Here are the proposed 2021 military pay charts based on the DOD Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal. New pay rates, once the defense budget is passed, will go into effect on January 1, 2021 and will be reflected on the paychecks that are issued on January 15, 2021.
See the 2021 military pay charts with a proposed 3 percent increase based on the DOD Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal.
“In support of the Department’s effort to continue to build a bigger more lethal and ready force, the FY 2021 President’s Budget proposes a 3 percent increase in military basic pay. This builds on last year’s 3.1 percent increase and is key to sustaining the force and building on our readiness gains.” Overview – FY 2021 Defense Budget
Monthly basic pay amounts are rounded to the nearest U.S. dollar.
2021 Military Pay Scale with 3% Increase
| GRADE | 2 OR LESS | OVER 2 | OVER 3 | OVER 4 | OVER 6 | OVER 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 (*1) | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
| O-9 (*1) | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
| O-8 (*1) | $11,330 | $11,701 | $11,948 | $12,016 | $12,324 | $12,837 |
| O-7 (*1) | $9,414 | $9,852 | $10,054 | $10,215 | $10,506 | $10,794 |
| O-6 (*2) | $7,139 | $7,843 | $8,357 | $8,357 | $8,389 | $8,750 |
| O-5 | $5,951 | $6,704 | $7,168 | $7,255 | $7,546 | $7,719 |
| O-4 | $5,135 | $5,944 | $6,341 | $6,429 | $6,797 | $7,192 |
| O-3 | $4,514 | $5,118 | $5,524 | $6,022 | $6,312 | $6,628 |
| O-2 | $3,902 | $4,442 | $5,117 | $5,290 | $5,398 | $5,398 |
| O-1 | $3,386 | $3,525 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 |
| O-3 (*3) | $- | $- | $- | $6,022 | $6,312 | $6,628 |
| O-2 (*3) | $- | $- | $- | $5,290 | $5,398 | $5,570 |
| O-1 (*3) | $- | $- | $- | $4,260 | $4,550 | $4,717 |
| W-5 | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
| W-4 | $4,666 | $5,019 | $5,162 | $5,305 | $5,549 | $5,791 |
| W-3 | $4,261 | $4,438 | $4,621 | $4,680 | $4,871 | $5,247 |
| W-2 | $3,771 | $4,127 | $4,236 | $4,313 | $4,557 | $4,937 |
| W-1 | $3,309 | $3,666 | $3,762 | $3,963 | $4,203 | $4,556 |
| E-9 (*4) | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
| E-8 | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $4,614 |
| E-7 | $3,207 | $3,501 | $3,636 | $3,812 | $3,951 | $4,189 |
| E-6 | $2,775 | $3,053 | $3,188 | $3,319 | $3,456 | $3,763 |
| E-5 | $2,542 | $2,713 | $2,844 | $2,978 | $3,188 | $3,405 |
| E-4 | $2,331 | $2,449 | $2,582 | $2,714 | $2,829 | $2,829 |
| E-3 | $2,104 | $2,236 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
| E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
| E-1 > 4 mos | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
| E-1 < 4 mos | $1,650 | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
| Cadet | $1,186 |
2021 Military Pay Scale with 3% Increase
| GRADE | OVER 10 | OVER 12 | OVER 14 | OVER 16 | OVER 18 | OVER 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 (*1) | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $16,935 |
| O-9 (*1) | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $16,012 |
| O-8 (*1) | $12,956 | $13,444 | $13,584 | $14,004 | $14,612 | $15,172 |
| O-7 (*1) | $11,127 | $11,459 | $11,791 | $12,837 | $13,720 | $13,720 |
| O-6 (*2) | $8,797 | $8,797 | $9,297 | $10,181 | $10,700 | $11,218 |
| O-5 | $8,100 | $8,379 | $8,741 | $9,294 | $9,556 | $9,816 |
| O-4 | $7,684 | $8,067 | $8,333 | $8,485 | $8,574 | $8,574 |
| O-3 | $6,833 | $7,170 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 |
| O-2 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 |
| O-1 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 |
| O-3 (*3) | $6,833 | $7,170 | $7,453 | $7,617 | $7,839 | $7,839 |
| O-2 (*3) | $5,861 | $6,085 | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 |
| O-1 (*3) | $4,889 | $5,058 | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 |
| W-5 | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $8,297 |
| W-4 | $6,035 | $6,402 | $6,725 | $7,032 | $7,283 | $7,528 |
| W-3 | $5,637 | $5,822 | $6,035 | $6,254 | $6,649 | $6,915 |
| W-2 | $5,125 | $5,311 | $5,537 | $5,714 | $5,875 | $6,067 |
| W-1 | $4,720 | $4,951 | $5,178 | $5,356 | $5,520 | $5,719 |
| E-9 (*4) | $5,637 | $5,765 | $5,926 | $6,115 | $6,307 | $6,612 |
| E-8 | $4,818 | $4,945 | $5,096 | $5,260 | $5,557 | $5,706 |
| E-7 | $4,324 | $4,562 | $4,761 | $4,896 | $5,039 | $5,094 |
| E-6 | $3,883 | $4,115 | $4,186 | $4,237 | $4,297 | $4,297 |
| E-5 | $3,585 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 |
