Historical Military Pay Charts 1949 to 2022

Updated: May 30, 2022
Historical Military Pay Rates
Thomas Frezza, logistic support for the United States Marine Corps Historical Company, knees as a M4 Sherman tank gets in position during a tactical demonstration at the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles on Aug. 17. Frezza and active duty Marine volunteers donned World War II era Marine uniforms and weapons and engaged a fixed position. Photo by Photo by Marine Corps Cpl. Paris Capers.

Written by MilitaryBenefits

Table of Contents

    Historical Military Pay Rates

    Thomas Frezza, logistic support for the United States Marine Corps Historical Company, knees as a M4 Sherman tank gets in position during a World War II-era tactical demonstration at the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles. Photo by Photo by Marine Corps Cpl. Paris Capers.

    Seeing how much service members were paid in the past provides a small glimpse of military and economic history.

    Check out these military pay charts, archived by the Defense Finance Accounting and Service (DFAS), to see how military pay today compares to what service members made in the past.

    These charts are based on basic pay, which is the primary compensation offered to United States Armed Forces members. The Department of Defense raises service member pay rates annually to accommodate cost of living increases.

    Some military members may earn more depending on various allowances and special or incentive pay.

    Click on each pay table link to see a detailed .pdf chart.

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    Historical Military Pay Charts

    DateMilitary Pay Chart
    Oct 1, 1949Military Pay Scale 1949
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1950
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1951
    May 1, 1952 Military Pay Scale 1952
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1953
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1954
    Apr 1, 1955 Military Pay Scale 1955
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1956
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1957
    Jun 1, 1958 Military Pay Scale 1958
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1959
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1960
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1961
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1962
    Oct 1, 1963 Military Pay Scale 1963
    Sep 1, 1964Military Pay Scale 1964
    Sep 1, 1965 Military Pay Scale 1965
    Jul 1, 1966Military Pay Scale 1966
    Oct 1, 1967 Military Pay Scale 1967
    Jul 1, 1968Military Pay Scale 1968
    Jul 1, 1969Military Pay Scale 1969
    Jan 1, 1970Military Pay Scale 1970
    Jan 1, 1971Military Pay Scale 1971
    Oct 1, 1971Military Pay Scale 1971
    Jan 1, 1972 Military Pay Scale 1972
    Oct 1, 1972Military Pay Scale 1972
    Oct 1, 1973 Military Pay Scale 1973
    Oct 1, 1974Military Pay Scale 1974
    Oct 1, 1975 Military Pay Scale 1975
    Oct 1, 1976 Military Pay Scale 1976
    Oct 1, 1977 Military Pay Scale 1977
    Oct 1, 1978Military Pay Scale 1978
    Oct 1, 1979Military Pay Scale 1979
    Oct 1, 1980Military Pay Scale 1980
    Oct 1, 1981 Military Pay Scale 1981
    Oct 1, 1982 Military Pay Scale 1982
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1983
    Jan 1, 1984Military Pay Scale 1984
    Jan 1, 1985 Military Pay Scale 1985
    No Pay UpdateMilitary Pay Scale 1986
    Jan 1, 1987 Military Pay Scale 1987
    Jan 1, 1988Military Pay Scale 1988
    Jan 1, 1989Military Pay Scale 1989
    Jan 1, 1990Military Pay Scale 1990
    Jan 1, 1991Military Pay Scale 1991
    Jan 1, 1992 Military Pay Scale 1992
    Jan 1, 1993Military Pay Scale 1993
    Jan 1, 1994Military Pay Scale 1994
    Jan 1, 1995Military Pay Scale 1995
    Jan 1, 1996Military Pay Scale 1996
    Jan 1, 1997 Military Pay Scale 1997
    Jan 1, 1998 Military Pay Scale 1998
    Jan 1, 1999Military Pay Scale 1999
    Jan 1, 2000Military Pay Scale 2000
    Jul 1, 2000 Military Pay Scale 2000
    Jan 1, 2001 Military Pay Scale 2001
    Jul 1, 2001 Military Pay Scale 2001
    Jan 1, 2002 Military Pay Scale 2002
    Jan 1, 2003 Military Pay Scale 2003
    Jan 1, 2004Military Pay Scale 2004
    Jan 1, 2005Military Pay Scale 2005
    Jan 1, 2006 Military Pay Scale 2006
    Jan 1, 2007Military Pay Scale 2007
    Apr 1, 2007Military Pay Scale 2007
    Jan 1, 2008Military Pay Scale 2008
    Jan 1, 2009Military Pay Scale 2009
    Jan 1, 2010Military Pay Scale 2010
    Jan 1, 2011Military Pay Scale 2011
    Jan 1, 2012Military Pay Scale 2012
    Jan 1. 2013Military Pay Scale 2013
    Jan 1, 2014Military Pay Scale 2014
    Jan 1, 2015Military Pay Scale 2015
    Jan 1, 2016Military Pay Scale 2016
    Jan.1, 2017Military Pay Scale 2017
    Jan 1, 2018Military Pay Scale 2018
    Jan 1, 2019Military Pay Scale 2019
    Jan 1, 2020Military Pay Scale 2020
    Jan 1, 2021Military Pay Scale 2021

    More Historical Military Pay Resources

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