Junior enlisted pay has risen sharply over the last few years. Congress gave E-1 through E-4 an extra 10% raise in April 2025, on top of the normal yearly raises. Here is what a new recruit earns in 2026, and how quickly it climbs.
Basic pay for E-1 to E-4
| Grade | Monthly basic pay | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| E-1, 4 months or more | $2,407.20 | $28,886 |
| E-2 | $2,697.90 | $32,375 |
| E-3, under 2 years | $2,836.80 | $34,042 |
| E-3, over 2 years | $3,015.00 | $36,180 |
| E-4, under 2 years | $3,142.20 | $37,706 |
| E-4, over 4 years | $3,658.50 | $43,902 |
E-1 members with less than four months of service are paid a slightly lower rate. Most recruits pass that point during or soon after basic training.
On top of basic pay, every enlisted member receives the food allowance, BAS, of $476.95 a month. Members who live off base also receive a housing allowance, BAH, which depends on location.
At basic training
During basic training you receive basic pay and BAS, but your meals and housing are provided. Because the dining facility feeds you, most of your BAS is offset by meal charges. Federal income tax and FICA come out of basic pay. Many recruits find they save most of their pay during training, since there is little to spend it on.
How fast pay grows
Promotion through the junior ranks is mostly automatic, based on time in service. In the Army, for example, a new private normally becomes an E-2 at 6 months, an E-3 at about 12 months and an E-4 at about 24 months. Waivers can make those promotions faster. Other branches use similar timelines. Recruits who enter with college credit or certain qualifications can start at E-2 or E-3.
On those standard steps, monthly basic pay goes from $2,407.20 to $3,303.00 in two years, a rise of about 37%. That is before any housing allowance.
Total pay, not just basic pay
Single junior members often live in the barracks with meals provided, so their pay is mostly basic pay. Married members, or those allowed to live off base, receive BAH and keep their BAS for groceries. That changes the picture a lot.
Take an E-3 with over 2 years, married and living off base where BAH for their grade is $1,600 a month:
- Basic pay: $3,015.00
- BAS: $476.95
- BAH: $1,600
That totals $5,091.95 a month, and about 40% of it is tax-free. A civilian job would need to pay about $66,700 a year to leave the same money after federal and payroll taxes.
What comes out of each paycheck
- Federal income tax, on basic pay only
- Social Security and Medicare, 7.65% of basic pay
- SGLI life insurance, a small monthly premium unless you decline it
- TSP retirement savings, set up automatically with a government match
Common questions
When do I get paid? Military members are paid twice a month, on the 1st and the 15th. If those dates fall on a weekend or holiday, you are paid on the last working day before.
Do I get paid during the time between enlistment and shipping to basic? Generally no, if you are in the Delayed Entry Program. Pay starts when you go on active duty.
Can I get a signing bonus as a new recruit? Many jobs offer enlistment bonuses. They are paid separately and are taxable unless signed in a combat zone.
Run your own numbers, including housing, in the total pay calculator.