Careers & Benefits
Military Salary and Compensation
Serving in the Military is recognized with competitive pay and a strong benefits package that supports your growth and success. Full-time members earn a salary plus allowances to help cover housing, food and essentials. Part-time members in the Reserve and National Guard earn pay for the time they train and serve. No matter how you choose to serve, you’ll know exactly how much you earn, what’s covered and how it helps you plan ahead.
What Makes Up Military Pay?
Military pay is competitive with many civilian roles, and it also comes with built-in benefits that help lower your daily expenses. With allowances that support housing, food, insurance and other essentials, you keep more of what you earn. When these benefits are added, most service members start above the equivalent of a 40-hour-a-week minimum-wage job, with predictable raises as they progress.
Compensation Breakdown
48.80%
Base Pay
Your core salary.
Goes up with rank and
time in service.
44.54%
Basic Allowance
for Housing
Tax-free help to cover
your rent or mortgage.
6.66%
Basic Allowance
for Subsistence
Helps cover your daily
meals, tax-free.
See Your Estimated Military Pay
Use the compensation estimator to gain a quick snapshot of your potential yearly total — including base pay, housing (BAH) and meals (BAS). Pay can vary based on:
- Your rank and years in service
- Your location and whether you have dependents (that will affect BAH)
- Whether you are serving full time or part time
Select Education Level
Select Family Status
Select Advanced Degree
Year 10
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Years of service
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Note that this is a rough estimate. Your compensation can also vary based on whether you qualify for any performance bonuses or special pay. In addition, base pay may be slightly lower in the first few months of service.
See the exact numbers with your Service branch pay calculator.*
*Not all service branches offer a calculator, but you can always reach out to a recruiter to learn more.
When the Basics Are Covered, You Can Think Bigger
“Knowing that my housing and meals are covered means I can focus on my life and my goals, not stressing about bills.”
Syriah Harris, Specialist 4
Space Force
Length 0:33
View Transcript
Transcription
Syriah Harris, Specialist 4 | Space Force: The definite paycheck twice a month that’s definitely helped making sure that I’m stable. You don’t have to worry about, ‘How am I going to pay my bills this month?’ especially living alone. First, like with BAH/BAS, I know I have the funds to pay my rent, I have funds to eat, I don’t have to worry about that. And I think on the civilian side, especially how the workforce is going, some people are struggling to be employed. But being in the Military, you always have that definite check, and you don’t have to worry about it, really.
When the Basics Are Covered, You Can Think Bigger
Earnings That Go Above and Beyond
Allowances and special pays for service members offer additional financial support based on your job, location and life circumstances.
Military Allowances
Allowances constitute a significant part of military pay. They represent money added to your salary to help cover everyday needs like housing and food. Most of these payments are nontaxable, which helps you keep more of what you earn. For many service members, these allowances make up a large portion of their total pay.
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Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH):
Helps cover rent and utilities, whether you live on or off base, or a mortgage if you purchase a home, and adjusts based on location, rank and family size. -
Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS):
Helps pay for your meals, and is tax-free, so you spend less out of pocket on food (includes shopping at the commissary, where goods are also tax-free). -
Basic Needs Allowance (BNA):
Provides support to service members and their families/dependents with household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, helping those facing the greatest financial need to build economic security.
Additional allowances may be available depending on where you live, your duty status and your family situation.
Special Pay and Incentives
Some jobs and skills come with extra pay in addition to your regular salary and allowances. These boosts recognize complex missions, unique skills and the extra effort certain roles require.
Special pay is based on specialized skills, like speaking certain languages or having medical or technical expertise. Incentive pay is based on what you do, such as flying, diving, serving at sea or working in tougher conditions.
You can earn more than one type of additional pay in the Military, but usually no more than two special pays at the same time.
Military Bonuses
You may be eligible for military bonuses based on job selection, how quickly you enlist, your training path, skills and experience, and even reenlistment. Amounts may vary by Service branch and years of service.
See current military bonus opportunities:
It’s More Than a Paycheck
Get to know the components that make up military pay and how it all comes together.
Length 1:33 View TranscriptTranscription
It’s More Than a Paycheck
The Military contributes 6.2% of your pay to Social Security (FICA).
But that’s not all. It also matches contributions, just like many civilian employers.
Reserve and National Guard Pay: How It Works
Reserve and National Guard members are paid differently than active-duty members. Instead of full monthly salaries, they earn drill pay for the training they complete. Most drill schedules include one weekend each month and about two weeks each year.
Drill pay depends on the length of the training period, your rank and your job (your career field/specialty). If you are called to active duty, your pay switches to the active-duty scale, and you become eligible for most of the allowances and special pay that full-time service members receive.
See how Reserve and Guard pay stacks up:
Frequently Asked Questions About Military Salary & Compensation
Service members are paid twice a month, usually on the 1st and the 15th, and the pay is automatically deposited into their bank accounts.
Yes. Pay goes up as you gain rank and experience, and there are scheduled raises tied to years of service, as well as cost-of-living adjustments.
Yes. You start earning pay as soon as you arrive at Basic Training, and you continue to get paid during job training.
Your base pay is taxed like income from a civilian job. Most allowances, such as housing and food allowances, are not taxed, which lets you keep more of what you earn.
Active-duty members earn monthly pay and allowances. Reserve and National Guard members earn drill pay for training and switch to the active-duty pay system if they are mobilized.
Yes. Bonuses are taxed when they are paid out, and the amount withheld depends on your tax bracket or the flat federal withholding rate.
Some deployments qualify for extra financial benefits, which may include tax advantages, special pays or hardship pays, depending on the location and mission. Deployment pay is also tax-free.
Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) is a cost-reimbursement allowance paid to members assigned to duty overseas. It is designed to offset housing costs and is paid in U.S. dollars. The amount is adjusted to match local exchange rates, aligning with housing costs where you live.