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E-4 pay lookup
Monthly E-4 basic pay for any year of service, 2026 and projected 2027.
E-4 basic pay, 3 years
$3,482.40
a month in 2026 · $41,789 a year
- Per paycheck (twice a month)
- $1,741.20
- Per hour (2,080-hour year)
- $20.09
- 2027 with a 7% raise (projected)
- $3,726.17
- Monthly increase
- $243.77
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-4 pay chart 2026
E-4 pay steps up at 2, 3, 4 and 6 years of service, then stays at the top rate. Specialists and corporals (Army) are paid the same.[em]
| Years of service | Monthly | Yearly | Projected Jan 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $3,142.20 | $37,706 | $3,362.15 |
| Over 2 | $3,303.00 | $39,636 | $3,534.21 |
| Over 3 | $3,482.40 | $41,789 | $3,726.17 |
| Over 4 | $3,658.50 | $43,902 | $3,914.60 |
| Over 6 | $3,815.40 | $45,785 | $4,082.48 |
E-4 BAH at major bases
Housing allowance often adds as much as basic pay. 2026 BAH for an E-4 at a sample of installations[bah]:
| Housing area | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Bragg/Pope, NC | $1,722 | $1,341 |
| Camp Lejeune, NC | $1,578 | $1,323 |
| Camp Pendleton, CA | $3,627 | $2,739 |
| Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA | $2,229 | $1,707 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $2,046 | $1,623 |
| Honolulu County, HI | $3,333 | $2,598 |
| Tacoma, WA | $2,370 | $2,034 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $2,160 | $1,689 |
Any other duty station: BAH calculator.
E4 take-home pay at Fort Bragg
For a married E-4 over 3 years at Fort Bragg (married filing jointly, no TSP), monthly take-home is about $5,304.04, or $2,652.02 per payday. The breakdown: $3,482.40 basic pay, $1,722 BAH, $476.95 BAS, minus $79.91 federal tax, $266.40 FICA and $31 SGLI. Change any input in the military pay estimator.
E4 vs E5 pay
Making sergeant (or petty officer second class, or staff sergeant in the Air Force) is the biggest raise of an enlisted career so far: $288.30 a month in basic pay at 4 years, and more BAH. Because E-4 pay stops rising after 6 years, an E-4 who stays in grade falls behind quickly.
See the E5 pay page for the next step, or E3 pay for the one before.
E-4 rank titles by branch
| Service | Title |
|---|---|
| Army | Specialist / Corporal |
| Navy / Coast Guard | Petty Officer Third Class |
| Air Force / Space Force | Senior Airman |
| Marine Corps | Corporal |
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 E4 make in 2026?
$3,142.20 a month with under 2 years, $3,482.40 over 3 years and $3,815.40 after 6 years, plus BAH and BAS.
How much does an E4 make a year with BAH?
A married E-4 over 3 at Fort Bragg receives about $68,176 a year in basic pay, BAH and BAS.
Do specialists and corporals get the same pay?
Yes. Both are E-4 and paid from the same row of the table.
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