| E-4 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 |
| E-3 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
| E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
| E-1 > 4 mos | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
| E-1 < 4 mos | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
2021 Military Pay Scale with 3% Increase
| GRADE | OVER 22 | OVER 24 | OVER 26 | OVER 28 | OVER 30 | OVER 32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 (*1) | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 |
| O-9 (*1) | $16,244 | $16,577 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 |
| O-8 (*1) | $15,546 | $15,546 | $15,546 | $15,546 | $15,935 | $15,935 |
| O-7 (*1) | $13,720 | $13,720 | $13,790 | $13,790 | $14,066 | $14,066 |
| O-6 (*2) | $11,512 | $11,812 | $12,391 | $12,391 | $12,638 | $12,638 |
| O-5 | $10,112 | $10,112 | $10,112 | $10,112 | $10,112 | $10,112 |
| O-4 | $8,574 | $8,574 | $8,574 | $8,574 | $8,574 | $8,574 |
| O-3 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 |
| O-2 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 |
| O-1 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 |
| O-3 (*3) | $7,839 | $7,839 | $7,839 | $7,839 | $7,839 | $7,839 |
| O-2 (*3) | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 |
| O-1 (*3) | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 |
| W-5 | $8,717 | $9,031 | $9,377 | $9,377 | $9,847 | $9,847 |
| W-4 | $7,888 | $8,183 | $8,521 | $8,521 | $8,691 | $8,691 |
| W-3 | $7,074 | $7,244 | $7,475 | $7,475 | $7,475 | $7,475 |
| W-2 | $6,193 | $6,293 | $6,293 | $6,293 | $6,293 | $6,293 |
| W-1 | $5,719 | $5,719 | $5,719 | $5,719 | $5,719 | $5,719 |
| E-9 (*4) | $6,871 | $7,143 | $7,560 | $7,560 | $7,937 | $7,937 |
| E-8 | $5,962 | $6,104 | $6,452 | $6,452 | $6,582 | $6,582 |
| E-7 | $5,283 | $5,383 | $5,765 | $5,765 | $5,765 | $5,765 |
| E-6 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 |
| E-5 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 |
| E-4 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 |
| E-3 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
| E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
| E-1 > 4 mos | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
| E-1 < 4 mos | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- | $- |
2021 Military Pay Scale with 3% Increase
| GRADE | OVER 34 | OVER 36 | OVER 38 | OVER 40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 (*1) | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 |
| O-9 (*1) | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 | $16,935 |
| O-8 (*1) | $16,333 | $16,333 | $16,333 | $16,333 |
| O-7 (*1) | $14,066 | $14,066 | $14,066 | $14,066 |
| O-6 (*2) | $12,638 | $12,638 | $12,638 | $12,638 |
| O-5 | $10,112 | $10,112 | $10,112 | $10,112 |
| O-4 | $8,574 | $8,574 | $8,574 | $8,574 |
| O-3 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $7,345 |
| O-2 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 | $5,398 |
| O-1 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 | $4,260 |
| O-3 (*3) | $7,839 | $7,839 | $7,839 | $7,839 |
| O-2 (*3) | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 | $6,252 |
| O-1 (*3) | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 | $5,290 |
| W-5 | $10,338 | $10,338 | $10,856 | $10,856 |
| W-4 | $8,691 | $8,691 | $8,691 | $8,691 |
| W-3 | $7,475 | $7,475 | $7,475 | $7,475 |
| W-2 | $6,293 | $6,293 | $6,293 | $6,293 |
| W-1 | $5,719 | $5,719 | $5,719 | $5,719 |
| E-9 (*4) | $8,335 | $8,335 | $8,753 | $8,753 |
| E-8 | $6,582 | $6,582 | $6,582 | $6,582 |
| E-7 | $5,765 | $5,765 | $5,765 | $5,765 |
| E-6 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 |
| E-5 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 |
| E-4 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 |
| E-3 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
| E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
| E-1 > 4 mos | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
| E-1 < 4 mos | $- | $- | $- | $- |
E pay scale is Enlisted, W scale is Warrant Officer, O scale is Commissioned Officer.
Basic pay is determined by multiplying the projected average number of personnel by grade and the estimated average annual rate, including length of service increments, for each grade.
The military pay charts are for all U.S. Armed Forces personnel Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, Space Force and Reserves forces where applicable. Also, be sure to know your military pay dates.