Three things on every chart
Official pay charts list three things: the pay grade, the years of service, and the monthly amount.
- Find the pay grade. Enlisted grades are E-1 to E-9, warrant officers W-1 to W-5, and commissioned officers O-1 to O-10.
- Find your cumulative years of service. Columns read “Over N”, meaning more than N years, up to the next column.
- Read the monthly amount. The chart shows basic pay only, in dollars and cents per month.
Worked example
Find your column by completed years
The column is set by completed years of service. Each band starts after the number in its label, so “Over 2” starts at 3 years, not 2. The table shows where each year count falls, for the first twelve years.
| Completed years | Chart column |
|---|---|
| 0 | 2 or less |
| 1 | 2 or less |
| 2 | 2 or less |
| 3 | Over 2 |
| 4 | Over 3 |
| 5 | Over 4 |
| 6 | Over 4 |
| 7 | Over 6 |
| 8 | Over 6 |
| 9 | Over 8 |
| 10 | Over 8 |
| 11 | Over 10 |
| 12 | Over 10 |
What the rows cover
- Enlisted: E-1 to E-9, nine rows.
- Warrant officers: W-1 to W-5, five rows.
- Commissioned officers: O-1 to O-10, ten rows.
- Prior-service officers: O-1E to O-3E, three rows, for officers with more than 4 years of prior enlisted or warrant service. The E marks prior enlisted or warrant service. These are still commissioned officers.
The rank title for each grade differs by branch, so the same grade can be called different things. The 2026 chart uses grades, not titles. For a branch title table, see that branch’s chart page.
Common mistakes
- Reading the column above your years. Three years falls in “Over 2,” not “2 or less.” Use the table above to check.
- Using the wrong year’s chart. The 2025 and 2026 charts are separate schedules. Use the chart for the year you need.
- Mixing up O-1 and O-1E. O-1E is a separate row for officers with prior enlisted or warrant service. It is not a lower officer grade.
- Reading a grade you do not hold. Find your own grade, not the one you are working toward, to see your current basic pay.
- Treating the cell as take-home pay. The chart shows basic pay before allowances, taxes, and deductions.
Notes and dashes
Some grades have note numbers on the chart. The notes name senior positions with their own basic pay rule, and they are printed under each chart. A dash marks a cell the official table does not show. It is not a zero, so do not read it as no pay.
Basic pay is not take-home pay
Allowances, special pays, taxes, and deductions are separate. To try this yourself, use the 2026 pay chart or the basic pay calculator.