https://247wallst.com/special-report/2023/06/10/how-much-american-soldiers-make-at-every-pay-grade/ SPECIAL REPORT How Much American Soldiers Make at Every Pay Grade Angelo Young June 10, 2023 12:17 pm Last Updated: June 10, 2023 12:17 pm Many Americans who choose to enlist in the U.S. armed forces do so for patriotic reasons. But the military is also a good opportunity for many young adults to learn marketable technical skills, obtain a higher education, or simply find order and discipline in their lives. A degree of financial security is also a perk, but as many enlisted service members would tell you: You don’t serve to get rich. Indeed, newly recruited Army or Marine Corps privates earn less than they would flipping burgers full time: roughly $20,000 per year. But that is just if someone remains a private. Pay in the U.S. armed forces increases significantly by rank and time served, so the longer someone spends in uniform and the more successful they are in meeting the challenges of climbing the ranks, they could reach significantly higher pay. To find the military pay grades that pay the most, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2022 basic pay tables from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the Department of Defense. Pay grades are ordered by maximum possible base pay (we used the monthly pay to calculate annual pay). Comparable ranks for each pay grade also came from the DOD. Coast Guard ranks are mostly the same as Navy ranks. Monthly pay ranges from about $1,695 for a newbie private to $16,975 per month, or about $204,000 per year, for a four-star general or admiral who has served at least 20 years in the armed forces. (These are the highest paying jobs you can have in America.) One interesting feature of the U.S. military pay structure is the difference between enlisted and officer ranks. The lofty position of the top advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest enlisted pay, is only the eighth best-paying military rank, at about $112,000 per year. All the pays on the list, however, are just base pay. Many enlisted personnel, warrant officers, and officers receive additional special pay that can boost their overall wages. For example, there is hazardous duty incentive pay and assignment incentive pay. There are also accession and retention bonuses for certain professions, such as medical professionals, nuclear professions, and certain engineers. (Here is what it takes to be in 16 of America’s elite military forces.) Uniformed service members who serve full time also pay zero out-of-pocket costs for health care, including coverage for family members, through the DOD’s Tricare program, which offers benefits that would be much less attainable in the private sector. Here is how much US military are paid at every pay grade. Source: Judy Fleming / Getty Images 27. E-1 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps: Private; Navy: Seaman Recruit; Air Force: Airman, Basic > Pay for E-1 <4 months of service: $1,695.00 per month > Pay for E-1 >4 months of service: $21,999.60 per year 26. E-2 > Rank example, by military branch: Army: Private; Navy: Seaman Apprentice; Marine Corps: Private First Class; Air Force: Airman > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $24,656.40 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $24,656.40 per year 25. E-3 > Rank example, by military branch: Army: Private First Class; Navy: Seaman; Marine Corps: Lance Corporal; Air Force: Airman First Class > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $25,927.20 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $29,228.40 per year 24. E-4 > Rank example, by military branch: Army: Corporal or Specialist; Navy: Petty Officer, 3rd; Marine Corps: Corporal; Class; Air Force: Senior Airman > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $28,720.80 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $34,866.00 per year 23. E-5 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps: Sergeant; Navy: Petty Officer, 2nd Class; Air Force: Staff Sergeant > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $31,323.60 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $44,452.80 per year 22. O-1 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: 2nd Lieutenant; Navy: Ensign > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $41,727.60 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $52,506.00 per year 21. E-6 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps: Staff Sergeant; Navy: Petty Officer 1st Class; Air Force: Technical Sergeant > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $34,192.80 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $52,959.60 per year 20. O-1E > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: 2nd Lieutenant; Navy: Ensign > Pay with min 4 yrs of service: $52,506.00 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $65,192.40 per year 19. O-2 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps: 1st Lieutenant; Navy: Lieutenant Junior Grade > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $48,078.00 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $66,531.60 per year 18. W-1 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps: Warrant Officer > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $40,784.40 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $70,477.20 per year 17. E-7 > Rank example, by military branch: Army: Sergeant First Class; Navy: Chief Petty Officer; Air Force: Master Sergeant > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $39,531.60 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $71,053.20 per year 16. O-2E > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: 1st Lieutenant; Navy: Lieutenant Junior Grade > Pay with min 4 yrs of service: $65,192.40 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $77,047.20 per year 15. W-2 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Navy: Chief Warrant Officer; Marine Corps: Warrant > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $46,465.20 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $77,554.80 per year Officer 2 14. E-8 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps: Master Sergeant or First Sergeant; Navy: Senior Chief Petty Officer; Air Force: Senior Master Sergeant > Pay with min 8 yrs of service: $56,869.20 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $81,108.00 per year 13. O-3 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Captain; Navy: Lieutenant > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $55,638.00 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $90,522.00 per year 12. W-3 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Navy: Chief Warrant Officer; Marine Corps: Chief Warrant Officer 3 > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $52,516.80 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $92,116.80 per year 11. O-3E > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Captain; Navy: Lieutenant > Pay with min 4 yrs of service: $74,224.80 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $96,609.60 per year 10. O-4 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Major; Navy: Lieutenant Commander > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $63,284.40 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $105,663.60 per year 9. W-4 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Navy: Chief Warrant Officer; Marine Corps: Chief Warrant Officer 4 > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $57,502.80 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $107,107.20 per year 8. E-9 > Rank example, by military branch: Army: Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major; Navy: Master Chief Petty Officer; Marine Corps: Sergeant Major or Master Gunnery Sergeant; Air Force: Chief Master Sergeant > Pay with min 10 yrs of service: $69,469.20 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $107,866.80 per year 8*. E-9 > Rank example, by military branch: Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Sergeant Major of the Army; Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy; Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force; Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps; Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force; Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard; or Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau > Pay any time: $112,266.00 per year 7. O-5 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Lieutenant Colonel; Navy: Commander > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $73,346.40 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $124,610.40 per year 6. W-5 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Navy: Chief Warrant Officer; Marine Corps: Chief Warrant Officer 5 > Pay with min 20 yrs of service: $102,243.60 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $133,794.00 per year 5. O-6 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Colonel; Navy: Captain > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $87,984.00 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $155,754.00 per year 4. O-7 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Brigadier General (1 star); Navy: Rear Admiral Lower Half (1 star) > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $116,020.80 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $173,347.20 per year 3. O-8 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Major General (2 stars); Navy: Rear Admiral Upper Half (2 stars) > Pay with <2 yrs of service: $139,626.00 per year > Pay at 40 yrs of service: $201,290.40 per year 2. O-9 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: Lieutenant General (3 stars); Navy: Vice Admiral (3 stars) > Pay with 20 yrs of service: $197,337.60 per year > Pay from 24 yrs of service: $203,698.80 per year 1. O-10 > Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps, Air Force: General (4 star); Navy: Admiral (4 star) > Pay from 20 yrs of service:$203,698.80 per year © 2023 24/7 Wall St.
