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 | $3,908 | $46,897 |
| 2+ years | $4,329 | $51,952 |
| 3+ years | $4,442 | $53,305 |
| 4+ years | $4,681 | $56,174 |
| 6+ years | $4,964 | $59,562 |
| 8+ years | $5,380 | $64,559 |
| 10+ years | $5,574 | $66,892 |
| 12+ years | $5,847 | $70,164 |
| 14+ years | $6,114 | $73,372 |
| 16+ years | $6,325 | $75,895 |
| 18+ years | $6,518 | $78,221 |
| 20+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 22+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 24+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 26+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 28+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 30+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 32+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 34+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 36+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 38+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
| 40+ years | $6,754 | $81,043 |
For a typical W-1 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $7,864 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $94,368/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.
Open Pay Translator