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 | $5,032 | $60,386 |
| 2+ years | $5,241 | $62,896 |
| 3+ years | $5,457 | $65,484 |
| 4+ years | $5,527 | $66,323 |
| 6+ years | $5,752 | $69,026 |
| 8+ years | $6,196 | $74,347 |
| 10+ years | $6,658 | $79,891 |
| 12+ years | $6,875 | $82,501 |
| 14+ years | $7,127 | $85,522 |
| 16+ years | $7,385 | $88,625 |
| 18+ years | $7,852 | $94,223 |
| 20+ years | $8,166 | $97,996 |
| 22+ years | $8,354 | $100,253 |
| 24+ years | $8,555 | $102,654 |
| 26+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 28+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 30+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 32+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 34+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 36+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 38+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
| 40+ years | $8,827 | $105,926 |
For a typical W-3 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $8,882 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $106,584/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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