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E-1 pay lookup
Monthly E-1 basic pay for any year of service, 2026 and projected 2027.
E-1 basic pay, 0 years
$2,407.20
a month in 2026 · $28,886 a year
- Per paycheck (twice a month)
- $1,203.60
- Per hour (2,080-hour year)
- $13.89
- 2027 with a 7% raise (projected)
- $2,575.70
- Monthly increase
- $168.50
Basic pay only: BAH, BAS and special pays are on top. 2027 figures apply the January 1, 2027 raise in the President’s alternative pay plan; DFAS publishes the final table in December.
Independent estimate tool. Not affiliated with DoD, DFAS or VA. Your LES, finance office or VA decision letter is the official amount.
E-1 pay chart 2026
E-1 pay does not increase with years of service: every column of the 2026 table shows the same rate. Raises come from promotion to E-2 and E-3, which usually happen within the first year or two.[em]
| Years of service | Monthly | Yearly | Projected Jan 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $2,407.20 | $28,886 | $2,575.70 |
The first-four-months rate of $2,225.70 applies to new recruits, usually covering most of basic training[em]. After four months of service, pay moves to $2,407.20.
E-1 BAH at major bases
Housing allowance often adds as much as basic pay. 2026 BAH for an E-1 at a sample of installations[bah]:
| Housing area | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Benning, GA | $1,635 | $1,362 |
| Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC | $1,812 | $1,479 |
| Fort Sill/Lawton, OK | $1,203 | $969 |
| Fort Leonard Wood, MO | $1,386 | $1,287 |
| Great Lakes Navtracen, IL | $2,202 | $1,653 |
| San Antonio, TX | $1,728 | $1,359 |
| Twenty Nine Palms MCB, CA | $1,896 | $1,755 |
| Beaufort/Parris Island, SC | $2,319 | $1,875 |
Any other duty station: BAH calculator.
E1 take-home pay in basic training and the barracks
A single E-1 living in the barracks receives no BAH, but keeps BAS and pays very little federal tax: take-home is about $2,561.80 a month, or $1,280.90 on each payday. The breakdown: $2,407.20 basic pay, $476.95 BAS, minus $107.20 federal tax, $184.15 FICA and $31 SGLI. Change any input in the military pay estimator.
Getting past E-1
- Enlisting above E-1. Recruits with college credit, JROTC, Eagle Scout and similar credentials can often enlist as an E-2 or E-3, which adds $290.70 to $429.60 a month from day one. Ask your recruiter what applies in your service.
- Married recruits draw BAH at the with-dependents rate; during initial training it is usually based on where the family lives, and afterwards on the duty station. At Fort Bragg that is $1,722 a month in 2026.
- First paycheck. New members are paid on the 1st and 15th like everyone else; the first check may be partial. See military pay dates.
E-1 rank titles by branch
| Service | Title |
|---|---|
| Army | Private (PV1) |
| Navy / Coast Guard | Seaman Recruit |
| Air Force / Space Force | Airman Basic |
| Marine Corps | Private |
All of them earn the same pay; see which branch pays the most for where the differences come from, and the full 2026 military pay chart for every grade.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an E1 make a month?
$2,407.20 in basic pay in 2026, or $2,225.70 with less than 4 months of service, plus $476.95 BAS.
Do E1s get paid during basic training?
Yes. Recruits are paid from the day they ship, at the under-4-months rate at first, on the regular 1st and 15th paydays.
What is E1 pay in 2027?
About $2,575.70 a month if the 7% raise for E-1 to E-5 takes effect January 1, 2027.
Sources
- Basic Pay – Enlisted, effective January 1, 2026
- BAH Rate Lookup and 2026 BAH rate files (all locations, all pay grades, ASCII)
- Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) rates
- H. Doc. 119-189, Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments … for Members of the Armed Forces in January 2027
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods