With the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026, all servicemembers officially received a 3.8% pay increase across the board.
2026 Military Pay Charts
The following tables reflect the 3.8% in military pay bay ranks. Check to see how these pay increases affect your monthly income.
Enlisted Pay Chart (Less than 2 Years to Over 6 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | 2 years or less | Over 2 | Over 3 | Over 4 | Over 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-7 | $3,932.05 | $4,291.40 | $4,456.13 | $4,673.18 | $4,843.83 |
| E-6 | $3,401.11 | $3,743.03 | $3,908.07 | $4,068.75 | $4,235.66 |
| E-5 | $3,342.88 | $3,598.23 | $3,775.73 | $3,946.68 | $4,109.86 |
| E-4 | $3,142.34 | $3,303.02 | $3,482.39 | $3,658.64 | $3,815.27 |
| E-3 | $2,836.85 | $3,014.97 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 |
| E-2 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 |
| E-1 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 |
| E-1 Less than 4 months | $2,225.58 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Enlisted Pay Chart (8 Years to Over 16 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | Over 8 | Over 10 | Over 12 | Over 14 | Over 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-9 | N/A | $6,910.28 | $7,066.60 | $7,263.72 | $7,496.02 |
| E-8 | $5,656.58 | $5,906.95 | $6,061.71 | $6,247.31 | $6,448.16 |
| E-7 | $5,135.61 | $5,300.34 | $5,591.81 | $5,835.01 | $6,000.99 |
| E-6 | $4,612.77 | $4,759.44 | $5,043.43 | $5,130.32 | $5,193.53 |
| E-5 | $4,299.81 | $4,395.41 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 |
| E-4 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 |
| E-3 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 |
| E-2 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 |
| E-1 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 |
Enlisted Pay Chart (18 Years to Over 26 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | Over 18 | Over 20 | Over 22 | Over 24 | Over 26 | Over 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-9 | $7,730.82 | $8,105.12 | $8,423.06 | $8,756.57 | $9,267.89 | $9,267.89 |
| E-8 | $6,811.25 | $6,995.29 | $7,308.25 | $7,481.70 | $7,908.94 | $7,908.94 |
| E-7 | $6,177.24 | $6,245.75 | $6,475.25 | $6,598.25 | $7,067.53 | $7,067.53 |
| E-6 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 |
| E-5 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 |
| E-4 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 |
| E-3 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 |
| E-2 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 |
| E-1 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 |
Enlisted Pay Chart (30 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | Over 30 | Over 32 | Over 34 | Over 36 | Over 38 | Over 40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-9 | $9,730.32 | $9,730.32 | $10,217.35 | $10,217.35 | $10,729.29 | $10,729.29 |
| E-8 | $8,067.44 | $8,067.44 | $8,067.44 | $8,067.44 | $8,067.44 | $8,067.44 |
| E-7 | $7,067.53 | $7,067.53 | $7,067.53 | $7,067.53 | $7,067.53 | $7,067.53 |
| E-6 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 | $5,267.64 |
| E-5 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 | $4,421.57 |
| E-4 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 | $3,815.27 |
| E-3 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 | $3,198.08 |
| E-2 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 | $2,697.97 |
| E-1 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 | $2,407.12 |
Enlisted Notes:
According to the Allowances of the Uniformed Services, noncommissioned officers holding positions such as the following receive a fixed basic pay, no matter the number of years of service.
- Sergeant Major of the Army
- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy\Coast Guard
- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
- Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
- Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force
- Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Officer Pay Chart (Less than 2 Years to Over 6 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | 2 Years or Less | Over 2 | Over 3 | Over 4 | Over 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-8 | $13,888.44 | $14,344.02 | $14,645.45 | $14,729.53 | $15,106.64 |
| O-7 | $11,540.17 | $12,076.09 | $12,324.28 | $12,522.02 | $12,878.57 |
| O-6 | $8,751.27 | $9,613.85 | $10,245.06 | $10,245.06 | $10,284.30 |
| O-5 | $7,295.48 | $8,218.16 | $8,787.09 | $8,894.21 | $9,249.51 |
| O-4 | $6,294.64 | $7,286.45 | $7,773.48 | $7,880.91 | $8,332.13 |
| O-3 | $5,534.20 | $6,273.78 | $6,770.46 | $7,382.67 | $7,737.04 |
| O-2 | $4,781.86 | $5,446.07 | $6,272.53 | $6,484.59 | $6,617.56 |
| O-1 | $4,150.34 | $4,320.05 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 |
| O-3E | N/A | N/A | N/A | $7,382.67 | $7,737.04 |
| O-2E | N/A | N/A | N/A | $6,484.59 | $6,617.56 |
| O-1E | N/A | N/A | N/A | $5,222.49 | $5,576.55 |
| W-4 | $5,719.80 | $6,152.02 | $6,328.58 | $6,502.34 | $6,801.91 |
| W-3 | $5,223.42 | $5,440.47 | $5,664.37 | $5,736.92 | $5,970.78 |
| W-2 | $4,621.80 | $5,059.00 | $5,193.22 | $5,286.02 | $5,585.27 |
| W-1 | $4,056.61 | $4,493.81 | $4,610.90 | $4,859.09 | $5,152.11 |
Officer Pay Chart (8 Years to Over 16 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | Over 8 | Over 10 | Over 12 | Over 14 | Over 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-8 | $15,735.35 | $15,882.02 | $16,479.60 | $16,651.80 | $17,166.55 |
