Calculator
Military pay estimator
Basic pay, BAH, BAS, special pays, taxes and take-home for 2026.
Estimated take-home pay, 2026
$5,592.87
a month · about $2,796.43 on the 1st and on the 15th
Pay and allowances
- Basic pay, E-5, 4 yrs
- $3,946.80
- BAH (Fort Bragg/Pope, NC)
- $1,806.00
- BAS
- $476.95
- Gross pay
- $6,229.75
Deductions
- Federal income tax
- $106.61
- Social Security (6.2% of basic pay)
- $244.70
- Medicare (1.45% of basic pay)
- $57.23
- TSP, traditional
- $197.34
- SGLI life insurance
- $31.00
- Take-home pay
- $5,592.87
Tax-free pay: $2,282.95 a month (marked green). Federal tax saved because BAH and BAS are not taxed: about $253.94 a month. Regular military compensation (basic + BAH + BAS + tax advantage): $77,804 a year, about the same take-home as a civilian salary of $81,511. BRS: the government adds 5% of basic pay ($197.34 a month) to your TSP.
Independent estimate tool. Not affiliated with DoD, DFAS or VA. Your LES, finance office or VA decision letter is the official amount.
How military pay adds up in 2026
Military pay is basic pay plus allowances plus any special pays, minus taxes and deductions. Basic pay depends only on your pay grade and years of service and is the same in every branch[em]. The allowances depend on where you live and who lives with you, and they are not taxed[p3].
- Basic pay is set by the 2026 military pay chart. It is taxable and is the only part of your pay used for Social Security, Medicare, TSP and retirement.
- BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) pays for off-base housing at your duty station ZIP code, by grade and dependency status. Look it up with the BAH calculator.
- BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence) pays for food: $476.95 a month for enlisted members and $328.48 for officers and warrant officers in 2026[bas].
- Special and incentive pays such as flight, sea, dive, submarine, hardship duty and hostile fire pay, and bonuses, depend on your job and assignment.
Military pay calculator results explained
The estimator shows the same lines as your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES): entitlements, deductions and net pay. Green lines are tax-free. A few things it handles that a simple military pay calc misses:
- Federal withholding follows the IRS 2026 percentage method for the W-4 status you choose[p15t]. Only basic pay and taxable special pays are taxed; BAH, BAS and family separation allowance are not.
- FICA is 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare on basic pay only, even in a combat zone[fica].
- Combat zone tax exclusion: enlisted members and warrant officers exclude all basic and special pay; officers exclude up to the senior enlisted pay ($11,166.90) plus $225 hostile fire pay a month[co].
- TSP: traditional contributions lower your taxable pay; Roth contributions do not. Under the Blended Retirement System the government adds 1% plus up to 4% matching[brs].
State tax is the one thing you must set yourself. Your state of legal residence decides it, not where you are stationed, and many states exempt active-duty pay. Enter 0% if yours does or has no income tax.
Military pay 2026 by rank: monthly basic pay
These are 2026 monthly basic pay rates at common points in a career. Add BAH and BAS for your full picture; an E-1 in the barracks takes home about $2,561.80 a month after taxes and SGLI.
| Grade | Years | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Under 2 | $2,407.20 | $28,886 |
| E-3 | Over 2 | $3,015.00 | $36,180 |
| E-4 | Over 3 | $3,482.40 | $41,789 |
| E-5 | Over 6 | $4,110.00 | $49,320 |
| E-6 | Over 10 | $4,759.50 | $57,114 |
| E-7 | Over 16 | $6,000.90 | $72,011 |
| W-2 | Over 8 | $6,051.00 | $72,612 |
| O-1 | Under 2 | $4,150.20 | $49,802 |
| O-3 | Over 6 | $7,737.00 | $92,844 |
| O-4 | Over 12 | $9,888.30 | $118,660 |
For every grade and year, use the full 2026 pay chart or the annual pay scale by rank.
