With around 2.4 million members spread across six branches, the United States military employs an incredible variety of servicepeople in both reserves and on active duty. Of course, being part of the US military is a full-time occupation that earns a constant wage and its fair share of benefits. Any military has a hierarchy, however, and one’s rank will influence their salary. In the US military, the ranks begin at a foundational cadet and peak with an O-4 major.
Servicepeople Are Given $386.50 Per Month For Food And Groceries
Servicepeople Are Given 38650 Dollars Per Month For Food And Groceries
No matter what rank you hold in the US military, you are more than likely to enjoy an allowance while serving. This allows enlisted members to eat well and cover the costs of their essential items. At the start of 2020, enlisted personnel were paid a monthly $386.50. It might not be much, but keep in mind that this fund is just for covering the bare essentials. As for officers, their monthly allowance is a little skimpier: $266.18 per month.
Midshipmen And Cadets: $1,186 Per Month
Regardless of which service academy you had to visit, you would always find midshipmen or cadets at the lowest end of they pay scale. Unsurprising, given that they are just starting their careers in the military. It is a long road ahead for these junior members, their dedication will hopefully pay off. Those young members of the academies earn a monthly $1,186 per month, which comes to an annual $14,232. These young members will have to earn their stripes!
Midshipmen And Cadets 1186 Dollars Per Month
E-1s With An Experience Of Below Four Months: $1,650 Per Month
The Air Force’s Airman Basics, the Army and Marine Corps’ Privates, and the Coast Guard and Navy’s Seaman Recruits all make up the bottom-level ranks of enlistment. The E-1 class is the top-ranking member of this class, also known as enlisted-1. As for E-1 service members’ salaries, they will earn a monthly $1,650, provided that their total active-duty experience is below four months. In the meantime, E-1s can continue with their opening tours until their financial prospects lookup.
E 1s With An Experience Of Below Four Months 1650 Dollars Per Month
E-2 Service Members: $2,000.70 Per Month
The next broad category for service members is E-2. This comprises the Space Force and Air Force’s airmen, the privates first class of the Marines, and the Arm’s privates second class of the Army. Becoming a fully-fledged member of one’s academy grants them a monthly salary of $2,000.70. This comes to $24,008.40 per year. By the time that an E-2 reaches the E-8 level, their salary will have almost doubled, but we still have plenty of ranks to go through before we reach that stage!
E 2 Service Members 2000 Dollars Point 70 Per Month
E-3s With An Experience Of Less Than 2 Years: $2,103.90 Per Month
Reaching the E-3 level is no small achievement, but your salary at this stage is largely formed by how many years you have served. Airmen first class in the Space Force or Air Force, Marine lance corporals, and seamen in the Coast Guard or Navy are all E-3s. If you are in this position and have served a period under 2 years, then you can expect a monthly $2,103.90 salary. E-3s with a minimum of 3 years of experience will make a monthly $2,371.80.
E 3s With An Experience Of Less Than 2 Years 2103 Dollars Point 90 Per Month
E-4: Between $2,330.40 Per Month And $2,829 Per Month
Petty officers third class in the Coast Guard and Navy, corporals and specialists in the Army, and senior airmen in the Space Force and Air Force combined all fall under the E-4 level. These are elite members of their respective faculties. At this stage, the salary also varied according to years of experience. With six years of experience, you can expect $2,829 per month. With two years of experience, your salary suffers a hefty $500 subtraction.
E 4 Between 2330 Dollars Point 40 Per Month And 2829 Dollars Per Month
E-5: $2,541.60 Per Month To $3,606.90 Per Month
By the time a serviceperson reaches E-5, they will have spent years fighting for their country. This includes the Coast Guard and Navy’s petty officers, second class, the Space Force and Air Force’s staff sergeants, and the Marines and Army’s sergeants. As you can see – quite high-ranking members, who would need a minimum of 12 years’ experience to earn an annual salary of about $43,282.90. Reaching this rank takes many years of brave and selfless service.
