Military compensation
This pay-grade table shows official monthly base pay by years of service. If you are comparing offers, the key is total compensation: base pay plus BAS and location-adjusted housing value can materially shift what a civilian salary must replace.
Data vintage: DFAS basic pay (2025) and DTMO BAH averages (2026).
| Years of service | Monthly base pay | Annual base pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years or less | $3,788 | $45,457 |
| 2+ years | $4,134 | $49,612 |
| 3+ years | $4,293 | $51,516 |
| 4+ years | $4,502 | $54,025 |
| 6+ years | $4,667 | $55,998 |
| 8+ years | $4,948 | $59,371 |
| 10+ years | $5,106 | $61,276 |
| 12+ years | $5,387 | $64,645 |
| 14+ years | $5,621 | $67,457 |
| 16+ years | $5,781 | $69,376 |
| 18+ years | $5,951 | $71,413 |
| 20+ years | $6,017 | $72,205 |
| 22+ years | $6,238 | $74,858 |
| 24+ years | $6,357 | $76,280 |
| 26+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 28+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 30+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 32+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 34+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 36+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 38+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
| 40+ years | $6,809 | $81,706 |
For a typical E-7 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $7,780 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $93,360/yearbefore adding healthcare and retirement advantages.
Use the Pay Translator to model housing, tax treatment, and benefits gaps so you negotiate with a complete compensation target instead of salary alone.
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