Plus free vocational training while getting paid,plus GI bill etc.The key is learning a good skill while in the military and not some bull shit basic labor work .I know someone who makes over 250k a year with no college degree doing some kind of nuclear job he learned in Navy.I know a few people who make over 100k a year doing skilled jobs they learned in the military.
Remember, those figures are before taxes. But the fringe benefits are substantial, cheap goverment health insurance for life, almost free tuitions to any colleges as long as you are enrolled, discount for almost all services, public sector jobs after leaving, cheap mortgages. etc.
I'm going to start outright by saying that I'm no fan of the military in general, I wasn't as a teen and today at 60 I'm still not. But why? My ancestors fought in wars, my father spent over a decade in the Navy during Vietnam, stationed on Guam. I'm not so distanced from it, even if I never served, like Trump or Bush Jr. I'm not a disciplinarian and definitely had authority issues as a teen. Brushes with the law didn't help. For years I believed in consensus building, relative values and peace and love. It was my generation's teachings and I embraced those values, especially the love one. Military, uniforms were the antithesis of my belief system. As I grew older, by my 40s, I recognized that relativity of values eventually lead to anarchy (America today). I also learned that consensus building is important, provided all understand that there are decision makers, that is, there's a hierarchy and everybody has to abide by and support the decision made. The unhappy have the option to get another job. I do a lot less love nowadays, but I'm ok with that. So, the point? I get the patriotic values and the commitment to a higher ideal, with a tinge of cynicism. I have yet to see America send young men (and women) to fight and defend higher ideals, except perhaps WW2, even if we showed up 5 years into a bloody war, primarily because of our divided government supporting Nazis Germany or communist Soviets. Let's just blame misguided politiciens and not our uniformed influence. What strikes me most though, is why Republicans are greater advocates for our military. It's our highest government's spending when we account for veterans benefits (which Republicans like to cut). No small government when it comes to our military spending, although the populist right is against US military involvement abroad, a Democratic slogan of the 60s and 70s. Maybe it's just because it's Ukraine and the far right supports right wing dictators? Hard to say. But I've read about some discomfort (not outrage yet) from right wing supporters with the outrageous abuses within the military industrial complex using taxpayer dollars like a free for all bordello of role swapping and toys experimentation. Unsurprisingly, Democrats have now embraced patriotic values and commitment to a higher ideal which necessitate more military spending to defend democracy and freedom abroad. How can anyone not be cynical. In addition to our military spending bankrupting America, I have concerns with the many, many wars that we send our young men and women to fight. Not so much for the luckily few casualties among our troops (war is what they freely sign up for) but for their psychological adjustment back to civilian life. How many mass shooting were committed by former military? How many joined the ranks of civilian paramilitary forces, from police to Proud Boys? How many were involved in excessive violence towards our American civilian population? Who is tracking the link? I suspect Republicans are against government subsidized education proposed by Democrats because there's already a system in place for free education through the government GI Bill. So, let me get this straight... Join the military at 18, you will get paid peanuts but room and board and health and education and retirement benefits will be covered. Within, you will salute your hierarchy, recognizable by their insignia on their shoulder and strictly obey orders. Many years later, when others salute and obey your orders, you will still not get paid well, but you will be provided a comfortable home, chauffeur, and all the trappings of an upper middle class. I've just described life under a strict communist regime, military and civilian, except in America it's by choice and it's the best funded commune in the world, thanks to American civilian tax dollars.
What strikes me most though, is why Republicans are greater advocates for our military. Republicans believe in limited Federal Government, The Constitution clearly says there is no duty more explicitly delegated to the federal government than to “provide for the common defense.” The founders recognized that national security wasn’t a responsibility the states could shoulder acting individually. In addition to our military spending bankrupting America Its all the other social programs that are bankrupting the country Republicans believe national security is one of the few responsibilities of the Federal Government. Most social spending should be done at the State level where they need to balance their budgets annually I suspect Republicans are against government subsidized education proposed by Democrats because there's already a system in place for free education through the government GI Bi Education is the responsibility of State and Local entities the U.S. Constitution grants no authority over education to the federal government. Education is not mentioned in the Constitution of the United States, and for good reason. The Founders wanted most aspects of life managed by those who were closest to them, either by state or local government or by families, businesses, and other elements of civil society. Certainly, they saw no role for the federal government in education.
cons love welfare that reinforces their values so they love the biggest welfare program we have (the military). It's why they're gleeful when teachers' unions in FL get gutted while keeping police unions intact. Case in point: