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 | $5,510 | $66,125 |
| 2+ years | $5,927 | $71,122 |
| 3+ years | $6,097 | $73,163 |
| 4+ years | $6,264 | $75,172 |
| 6+ years | $6,553 | $78,635 |
| 8+ years | $6,838 | $82,058 |
| 10+ years | $7,127 | $85,525 |
| 12+ years | $7,561 | $90,731 |
| 14+ years | $7,942 | $95,303 |
| 16+ years | $8,304 | $99,652 |
| 18+ years | $8,602 | $103,219 |
| 20+ years | $8,891 | $106,693 |
| 22+ years | $9,316 | $111,787 |
| 24+ years | $9,665 | $115,978 |
| 26+ years | $10,063 | $120,755 |
| 28+ years | $10,063 | $120,755 |
| 30+ years | $10,264 | $123,163 |
| 32+ years | $10,264 | $123,163 |
| 34+ years | $10,264 | $123,163 |
| 36+ years | $10,264 | $123,163 |
| 38+ years | $10,264 | $123,163 |
| 40+ years | $10,264 | $123,163 |
For a typical W-4 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $9,795 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $117,540/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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