About the Military Pay Calculator
Estimate a US service member's 2026 monthly compensation from its core components: basic pay (set by pay grade and years of service), the Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS, a flat tax-free food allowance), and the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH, matched to your ZIP code and dependent status). Pick a rank and years-of-service bracket, add your ZIP, and see the monthly and annual estimate. This is an estimate using published DoD tables — it isn't an official DFAS statement.
How to use it
- Choose your pay grade (E-1 to E-9, W-1 to W-5, or O-1 to O-10).
- Choose your years-of-service bracket — base pay rises at set service milestones.
- Enter your ZIP code and tick 'have dependents' to add the housing allowance (BAH).
- Read the monthly total: base pay (taxable) plus BAS and BAH (both tax-free).
Sample 2026 monthly basic pay
| E-1 (under 2 yrs) | $2,407 |
| E-5 (over 6 yrs) | $4,110 |
| E-7 (over 12 yrs) | $5,592 |
| O-1 (under 2 yrs) | $4,150 |
| O-3 (over 6 yrs) | $7,737 |
| O-4 (over 10 yrs) | $9,420 |
Frequently asked questions
- What's included in this estimate?
- Three components: basic pay (from the 2026 pay table, based on your pay grade and years of service); BAS, the tax-free Basic Allowance for Subsistence ($476.95/month for enlisted, $328.48/month for officers in 2026); and BAH, the tax-free Basic Allowance for Housing, matched to your ZIP code, pay grade, and dependent status. It does not include special or incentive pays, or taxes.
- How is BAH determined?
- BAH is set by your Military Housing Area (MHA), not your exact address. The calculator maps your ZIP code to its MHA, then looks up the published 2026 rate for your pay grade and whether you have dependents. Overseas locations use OHA instead of BAH and aren't covered. Your exact duty-station rate may differ slightly.
- Are these figures official?
- No. They're estimates built from the published 2026 DoD basic-pay and BAS tables and are not affiliated with the Department of Defense or DFAS. Always confirm your exact entitlements in MyPay or with your finance office.
- How does basic pay increase over a career?
- It rises two ways: by promotion to a higher pay grade, and by reaching years-of-service milestones (over 2, over 3, over 4, over 6, and so on). Many grades cap out after a certain number of years, so the figure stops climbing even with more time in service.
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