $7,648 $7,788 $7,869 $7,869
    O-3 $6,271 $6,580 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742
    O-2 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955
    O-1 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910
    O-3 (*3) $6,271 $6,580 $6,841 $6,991 $7,195 $7,195
    O-2 (*3) $5,379 $5,585 $5,738 $5,738 $5,738 $5,738
    O-1 (*3) $4,488 $4,643 $4,855 $4,855 $4,855 $4,855
    W-5$-$-$-$-$- $7,615
    W-4 $5,539 $5,876 $6,173 $6,454 $6,685 $6,910
    W-3 $5,174 $5,343 $5,539 $5,740 $6,102 $6,347
    W-2 $4,704 $4,874 $5,082 $5,245 $5,392 $5,568
    W-1 $4,333 $4,544 $4,752 $4,916 $5,066 $5,249
    E-9 (*4) $5,174 $5,291 $5,439 $5,613 $5,788 $6,069
    E-8 $4,422 $4,539 $4,677 $4,828 $5,100 $5,237
    E-7 $3,968 $4,187 $4,369 $4,493 $4,625 $4,676
    E-6 $3,564 $3,777 $3,842 $3,889 $3,944 $3,944
    E-5 $3,291 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310
    E-4 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596
    E-3 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177
    E-2 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836
    E-1 > 4 mos $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638
    E-1 < 4 mos$-$-$-$-$-$-

    2018 Military Pay Scale

    GRADEOVER 22OVER 24OVER 26OVER 28OVER 30OVER 32
    O-10 (*1)$15,800$15,800$15,800$15,800$15,800$15,800
    O-9 (*1) $14,909 $15,214 $15,748 $15,748 $15,800$15,800
    O-8 (*1) $14,268 $14,268 $14,268 $14,268 $14,625 $14,625
    O-7 (*1) $12,592 $12,592 $12,656 $12,656 $12,909 $12,909
    O-6 (*2) $10,566 $10,841 $11,373 $11,373 $11,600 $11,600
    O-5 $9,280 $9,280 $9,280 $9,280 $9,280 $9,280
    O-4 $7,869 $7,869 $7,869 $7,869 $7,869 $7,869
    O-3 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742
    O-2 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955
    O-1 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910
    O-3 (*3) $7,195 $7,195 $7,195 $7,195 $7,195 $7,195
    O-2 (*3) $5,738 $5,738 $5,738 $5,738 $5,738 $5,738
    O-1 (*3) $4,855 $4,855 $4,855 $4,855 $4,855 $4,855
    W-5 $8,001 $8,288 $8,607 $8,607 $9,038 $9,038
    W-4 $7,240 $7,511 $7,821 $7,821 $7,977 $7,977
    W-3 $6,493 $6,648 $6,860 $6,860 $6,860 $6,860
    W-2 $5,684 $5,776 $5,776 $5,776 $5,776 $5,776
    W-1 $5,249 $5,249 $5,249 $5,249 $5,249 $5,249
    E-9 (*4) $6,307 $6,556 $6,939 $6,939 $7,286 $7,286
    E-8 $5,472 $5,602 $5,922 $5,922 $6,040 $6,040
    E-7 $4,848 $4,940 $5,292 $5,292 $5,292 $5,292
    E-6 $3,944 $3,944 $3,944 $3,944 $3,944 $3,944
    E-5 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310
    E-4 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596
    E-3 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177
    E-2 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836
    E-1 > 4 mos $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638
    E-1 < 4 mos$-$-$-$-$-$-

    2018 Military Pay Scale

    GRADEOVER 34OVER 36OVER 38OVER 40
    O-10 (*1)$15,800$15,800$15,800$15,800
    O-9 (*1)$15,800$15,800$15,800$15,800
    O-8 (*1) $14,991 $14,991 $14,991 $14,991
    O-7 (*1) $12,909 $12,909 $12,909 $12,909
    O-6 (*2) $11,600 $11,600 $11,600 $11,600
    O-5 $9,280 $9,280 $9,280 $9,280
    O-4 $7,869 $7,869 $7,869 $7,869
    O-3 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742 $6,742
    O-2 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955 $4,955
    O-1 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910 $3,910
    O-3 (*3) $7,195 $7,195 $7,195 $7,195
    O-2 (*3) $5,738 $5,738 $5,738 $5,738
    O-1 (*3) $4,855 $4,855 $4,855 $4,855
    W-5 $9,489 $9,489 $9,964 $9,964
    W-4 $7,977 $7,977 $7,977 $7,977
    W-3 $6,860 $6,860 $6,860 $6,860
    W-2 $5,776 $5,776 $5,776 $5,776
    W-1 $5,249 $5,249 $5,249 $5,249
    E-9 (*4) $7,650 $7,650 $8,033 $8,033
    E-8 $6,040 $6,040 $6,040 $6,040
    E-7 $5,292 $5,292 $5,292 $5,292
    E-6 $3,944 $3,944 $3,944 $3,944
    E-5 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310 $3,310
    E-4 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596 $2,596
    E-3 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177 $2,177
    E-2 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836 $1,836
    E-1 > 4 mos $1,638 $1,638 $1,638 $1,638
    E-1 < 4 mos$-$-$-$-

    Notes:
    1. Basic pay for an O-7 to O-10 is limited by Level II of the Executive Schedule in effect during Calendar Year 2018 which is: $15,800.10. This includes officers serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Chief of Staff of the Army,
    Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Commandant of the Coast Guard, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or commander of a unified or specified combatant command (as defined in 10 U.S.C. 161(c)).
    2. Basic pay for O-6 and below is limited by Level V of the Executive Schedule in effect during Calendar Year 2018 which is: $12,816.60.
    3. For the Sergeant Major of the Army Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Senior Enlisted Advisor of the JCS, or Senior Enlisted Advisor
    Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau basic pay is: $8,361.00.
    4. Combat Zone Tax Exclusion for O-1 and above is based on the basic pay rate shown in note 3 plus Hostile Fire Pay/Imminent Danger Pay which is $225.00.
    5. Basic pay rate for Academy Cadets/Midshipmen and ROTC members/applicants is: $1,087.80.

    The military pay charts are for all U.S. Armed Forces personnel Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Reserves forces where applicable. Also, be sure to know your military pay dates.


    Written by Veteran.com Team

    The editorial team here at Veteran.com works to help the U.S. military community discover the many military benefits available to them. Our team is supported by our Veteran Review Board and its Standard of Care, which all content on Veteran.com is reviewed to meet.