E 5 2541 Dollars Point 60 Per Month To 3606 Dollars Point 90 Per Month
E-6: $2,774.40 Per Month To $4,297.20 Per Month
The Space Force and Air Force’s technical sergeants, the Coast Guard and Navy’s petty officers first class, and the Marines and Army’s staff sergeants all fall under the E-6 military rank. These service people will have a minimum of eighteen years of service under their belts. For such an extended service, these military members will earn between $2,774.40 to $4,297.2 per month. This totals in an annual salary of around $51,566.40. Could you last this long in the US military?
E 6 2774 Dollars Point 40 Per Month To 4297 Dollars Pont 20 Per Month
E-7: $3,207.60 Per Month To $5,765.40 Per Month
t should be noted that servicewomen and servicemen in the E-7 class will earn different salaries. Gunnery sergeants in the Marines, master sergeants in the Space Force and Air Force, and chief petty officers in the Coast Guard and Navy are all part of the E-7 bracket. E-7s with less than 2 years of experience will be compensated with a disappointing $38,491.20 annually. At the same time, E-7 servicepeople with a minimum of 26 years of service will easily make about $69,184.80 annually.
E 7 3207 Dollars Point 60 Per Month To 5765 Dollars Point 40 Per Month
E-8: $4,614.60 Per Month To $6,581.40 Per Month
To qualify for the E-8 income bracket, one would need to have served for a minimum of 8 years. The Army’s first sergeants, the Space Force and Air Force’s senior master sergeants, the Marines and Army’s master sergeants, and finally the Coast Guard and Navy’s chief petty officers are all part of the E-8 family. Such service people will make an annual salary somewhere between $55,375.20 and $78,976.90. With such a rank comes a heavy amount of responsibility and so the larger salary is warranted.
E 8 4614 Dollars Point 60 Per Month To 6581 Dollars Point 40 Per Month
E-9: $5,637 Per Month To $8,752.50 Per Month
At the E-9 stage, a service member’s salary becomes lucrative. Professionals earning this much money include the chief master sergeants of the Space Force and Air Force, sergeants major in the Army, sergeant majors and master gunnery sergeants in the Marines, and master chief petty officers in the Coast Guard and Navy all make a monthly rate of between $5,637 and $8,752.50. If you are an E-9 and have a minimum of 38 years of service than you can look forward to a six-figure yearly salary of about $105,030.
E 9 5637 Per Month To 8752 Dollars Point 50 Per Month
W-1: $3,309.30 Per Month To $5,718.60 Per Month
Warrant officer 1s, shortened to W-1s, are professionals within their fields and Congress confirms their ranks. Although they may outrank enlisted military service people, they could easily be under-experienced, causing a lesser monthly salary. Beyond the Space Force and Air Force, every sector includes warrant officer 1s that earn a monthly sum between $3,309.30 and $5,718.60. W-1s might have the Congress seal of approval, but we are sure that these fine men and women wish they were better paid!
W 1 3309 Dollars Point 30 Per Month To 5718 Dollars Pont 60 Per Month
W-2: $3,770.40 Per Month To $6,293.10 Per Month
The following level is called W-2, known as a Chief Warrant Officer. It is a class that is solely reserved for members of the Marine Corps, Navy, Army, and Coast Guard. Servicepeople will earn their salaries according to how much time they have served in such branches. Those with below two years of experience will earn an annual $45,244.80. Simultaneously, W-2s with a minimum experience of 24 years in their field can be paid an annual maximum of $75,517.20.
W 2 3770 Dollars Point 40 Per Month To 6293 Dollars Point 10 Per Month
W-3: $4,261.20 Per Month To $7,474.50 Per Month
The rank of W-3 is reserved solely for those service people that possess unusual talents. They will not only have an enormous amount of experience and skills, but will provide their units with their seasoned abilities and support. W-3 Chief Warrant Officers are located in the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Army, as well as other US military chapters. W-3 officers will be fairly compensated for their exceptional services, with an annual salary of $51,134.40 for less experienced members. W-3s with a minimum of 26 years of experience will earn around $89,694 annually.
