Military Pay Chart: What It Is and Pay Rates in 2024

Whether you’re considering a new career in the military or wondering how much your pay will increase as your number of years in service increases, military pay charts can be a valuable resource.

Compensation in the military can look different from civilian jobs since it includes basic pay and additional allowances for subsistence and housing. A military pay chart will show you how much you can earn based on your role and number of years in service.

What Is a Military Pay Chart?

A military pay chart provides information about the basic pay rates for each rank and grade depending on the number of years of military service. For active-duty service members, the pay includes basic pay, housing expenses, clothing allowance, and basic allowance for subsistence. Some service members may also receive special pay depending on their role and working conditions.

How is Military Pay Calculated?

Military pay scale is calculated based on your pay grade, location, duties, and years of service. Other than the basic pay, it includes a number of other components like cost of living allowances, based on where they are stationed and/or what their duty assignment is. For many service members, these allowances can be a major portion of their pay.

Military pay raises are annual and are determined by the Employment Cost Index (ECI). The military uses the ECI year-over-year changes to determine the pay raise percentage for the next year. These pay raises are established to keep up with the rising cost of living. Military pay increases automatically at the start of each year, and you’ll see the increase reflected on your first paycheck of the year.   

Your Leave and Earning Statement (LES) shows details about your deductions, allotments, entitlements, tax withholding, Thrift Savings Plan, and leaves. You can view your LES by logging in to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) myPay website.

2024 Military Pay Chart

You’ll find updated information related to military pay and benefits on the Department of Defense’s Military Compensation website, along with the 2024 military pay charts.

2024 Active Duty Pay Chart

Here’s a sample active duty pay chart for the year 2024. You can find the full active duty pay chart on the Military Compensation website.

Sample Active-Duty Enlisted Pay Chart 2024

Years in Service

Sample Active-Duty Officer Pay Chart 2024

Years in Service

2024 Drill Pay Charts

Here’s a sample drill pay chart for National Guard and U.S. Military Reserve members performing inactive-duty training or drills for the year 2024. A drill period is defined as four (4) hours.  You can find the full drill pay chart on the Military Compensation website.

Sample Reserve Pay for 1 Drill Pay Chart 2024 (Enlisted)

Years in Service

Sample Reserve Pay for 1 Drill Pay Chart 2024 (Officers)

Years in Service

2024 Pay Increase

The 2024 pay increase for the military is 5.2%. This pay increase applies to all active members of the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force. The military pay charts we’ve shared in this guide are based on the 5.2% raise.

Factors That Impact Military Pay 

Military pay is the fundamental component of military pay.  All members receive it and typically it is the largest component of a servicemember's pay.  It includes your basic pay, allowances, and incentives. Basic pay varies based on your rank and pay grade and the number of years you’ve served.

Your paycheck will likely also contain special pay based on your duty station, military specialties, and qualifications, along with many other tax-free allowances. For example, Special and Incentive pay can include:

• Hardship Duty Pay (HDP) if you’re assigned to places outside of the continental U.S. where the standard of living and Quality of Life (QoL) is below that of the continental United States.
• Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP) is often paid to service members for unusual assignment circumstances.  You’ll receive HDIP if you’re on flight duty, demolition duty, diving duty, or experimental stress duty.
• Assignment Incentive Pay (AIP) if you’re placed on unusual assignments or extended tours, especially when in a combat zone.
• Imminent Danger Pay or Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) if you’re assigned to regions subject to hostile actions.  

Your military pay will also depend on your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). This additional pay can help you pay for housing in civilian housing markets if government quarters are not provided.

Additionally, there are a number of bonuses you may get when you enlist, such as up to $50k as an active army enlistment bonus, a $15k quick ship bonus, and up to $47.5k job signing bonus. Most allowances are not taxable, and they can make up a significant portion of your pay.

Keep Up With Changes in Pay With the Military Pay Chart

Military pay charts can help you keep up with annual changes to your pay. There are a number of resources to help you stay updated about pay tables, such as the Department of Defense’s Military Compensation website and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website.

If you’re interested in joining the military, we also recommend learning more about the allowances and bonuses you may be eligible for as a newly enlisted member of the armed forces.

You can also read more about E4 base pay.