Military pay | US Gov (2024)

FAQs

Is military pay enough? ›

Did you know that military salaries are quite competitive with most civilian careers? Thanks to supplemental allowance for housing, food, insurance, and other expenses, you can retain more of what you earn.

Their conclusion: “On average, enlisted personnel receive cash compensation that is higher than that received by about 90 percent of civilians of the same age and education.”

Home / Articles / How much does the US spend on the military? In 2023, the US military spent approximately $820.3 billion, or roughly 13.3% of the entire federal budget for that fiscal year. In March 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested $842.0 billion for 2024 — a 2.6% increase.

At this point, his basic pay is $71,604, his BAH is $33,120 and his BAS is $3,043, for a grand total of $107,767. It should be noted that this is just one of the ways in which someone in the military can achieve a total compensation of $100,000+.

How much does a Navy Seal make? As of May 28, 2024, the average annual pay for a Navy Seal in the United States is $98,176 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $47.20 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,888/week or $8,181/month.

The Army offers a variety of benefits including financial stability, education and training, health care, family benefits, and more to support you and your family.

When it comes to your basic pay, the military branches are all the same. A look at military pay charts shows that military pay is based on a pay grade, or rank, and years of service. In terms of your base pay, there is no fundamental advantage to opting for one branch of service over another.

E-1: $20,340. E-1 is the lowest enlisted rank in the US military: Airman Basic (Air Force), Private (Army/Marine Corps), Seaman Recruit (Navy). Service members usually hold this rank through basic training, and automatically promote to the next rank after six months of service.

Members of the military may qualify for tax benefits not available to civilians. For example, they don't have to pay taxes on some types of income. Special rules may lower the tax they owe or allow them more time to file and pay their federal taxes.

Veterans Healthcare Through the VA

This benefit never expires. Veterans who have recently separated from Active Duty, including National Guard or Reserve duty, may be eligible for VA Health Care for all or part of their healthcare needs.

Who spends the most on the military? ›

Although the United States spends more on defense than any other country, the Congressional Budget Office projects that defense spending as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) will decline over the coming years — from 2.9 percent of GDP in 2024 to 2.5 percent in 2034.

Generals are the highest paid in the US Army.

If one were to save 10% of their income and take advantage of TSP match, more often than not they'd be 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆. All that being said, there are cases where service members absolutely can not afford to save when they first join.

What Does a General Get Paid? A General of the Army or 4-star general's pay was $16,441.80 per month, effective January 1, 2020. At pay grade O-10, a 4-star general holds the highest rank in the U.S. Army. There is no 5-star general salary; this rank hasn't existed since World War II.

What is the retirement pay for an E7 with 20 years? As of 2022 the pay calculation projection an E7 retiring with exactly 20 years of service would receive $27,827 per year. It's important to note the present value of almost $800,000 for a 40 year old receiving this pension indefinitely.

The best Military jobs can pay up to $136,000 per year.

Military jobs are one of the largest categories on ZipRecruiter within the Government industry. There are many possible Military career paths including Military Professional, Military Analyst, and Command Center Specialist jobs.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing monthly salaries as high as $2,583 and as low as $1,625, the majority of Military Soldier salaries currently range between $1,791 (25th percentile) to $2,500 (75th percentile) across the United States.

In 2024, military service members will see their biggest pay raise in two decades. Having a plan is essential in order to make the most of it.