Army Pay Guide 2026
Army pay in 2026 starts at $2,407 per month for an E-1 Private and scales with every promotion and year of service. But base pay is only part of the picture. Housing allowances, food allowances, and special pays stack on top, and most allowances are not taxable income. This guide covers all the components, with 2026 figures from DFAS and official Army sources.
Base Pay
Base pay is set by two factors: your pay grade (rank) and years of service. Congress authorizes a pay raise every January 1. For 2026, the raise was 3.8% across all grades per the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
Pay does not increase automatically month to month. Years of service cross certain thresholds that trigger higher pay within your current grade. Getting promoted to the next grade produces a larger jump than any within-grade step increase.
Enlisted Base Pay (Monthly, 2026)
| Grade | Rank | Under 2 yr | 2 yr | 8 yr | 12 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Private (PV1) | $2,407 | $2,407 | – | – |
| E-2 | Private (PV2) | $2,698 | $2,698 | – | – |
| E-3 | Private First Class | $2,837 | $3,015 | – | – |
| E-4 | Specialist / Corporal | $3,142 | $3,303 | $3,816 | – |
| E-5 | Sergeant | $3,343 | $3,599 | $4,299 | $4,422 |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant | $3,401 | $3,743 | $4,613 | $5,044 |
| E-7 | Sergeant First Class | $3,932 | $4,291 | $5,105 | $5,537 |
| E-8 | Master Sergeant / 1SG | – | – | $5,867 | $6,285 |
| E-9 | SGM / CSM | – | – | – | $7,346 |
Figures from DFAS 2026 military pay charts. E-8 earliest qualifying point is 8 years of service; E-9 earliest is 10 years (shown in 12-year column above). Verify exact figures at dfas.mil.
Officer Base Pay (Monthly, 2026)
| Grade | Rank | Under 2 yr | 4 yr | 8 yr | 12 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | $4,150 | $5,222 | – | – |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | $4,782 | $6,485 | – | – |
| O-3 | Captain | $5,534 | $7,383 | $8,126 | $8,788 |
| O-4 | Major | $6,295 | $7,881 | $8,816 | $9,888 |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | $7,295 | $8,894 | $9,461 | $10,272 |
| O-6 | Colonel | $8,751 | $10,245 | $10,725 | $10,784 |
O-6 and below are capped at $15,408/mo (Executive Schedule Level V, CY2026). The cap applies regardless of how many years beyond 30 a Colonel continues to serve.
Housing Allowance (BAH)
BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) covers your off-post housing costs when you do not live in government-provided quarters. It is not taxable income.
Three factors determine your BAH rate:
- Duty station: BAH is calculated for each military housing area (MHA). High-cost areas like Fort Belvoir near Washington, D.C. get much higher BAH than lower-cost installations in rural states.
- Pay grade: Higher grades receive larger BAH amounts.
- Dependency status: Having at least one dependent increases your BAH rate.
BAH is set to cover the median local housing cost for your grade and family situation. If you find cheaper housing, you keep the difference. If your rent runs higher than BAH, you cover the gap out of pocket.
BAH Examples (Fort Sam Houston, TX – 2026)
| Grade | Without Dependents | With Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $1,359/mo | $1,728/mo |
| E-5 | $1,500/mo | $1,869/mo |
| O-1 | $1,584/mo | $1,905/mo |
| O-2 | $1,827/mo | $2,091/mo |
| O-3 | $2,007/mo | $2,127/mo |
Use the BAH Rate Lookup tool at defense.gov to find exact rates for any duty station. Rates are updated annually and can change mid-year if Congress authorizes an adjustment. San Antonio BAH rates decreased slightly from 2025 due to local market adjustments; this reflects how responsive the system is to local housing markets.
Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS)
BAS is a flat monthly food allowance paid to all active-duty soldiers. In 2026, the rate is:
- Enlisted: $476.95 per month
- Officers: $328.48 per month
Like BAH, BAS is not taxable. The rate does not vary by rank within each category, duty station, or family size. The enlisted rate increased from $465.77 in 2025, a roughly 2.4% adjustment.
Soldiers who live and eat in government quarters or use post dining facilities may have BAS offset through a deduction. Soldiers who buy their own food off-post receive the full BAS amount.
Special and Incentive Pays
Several additional pays apply to soldiers in qualifying assignments or roles. These stack on top of base pay, BAH, and BAS.
| Pay Type | Who Qualifies | Approximate 2026 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hostile Fire / Imminent Danger Pay | Soldiers in designated combat or hazard zones | $250/mo |
| Airborne Pay (Jump Pay) | Qualified paratroopers in assigned jump positions | $150/mo enlisted |
| Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP) | Rated aviators in qualifying flight positions | $125-$1,000/mo |
| Foreign Language Proficiency Pay (FLPP) | Soldiers tested and proficient in qualifying languages | Up to $500/mo |
| Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) | Recruiters, drill sergeants, and other designated assignments | $75-$600/mo |
Verify current special pay rates with your finance office or at dfas.mil. Congress may authorize adjustments outside the annual pay raise cycle, and some pays have qualification and position requirements that change over time.
Total Compensation Example
An E-4 Specialist with two years of service stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas earns the following in 2026:
| Component | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Base Pay | $3,303 | $39,636 |
| BAH (without dependents) | $1,359 | $16,308 |
| BAS | $477 | $5,724 |
| Total | $5,139 | $61,668 |
With one dependent, BAH rises to $1,728, bringing total monthly compensation to $5,508 and annual compensation to roughly $66,096.
Neither BAH nor BAS is subject to federal income tax. That makes the effective purchasing power of those amounts higher than a civilian salary of the same dollar figure, since a civilian earning $61,668 pays federal income tax on the full amount while this soldier does not pay tax on the $22,032 that comes from allowances.
This example does not include TRICARE (zero-cost family healthcare), TSP government matching, enlistment bonuses, or any special pays. Each adds real value on top of these figures.
More Information
Verify all pay figures at dfas.mil. Use the BAH Rate Lookup tool to confirm rates for a specific duty station before making housing decisions.
For information on bonuses available at enlistment, see the enlistment bonus guide. For the full benefits picture, return to the Army benefits overview.
This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Army or any government agency. Verify all information with official Army sources before making enlistment or career decisions.