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 | $7,028 | $84,341 |
| 2+ years | $7,917 | $95,008 |
| 3+ years | $8,465 | $101,585 |
| 4+ years | $8,569 | $102,823 |
| 6+ years | $8,911 | $106,931 |
| 8+ years | $9,115 | $109,379 |
| 10+ years | $9,565 | $114,779 |
| 12+ years | $9,896 | $118,750 |
| 14+ years | $10,323 | $123,872 |
| 16+ years | $10,974 | $131,692 |
| 18+ years | $11,285 | $135,421 |
| 20+ years | $11,592 | $139,108 |
| 22+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 24+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 26+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 28+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 30+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 32+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 34+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 36+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 38+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
| 40+ years | $11,941 | $143,291 |
For a typical O-5 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $12,567 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $150,804/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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