W 3 4261 Dollras Point 20 Per Month To 7474 Dollars Point 50 Per Month
W-4: $4,665.90 Per Month To $8,691 Per Month
There is a distinction between Navy, Army, and Marine Corps members’ progression and those in the Coast Guard. The former enters the W-5 bracket, while the latter is ushered into the W-4 rank, or Chief Warrant Officer 4. Of course, both ranks will earn very well for their pains. In 2021, W-4s that had served for less than two years earned $55,990.80 annually. Those with a minimum of 30 years of service would earn an annual salary of $104,292.
W 4 4665 Dollars Point 90 Per Month To 8691 Dollars Per Month
W-5: $8,296.20 Per Month To $10,856.40 Per Month
If you are in the Marine Corps, Army, or Navy, then the W-5 rank is the best paying one in your category. While chief warrant officers will be capped off, they benefit from incredibly pleasing compensations. Those servicepeople that have a minimum of 20 years of experience can expect an annual salary of $99,554.50. With a minimum of 38 years of service, they will make $130,276.80. That is it for our lower end of the US military’s spectrum. Now, let us find out which members earn the most!
W 5 8296 Dollars Point 20 Per Month To 10856 Dollars Pont 40 Per Month
O-10: $16,608.30 Per Month
Now it is time to discuss the brass of the US military: the generals. These commanding members of the Space Force, Air Force, Marines, and the Army are responsible for the US military’s major strategic decisions and initiatives. In the Navy and Coast Guard, the equivalent rank is called admiral. Both admirals and generals are in the O-10 bracket and have a capped income. Not that many generals or admirals will complain with their starting salary of an annual $199,299.60.
O 10 16608 Dollars Point 30 Per Month
O-9: $16,012.50 Per Month To $16,608.30 Per Month
An O-9’s salary will not kick in until the serviceperson completes their mandatory 20 years of service. The military personnel that make it to the Army, Space Force, Air Force and Marine Corps’ lieutenant general rank, and the Navy and Coast Guard’s vice-admiral rank, will both be paid incredibly well. The beginning income is an annual $192,150, and those that have over 26 years of experience can make a yearly $199,299.60. Certainly worth the long dedication!
O 9 16012 Dollars Point 50 Per Month To 16608 Dollars Point 30 Per Month
O-8: $11,329.50 Per Month To $16,333.20 Per Month
O-8s may be paid incredibly well, but they more than earn every dollar given the heavy load that they take on every day. This bracket includes a variety of essential generals in the Space Force, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army, as well as the rear admirals of the Navy and Coast Guard. The starting annual salary for this level is $135,954. After 34 years of service, O-8s can make $195,998.40. It is good to know that our generals are looked after well.
O 8 11329 Dollars Point 50 Per Month To 16333 Dollars Point 20 Per Month
O-7: $9,414.30 Per Month To $14,065.80 Per Month
Only a select few members of the brass will reach the O-7 rank. These chosen leaders will become brigadier generals in the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Space Force, or rear admirals in the Navy and Coast Guard. This position is less dependant on experience, given the starting annual salary of $112, 971. 60. After 30 years of salary, however, O-7s will start earning $168,789.60. Who knows how many incredible military operations these O-7s will have captained in that time?
O 7 9414 Dollars Point 30 Per Month To 14065 Dollars Point 80 Per Month
O-6: $7,139.10 Per Month To $12,638.40 Per Month
The O-6 ranks are made up of the Space Force, Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force’s colonels, as well as the Navy and Coast Guard’s captains. To reach the rank of colonel or captain is no easy task, and only those officers that have proven their intelligence, dedication, and heroism will be initiated. The beginning compensation for O-6s is an annual $85,669.20, and can potentially earn $151,660.80 annually with 30 years of experience under their belt.
O 6 7139 Dollars Point 10 Per Month To 12638 Dollars Point 40 Per Month
O-5: $5,951.40 Per Month To $10,111.20 Per Month
The O-5 rank consists of the Space Force, Air Force, Marines, and Army’s lieutenant colonels, as well as the Navy and Coast Guard’s commanders. At the O-5 level, one’s title does not effect their earning power too much, and they can all expect to earn relatively well. With little to no experience at hand, an O-5 will be paid an annual $71,416.80 annually. After serving for 22 years, this salary will be raised to an annual $121,334.40.