What changes in 2027
Basic pay rises on January 1, 2027. The President’s alternative pay plan sets 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3 and 5% for O-4 and above; the automatic formula would have given 3.6%[plan27]. Congress can still change it in the FY2027 defense bill. See the 2027 military pay raise page for projected rates, and the military pay dates for when each check lands.
More military pay calculators
- BAH calculator2026 housing allowance for any duty ZIP, grade and dependency status.
- BAH rates 2026Rates for 40 major bases, E-1 to O-6, with and without dependents.
- VA disability calculatorVA math with the bilateral factor and the 2026 monthly payment.
- VA disability pay chart 2026Every rating and dependent combination, plus SMC.
- GI Bill calculatorTuition, housing allowance and books for 2026–27.
- Military retirement calculatorHigh-3, BRS, REDUX and reserve retired pay.
- BRS calculatorTSP match, pension and continuation pay.
- Separation pay calculatorFull and half involuntary separation pay.
- Family separation payWhen the $300 allowance applies.
- Which branch pays the mostSame base pay; where the differences come from.
- Highest paying military jobsSpecial pays and bonuses that add the most.
- VA pay dates 2026When VA compensation arrives each month.
- Hawaii BAHE-5 with dependents on Oahu and the other islands.
- San Diego BAH2026 rates for every grade in San Diego.
- Fort Bragg BAHEvery grade at Fort Bragg/Pope and nearby bases.
- Military pay scale 2026Yearly base pay by rank and median BAH.
- 2026 pay raise3.8% by rank, BAS and the 2.8% COLA.
- 2027 pay raise7%, 6% and 5% plan vs the 3.6% formula.
- Army pay chart 2026Pay by Army rank, posts and jump pay.
- Navy pay chart 2026Pay by Navy rate, sea pay and fleet BAH.
- BAS 2026Food allowance rates since 2011.
- VA combined rating calculatorVA math step by step, with Table I.
- VA back pay calculatorMonths owed at each year’s rates.
- Yellow Ribbon ProgramTuition above the GI Bill cap.
- Does the military pay for college?TA, GI Bill, ROTC and academies.
- Pay during a shutdownWhat happens to paychecks and retired pay.
Military pay by grade
Single-grade pages with the full pay row, BAH at eight bases and a take-home example: E1 pay, E3 pay, E4 pay, E5 pay, E6 pay and O1 pay.
Frequently asked questions
How is military pay calculated?
Monthly basic pay from the pay chart for your grade and years of service, plus BAH for your duty ZIP and dependency status, plus BAS, plus any special pays. Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare come out of the taxable part (basic and special pays); BAH and BAS are tax-free.
How accurate is a military pay calculator compared with my LES?
Basic pay, BAH and BAS match the official 2026 tables to the cent. Taxes are estimates from the IRS withholding method; your LES can differ by a few dollars because of your exact W-4, state withholding, allotments, debts and partial months.
How much does an E-4 make in 2026?
An E-4 earns $3,142.20 a month in basic pay with under 2 years and $3,815.40 with over 6 years, before BAH and BAS. With dependents at Fort Bragg, BAH adds $1,722 a month.
Is BAH taxable?
No. BAH, BAS, OHA, family separation allowance and overseas COLA are excluded from federal income tax under IRS rules for the armed forces, and they are not subject to Social Security or Medicare tax.
When do service members get paid?
On the 1st and the 15th of each month, or the business day before when that day is a weekend or federal holiday. See the 2026 and 2027 military pay dates.
Sources
- Basic Pay – Enlisted, effective January 1, 2026
- Basic Pay – Officers, effective January 1, 2026
- Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) rates
- BAH Rate Lookup and 2026 BAH rate files (all locations, all pay grades, ASCII)
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods
- Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide
- FICA Percentages, Maximum Taxable Wages, and Maximum Tax
- Blended Retirement System
- H. Doc. 119-189, Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments … for Members of the Armed Forces in January 2027