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 | $4,453 | $53,431 |
| 2+ years | $4,874 | $58,486 |
| 3+ years | $5,003 | $60,037 |
| 4+ years | $5,093 | $61,110 |
| 6+ years | $5,381 | $64,570 |
| 8+ years | $5,830 | $69,955 |
| 10+ years | $6,053 | $72,630 |
| 12+ years | $6,271 | $75,254 |
| 14+ years | $6,539 | $78,469 |
| 16+ years | $6,749 | $80,982 |
| 18+ years | $6,938 | $83,254 |
| 20+ years | $7,165 | $85,975 |
| 22+ years | $7,314 | $87,764 |
| 24+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 26+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 28+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 30+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 32+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 34+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 36+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 38+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
| 40+ years | $7,432 | $89,183 |
For a typical W-2 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $8,390 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $100,680/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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