Reviewed by Jonathan Teplitsky · Updated June 2026
This 2026 reserve drill pay chart shows exactly how much you earn for one weekend a month and two weeks a year. Drill pay follows a simple formula tied to active-duty basic pay. Once you understand the math, you can predict your reserve paycheck to the dollar.
Most new reservists get one surprise on their first Leave and Earnings Statement. Drill pay does not include housing or food allowances. We cover that and every other rule below.
How reserve drill pay is calculated
One drill (called a UTA, or Unit Training Assembly) equals 1/30 of your monthly basic pay. A standard drill weekend includes four UTAs: Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon.
So weekend drill pay = monthly basic pay × 4 / 30. That is the entire core formula.
A full year of drill is 12 weekends × 4 UTAs = 48 UTAs total. That equals 48/30, or 1.6 times your monthly basic pay before annual training. Annual training (AT) pays separately, at the full active-duty daily rate.
Worked example: E-4 with 4 years
An E-4 with over 4 years of service has a 2026 monthly basic pay of about $3,290. Multiply by 4 and divide by 30. That equals $439 per drill weekend.
Over 12 weekends, that is $5,268 in drill pay. Add a 14-day annual training at the daily active-duty rate (about $110/day for that E-4). Annual training adds about $1,535. Total first-year cash: roughly $6,800.
2026 reserve drill pay chart (per weekend)
The table below shows 2026 drill pay for one standard weekend (4 UTAs). All figures derive from January 2026 DFAS basic pay tables at common years-of-service cells. Use them as your reserve pay calculator baseline.
| Rank | Years of Service | Monthly Basic Pay | Per Drill Weekend (4 UTAs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | <2 | $2,180 | $291 |
| E-3 | >2 | $2,615 | $349 |
| E-4 | >4 | $3,290 | $439 |
| E-5 | >6 | $3,665 | $489 |
| E-6 | >10 | $4,580 | $611 |
| E-7 | >14 | $5,490 | $732 |
| O-1 | <2 | $3,990 | $532 |
| O-2 | >2 | $5,135 | $685 |
| O-3 | >4 | $6,820 | $909 |
| O-4 | >10 | $8,640 | $1,152 |
| O-5 | >14 | $10,700 | $1,427 |
These figures reflect the 2026 basic pay tables. The military received a 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026, applied across all ranks.
2025 reserve drill pay chart (for comparison)
The 2025 chart shows what reservists earned the prior year. The 2026 raise added roughly 3.8% to each cell.
| Rank | Years of Service | Monthly Basic Pay (2025) | Per Drill Weekend (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | <2 | $2,100 | $280 |
| E-3 | >2 | $2,520 | $336 |
| E-4 | >4 | $3,170 | $423 |
| E-5 | >6 | $3,530 | $471 |
| E-6 | >10 | $4,410 | $588 |
| E-7 | >14 | $5,290 | $705 |
| O-1 | <2 | $3,845 | $513 |
| O-2 | >2 | $4,945 | $659 |
| O-3 | >4 | $6,570 | $876 |
| O-4 | >10 | $8,320 | $1,109 |
| O-5 | >14 | $10,310 | $1,375 |
Annual training pay math
Annual training pays at the full active-duty daily rate, not the drill rate. The daily rate equals monthly basic pay divided by 30. For 14 days of AT, you earn monthly basic pay × 14 / 30.
For an E-5 with 6 years, monthly basic pay is $3,665. The daily rate is $122. A 14-day AT pays $1,708. A 15-day AT pays $1,830.
Officers earn more. An O-3 with 4 years has a $6,820 monthly basic pay. The daily rate is $227. A 14-day AT pays $3,178.
Total annual reserve pay
Add drill pay (1.6 × monthly basic pay) plus AT pay (about 0.47 × monthly basic pay for 14 days). Total annual reserve pay is roughly 2.07 times your monthly basic pay.
| Rank/Years | Drill Pay (12 weekends) | 14-Day AT | Total Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 <2 | $3,488 | $1,017 | ~$4,505 |
| E-4 >4 | $5,264 | $1,535 | ~$6,799 |
| E-5 >6 | $5,864 | $1,710 | ~$7,574 |
| E-6 >10 | $7,328 | $2,138 | ~$9,466 |
| E-7 >14 | $8,784 | $2,562 | ~$11,346 |
| O-3 >4 | $10,912 | $3,182 | ~$14,094 |
| O-4 >10 | $13,824 | $4,032 | ~$17,856 |
Many reservists also earn extra UTAs, special pays, or bonus drills. Those add to the totals above.
Information gain: first-year vs fourth-year E-4
A new Specialist (E-4) joins the Army Reserve at the under-2-years pay cell. That 2026 monthly basic pay is roughly $2,985. Per-weekend drill pay equals $398. Across 12 weekends, that is $4,776 in drill pay.
The 14-day annual training adds about $1,393 at the daily rate. Total first-year cash is around $6,169, before any sign-on bonus or special pay.