O 5 5951 Dollars Point 40 Per Month To 10111 Dollars Point 20 Per Month
O-4: $5,135.10 Per Month To $8,573.70 Per Month
The following rank from O-5 is O-4, which involves the majors of the Space Force, Air Force, Marines, and Army, as well as the Navy and Coast Guard’s lieutenant commanders. Although it is rare, there are cases of servicepeople being promoted to O-4 with no relevant experience. Such personnel will be compensated with an annual salary of around $61,621.20. With a further 18 years of service, this salary jumps to an annual salary of $102,884.40.
O 4 5135 Dollars Point 10 Per Month To 8573 Dollars Point 70 Per Month
O-3E: $6,022.80 Per Month To $7,839 Per Month
O-3E lieutenants and captains could easily earn desirable incomes, even if they are missing a long period of service. Those that are at this level could begin their position with an annual salary of around $72,273.60. If these lieutenants and captains continue to excel over a period of 18 years, then they can easily begin earning a maximum salary of $94,068 per year. Clearly, a career in the military is far more profitable than many may have been led to believe.
O 3 E 6022 Dollars Point 80 Per Month To 7839 Dollars Per Month
O-3: $4,514.70 Per Month To $7,345.20 Per Month
We now turn our attention the O-3 grade, which includes the Space Force, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps’ captains, as well as the Navy and Coast Guard’s lieutenants. While servicepeople can join this rank free of any relevant experience, they will be paid at a lower rate than their more qualified counterparts. Experience-free O-3s are entitled to an annual $54,176.40 salary, while those with a service record of 14 years will be compensated with an annual $88.142.40 salary.
O 3 4514 Dollars Point 70 Per Month To 7345 Dollars Point 20 Per Month
O-2E: $5,289.90 Per Month To $6,251.70 Per Month
Although O-2Es hold the same positions as O-2s, they will earn a fractionally better salary. Prior to graduating to the O-2E level, servicepeople must have served as an enlisted member or a warrant officer for a minimum of four years. After they pass the checks, O-2Es will begin earing an annual salary of $64,782. If they continue down this path for 14 years, then their income will be boosted to an annual salary of $75,020.40 at maximum.
O 2E 5289 Dollars Point 90 Per Month To 6251 Dollars Point 70 Per Month
O-2: $3,901.20 Per Month To $5,398.50 Per Month
First lieutenants in the Air Force, Space Force, Army, and Marine Corps fall under the O-2 category. The Coast Guard and Navy’s lieutenant’s junior grade are also in the O-2 bracket. Of course, first lieutenants and lieutenants in junior grade will have their income regulated by their experience levels. O-2s that have a service record under two years will probably make an annual salary of $46,814.40. Those with a minimum of six years of experience are likely to make an annual salary of $64,782.
O 2 3901 Dollars Point 20 Per Month To 5398 Dollars Point 50 Per Month
O-1E: $4,260.60 Per Month To $5,289.90 Per Month
O-1 officers might be a bit envious of O-1E officers, given that they earn slightly better. Of course, the only thing that separates the two ranks is experience. O-1s will generally enter their service straight out of ROTC school or an academy, whereas O-1Es will possess some experience to talk about. To reach the O-1E level, one would need to have served for four years prior. Such personnel will be entitled to an annual salary of $51,127.20, and after fourteen years of service, will be bumped up to $63,478.80 a year.
O 1E 4260 Dollars Point 60 Per Month To 5289 Dollars Point 90 Per Month
O-1: $3,385.80 Per Month To $4,260.60 Per Month
W-5s might be outranked by Officer 1s, or O-1s, but they earn far less than the latter. This is due to the comparatively youthful and inexperienced status of W-5s, who will have recently completed their ROTC or academy training. It might not make sense to ordinary folks that higher-ranked officers earn worse than their subordinates, but that’s the military for you! Salary differences aside, O-1 ensigns and second lieutenants still earn well. They will be paid an annual wage that ranges between $40,629.60 and $51,127.20.
O 1 3385 Dollars Point 80 Per Month To 4260 Dollars Point 60 Per Month