Thinking about joining the military..

[TessadasExotics]

Going into the army, and if you apply yourself, you can be making $3,757 a month at 4 years of service. That is based on being an E-5 Sargent with 4 years of service and living off post, collecting BAS (food allowance) and BAH (rent allowance). The same grade and years of service living in the barracks would receive $2488 a month but would live rent free, utilities free and provided meals for free. You can attain E-5 in as little as 3 years if you strive for it (in most MOS's (jobs)).



Here is the 2012 pay chart for the Army. This is the flat before tax base pay chart. Chart reflects Basic Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits. This is only the pay chart for enlisted personnel and for commissioned officers. I did not add the chart for warrant officers.

*Based on 2012 pay tables.

**Pay for Private (E1) will be slightly lower for the first four months of service.

Cumulative Years of Service
Grade 2 or less Over 2 Over 3 Over 4 Over 6 Over 8 Over 10 Over 12 Over 14 Over 16 Over 18 Over 20 Over 22
E-9(4) 4708.80 4815.60 4950.00 5108.10 5267.70 5523.60 5739.60
E-8 3854.70 4025.10 4130.70 4257.30 4394.40 4641.60 4766.70 4980.00
E-7 2679.60 2924.70 3036.60 3185.10 3300.90 3499.80 3611.70 3810.90 3976.20 4089.00 4209.30 4256.10 4412.40
E-6 2317.80 2550.30 2662.80 2772.30 2886.30 3143.10 3243.30 3436.80 3496.20 3539.40 3589.80 3589.80 3589.80
E-5 2123.40 2265.90 2375.40 2487.60 2662.20 2845.20 2994.60 3012.90 3012.90 3012.90 3012.90 3012.90 3012.90
E-4 1946.70 2046.30 2157.30 2266.50 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10 2363.10
E-3 1757.40 1868.10 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20 1981.20
E-2 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30 1671.30
E-1 1491.00



Cumulative Years of Service
Grade 2 or less Over 2 Over 3 Over 4 Over 6 Over 8 Over 10 Over 12 Over 14 Over 16 Over 18 Over 20 Over 22
O-10(1) 15647.10 15723.30
O-9(1) 13685.10 13882.50
O-8(1) 9683.10 10000.20 10210.80 10269.60 10532.40 10971.00 11073.30 11489.70 11609.10 11968.20 12487.80 12966.60 13286.40
O-7(1) 8045.70 8419.80 8592.60 8730.00 8979.00 9225.00 9509.40 9792.90 10077.30 10971.00 11725.50 11725.50 11725.50
O-6(2) 5963.40 6551.70 6981.30 6981.30 7008.00 7308.60 7348.20 7348.20 7765.80 8504.10 8937.60 9370.50 9617.10
O-5 4971.30 5600.40 5988.00 6061.20 6303.00 6447.60 6765.90 6999.30 7301.10 7763.10 7982.40 8199.30 8446.20
O-4 4289.40 4965.60 5296.80 5370.60 5678.10 6007.80 6418.50 6738.30 6960.60 7088.10 7161.90 7161.90 7161.90
O-3 3771.30 4275.30 4614.60 5031.00 5271.90 5536.50 5707.80 5988.90 6135.60 6135.60 6135.60 6135.60 6135.60
O-2 3258.60 3711.30 4274.40 4418.70 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60 4509.60
O-1 2828.40 2943.90 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60 3558.60
O-3(3) 5031.00 5271.90 5536.50 5707.80 5988.90 6226.20 6362.40 6548.10 6548.10 6548.10 6548.10 6548.10 6548.10
O-2(3) 4418.70 4509.60 4653.30 4895.70 5082.90 5222.40 5222.40 5222.40 5222.40 5222.40 5222.40 5222.40 5222.40
O-1(3) 3558.60 3800.10 3940.80 4084.50 4225.50 4418.70 4418.70 4418.70 4418.70 4418.70 4418.70 4418.70 4418.70


1) Basic pay for an O-7 to O-10 is limited by Level II of the Executive Schedule which is $14,975.10. Basic pay for O-6 and below is limited by Level V of the Executive Schedule which is $12,141.60.

2) While serving as Chairman, Joint Chief/Vice Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff, Chief of Navy Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Army/Air Force Chief of Staff, Commander of a unified or specified combatant command, basic pay is $20,587.80. (See note 1 above).

3) Applicable to O-1 to O-3 with at least 4 years and 1 day of active duty or more than 1460 points as a warrant and/or enlisted member. See Department of Defense Financial Management Regulations for more detailed explanation on who is eligible for this special basic pay rate.

4) For the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sergeant Major of the Army or Marine Corps or Senior Enlisted Advisor of the JCS, basic pay is $7,609.50. Combat Zone Tax Exclusion for O-1 and above is based on this basic pay rate plus Hostile Fire Pay/Imminent Danger Pay which is $225.00.

5) Applicable to E-1 with 4 months or more active duty. Basic pay for an E-1 with less than 4 months of active duty is $1,378.80.

6) Basic pay rate for Academy Cadets/Midshipmen and ROTC members/applicants is $990.00.

Bear in mind that the American military maintains various "other" pays that are not included as part of the pay tables above. These include Hazardous Duty, Imminent Danger Pay (otherwise known as Combat Pay), Submarine Duty Pay among others. Additionally, there are certain allowances provided such as Clothing Allowance, Basic Allowance for Housing and Cost of Living Allowance.