| O-7 | $13,231.70 | $13,639.32 | $14,045.70 | $14,454.25 | $15,735.35 |
| O-6 | $10,724.93 | $10,783.47 | $10,783.47 | $11,396.31 | $12,479.67 |
| O-5 | $9,461.27 | $9,928.37 | $10,271.84 | $10,714.96 | $11,391.32 |
| O-4 | $8,816.36 | $9,419.85 | $9,888.20 | $10,214.54 | $10,401.69 |
| O-3 | $8,125.36 | $8,375.73 | $8,788.33 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 |
| O-2 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 |
| O-1 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 |
| O-3E | $8,125.36 | $8,375.73 | $8,788.33 | $9,137.10 | $9,337.02 |
| O-2E | $6,828.07 | $7,183.69 | $7,458.96 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 |
| O-1E | $5,783.01 | $5,993.83 | $6,200.60 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 |
| W-4 | $7,098.05 | $7,397.93 | $7,848.21 | $8,243.69 | $8,619.86 |
| W-3 | $6,431.03 | $6,910.59 | $7,136.35 | $7,397.62 | $7,666.05 |
| W-2 | $6,051.12 | $6,282.50 | $6,509.51 | $6,787.59 | $7,004.94 |
| W-1 | $5,584.34 | $5,786.12 | $6,069.19 | $6,346.64 | $6,564.93 |
Officer Pay Chart (18 Years to Over 26 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | Over 18 | Over 20 | Over 22 | Over 24 | Over 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 (Note 1) | N/A | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 |
| O-9 (Note 1) | N/A | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 |
| O-8 (Note 1) | $17,911.73 | $18,598.05 | $19,056.75 | $19,056.75 | $19,056.75 |
| O-7 (Note 1) | $16,817.78 | $16,817.78 | $16,817.78 | $16,817.78 | $16,904.35 |
| O-6 (Note 1) | $13,115.55 | $13,751.11 | $14,112.96 | $14,479.17 | $15,188.85 |
| O-5 | $11,713.93 | $12,032.81 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 |
| O-4 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 |
| O-3 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 |
| O-2 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 |
| O-1 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 |
| O-3E | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 |
| O-2E | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 |
| O-1E | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 |
| W-5 | N/A | $10,169.70 | $10,685.69 | $11,070.27 | $11,495.02 |
| W-4 | $8,928.46 | $9,228.96 | $9,669.59 | $10,032.06 | $10,445.29 |
| W-3 | $8,150.27 | $8,476.62 | $8,671.87 | $8,879.57 | $9,162.63 |
| W-2 | $7,201.44 | $7,436.85 | $7,591.62 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 |
| W-1 | $6,766.10 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 |
Officer Pay Chart (Over 28 Years of Service)
| Pay Grade | Over 28 | Over 30 | Over 32 | Over 34 | Over 36 | Over 38 | Over 40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 (Note 1) | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 |
| O-9 (Note 1) | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 |
| O-8 (Note 1) | $19,056.75 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 | $19,522.91 |
| O-7 (Note 1) | $16,904.35 | $17,242.22 | $17,242.22 | $17,242.22 | $17,242.22 | $17,242.22 | $17,242.22 |
| O-6 (Note 2) | $15,188.85 | $15,492.15 | $15,492.15 | $15,492.15 | $15,492.15 | $15,492.15 | $15,492.15 |
| O-5 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 | $12,394.65 |
| O-4 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 | $10,509.75 |
| O-3 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 | $9,004.13 |
| O-2 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 | $6,617.56 |
| O-1 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 | $5,222.49 |
| O-3E | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 | $9,609.49 |
| O-2E | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 | $7,663.55 |
| O-1E | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 | $6,484.59 |
| W-5 | $11,495.02 | $12,070.80 | $12,070.80 | $12,673.36 | $12,673.36 | $13,308.30 | $13,308.30 |
| W-4 | $10,445.29 | $10,653.62 | $10,653.62 | $10,653.62 | $10,653.62 | $10,653.62 | $10,653.62 |
| W-3 | $9,162.63 | $9,162.63 | $9,162.63 | $9,162.63 | $9,162.63 | $9,162.63 | $9,162.63 |
| W-2 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 | $7,714.31 |
| W-1 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 | $7,010.24 |
NOTE 1. Military basic pay for O-7 through O-10 is limited by the Level II of the Executive Schedule. The actual figures will be released at a later date.
NOTE 2. Basic pay for pay grades O-6 and below is limited to the rate of basic pay for Level V of the Executive Schedule. The actual figures will be released at a later date.
2026 Military Pay and Allowances
Along with the 3.8% pay increase, the Defense budget also cleared the way for a 4.2% increase for Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), and a 2.4% increase in Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS).
Timeline for Approval
- Spring: The DOD submitted its proposed budget to Congress.
- Summer: Congress reviewed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
- Fall/Winter: Once approved in by Congress, the President signs the NDAA into law, finalizing the pay raise.
Final Thoughts
While the initial proposal included a trillion-dollar request, the 2026 defense budget will not be for that amount. However, it did mark another year of pay increases. It also included a one-time “Warrior Dividend” to be paid as a tax-free payment to all servicemembers in addition to the 3.8% salary increase.
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Jon Rehagan covers financial topics and military news, aimed at helping those who've served our country and everyday civilians