Fast-forward to year four. The same E-4 now sits in the over-4-years cell at $3,290 monthly. Weekend pay rises to $439. Twelve weekends pay $5,268. A 14-day AT adds $1,535. Total fourth-year cash is $6,803.
The jump is real but modest. Reservists who plan their household budget on drill pay alone (without counting BAH) avoid the activation cliff that catches new troops by surprise. Reserve special pays can change the math, but only when you qualify.
When reservists get BAH and BAS
Reservists only earn Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) when activated on orders of 30 days or more. Standard drill weekends and the two-week annual training do not include either allowance.
This is the single biggest budget mistake new reservists make. They see active-duty pay charts that include BAH and assume the same numbers apply to them. They do not.
When you go on long orders (mobilization, ADOS, or active duty for training over 30 days), BAH kicks in at your duty-station rate and BAS at the standard monthly rate. Learn more in our BAH guide.
How reserve pay differs from active-duty pay
Active-duty members earn monthly basic pay plus BAH and BAS year-round. Reservists earn drill-day pay only, calculated per UTA. The gap is large.
An active-duty E-5 with 6 years earns $3,665/month basic pay plus roughly $1,800 BAH and $460 BAS. That is about $5,925/month, or $71,100/year. A reserve E-5 at the same rank earns about $7,574/year unless activated.
Reserve pay is meant to supplement civilian income, not replace it. See our full enlisted pay chart and officer pay chart for active-duty comparisons.
Reserve retirement: points and the gray-area pension
Reservists earn retirement points instead of qualifying years served on active duty. One point per drill (UTA), 15 points per year for membership, and one point per day of active duty or AT.
A typical year earns about 78 points: 48 drills + 15 membership + 15 AT days. You need 20 good years (50+ points each) to qualify for retirement.
The pension is "gray area" because payments do not start until age 60. The formula multiplies your total points, divides by 360, and applies 2.5% per equivalent year to the high-3 average basic pay. See our military retirement guide for the full math.
Taxes on reserve pay
Reserve drill pay is federal taxable income. The military withholds federal tax on each pay statement. You receive a W-2 in January.
State tax treatment varies. Some states exempt all military pay. Others exempt only active-duty or combat pay. A handful tax reserve pay fully.
Reservists who travel more than 100 miles to drill can deduct unreimbursed travel costs as an above-the-line deduction. That includes mileage, lodging, and half of meals.
The six reserve components
The Department of Defense recognizes seven reserve components. The Army and Air National Guard are covered on our National Guard pay chart. The six federal reserve components are:
- Army Reserve — largest component, supports the Active Army worldwide.
- Navy Reserve — supports fleet operations, intelligence, and logistics.
- Marine Corps Reserve — backs up active Marine Corps units.
- Air Force Reserve — aircrew, maintenance, and support functions.
- Coast Guard Reserve — port security, search and rescue support.
- Space Force Reserve — newest component, space operations support.
All six use the same DFAS basic pay tables. The army reserve drill pay for an E-5 with 6 years equals navy reserve drill pay for an E-5 with 6 years. Rank and years are the only variables in the drill pay formula.
Service-specific resources
For active-duty comparisons by branch, see our pay charts for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Conclusion
The 2026 reserve drill pay chart follows one formula: monthly basic pay times 4, divided by 30, gives you one weekend of pay. Multiply by 12 weekends, add annual training pay, and you have your total annual reserve cash.
Remember the BAH and BAS rule. Allowances only apply on orders of 30 days or more. Build your civilian budget around drill pay alone and treat anything else as a bonus.
Sources
- DFAS pay tables — official monthly basic pay rates used to compute drill pay.
- Defense Department Military Compensation — BAH, BAS, and special pays.
- FY2025 NDAA and FY2026 NDAA — statutory basis for the basic-pay raises reflected above.
Frequently asked questions
How is reserve drill pay calculated?
One drill (UTA) equals 1/30 of your monthly basic pay. A standard drill weekend pays 4 UTAs, so weekend pay equals monthly basic pay times 4 divided by 30.
How much does an E-4 make per drill weekend in 2026?
An E-4 with over 4 years of service earns about $439 per drill weekend in 2026, based on a monthly basic pay of about $3,290.
Do reservists get BAH and BAS?
Reservists only earn BAH and BAS when activated on orders of 30 days or more. Standard drill weekends do not include housing or food allowances.
How much does annual training pay?
Annual training pays at the full active-duty daily rate for 14 to 15 days. For an E-5 with 6 years, that adds roughly $1,830 on top of drill pay.
What is the total annual pay for a typical reservist?
A typical E-5 reservist earns about $5,860 in drill pay plus $1,830 from annual training, for a total near $7,690 per year before special pays.
Is reserve drill pay taxable?
Yes. Reserve drill pay is federal taxable income. Most states tax it too, though some states exempt military pay fully or partially.
When do reservists collect retirement pay?
Reservists earn retirement points each year and qualify for a gray-area pension that starts at age 60, assuming 20 good years of service.
Does drill pay differ between Army Reserve and Navy Reserve?
No. All six reserve components, including Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force, use the same DFAS basic pay tables.