Reviewed by Jonathan Teplitsky · Updated June 2026
Officer Pay Chart 2026 and 2025
Commissioned officer basic pay is set by a single DoD pay table that every service uses. Rank plus years of service determines the number. FY2026 raised every cell 3.8% over the FY2025 table. FY2025 was a 4.5% raise; the FY2025 junior-enlisted bump applied only to E-1 to E-4, so officers received the straight 4.5%.
2026 Officer Basic Pay — Representative Cells
- O-1 <2 yr: ~$3,990/mo (~$47,900/yr)
- O-1 >2 yr: ~$4,150/mo
- O-2 >2 yr: ~$5,135/mo
- O-3 >4 yr: ~$6,820/mo
- O-3 >6 yr: ~$7,150/mo
- O-4 >10 yr: ~$8,640/mo
- O-5 >14 yr: ~$10,700/mo
- O-6 >22 yr: ~$12,700/mo
- O-7 >24 yr (capped): ~$17,950/mo
- O-9 >30 yr (capped): ~$21,320/mo
2025 Officer Basic Pay — Representative Cells
- O-1 <2 yr: ~$3,845/mo
- O-3 >4 yr: ~$6,570/mo
- O-5 >14 yr: ~$10,310/mo
- O-6 >22 yr: ~$12,235/mo
Officer Starting Pay
A brand-new O-1 earns about $3,990/mo basic in 2026 (~$47,900/yr). A single O-1 in a moderate-cost area receives BAH ~$1,800-$2,400 and BAS of $320.78 — both tax-free. Total cash comp typically $6,500-$7,300/mo (~$78,000-$88,000/yr).
An O-1E — commissioned with at least 4 years of prior enlisted/warrant service — earns about $4,920/mo in 2026. The O-1E, O-2E, O-3E rates apply only the first 3 years after commissioning.
Allowances: BAH and BAS
BAS for officers is flat $320.78/mo in 2025 regardless of rank. BAH varies by ZIP, rank, and dependents. See basic allowance for housing.
The Statutory Cap on Flag-Officer Pay
O-7 through O-10 basic pay is capped at Executive Schedule Level II under 5 U.S.C. § 5318. That cap is $246,400/yr in 2025 and ~$255,800 in 2026. The pay tables look frozen at the top because the cap prevents continued increase. Without it, an O-10 with 38 years would exceed Cabinet-secretary pay.
Same Pay Across All Six Branches
An Army captain (O-3) with 4 years and a Navy lieutenant (O-3) with 4 years and an Air Force captain and a Marine captain and a Coast Guard lieutenant and a Space Force captain all earn the same ~$6,820/mo in 2026. See branch spokes: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard.
Pay diverges in special pays: aviators earn flight pay, submariners earn sub pay, Navy SWOs earn sea pay, medical officers earn variable special pay ($80,000+/yr for senior physicians).
How Officers Get Commissioned
- Service academies: USMA, USNA, USAFA — 4-year programs producing O-1s.
- ROTC: Reserve Officers' Training Corps at civilian universities.
- OCS/OTS: 9-17 weeks of intensive training after holding a degree.
- Direct commission: JAG, medical, chaplain, certain technical specialists commission O-1 to O-4 by credentials.
Compare
See the enlisted pay chart, warrant officer pay chart, and officer vs enlisted pay. Retirement multipliers in military retirement.