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O-2 pay in 2026

First Lieutenant / Lieutenant (junior grade). Monthly basic pay from $4,782.00 to $6,617.70, depending on years of service.

Starting basic pay$4,782.00 a month
Top of the O-2 scale$6,617.70 a month
Per year at over 6 years$79,412
Plus BAS food allowance$328.48 a month, tax-free

O-2 is an officer pay grade. The title depends on the branch, but the pay is identical.

O-2 basic pay by years of service

Years of serviceMonthlyYearlyChange
2 or less$4,782.00$57,384
Over 2$5,446.20$65,354+$664.20
Over 3$6,272.40$75,269+$826.20
Over 4$6,484.50$77,814+$212.10
Over 6$6,617.70$79,412+$133.20
Over 8$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 10$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 12$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 14$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 16$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 18$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 20$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 22$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 24$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 26$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 28$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 30$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 32$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 34$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 36$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 38$6,617.70$79,412no change
Over 40$6,617.70$79,412no change

Rank title in each branch

ArmyFirst Lieutenant
NavyLieutenant (junior grade)
Marine CorpsFirst Lieutenant
Air ForceFirst Lieutenant
Space ForceFirst Lieutenant
Coast GuardLieutenant (junior grade)

What an O-2 takes home in total

Basic pay is only part of the picture. At over 6 years, an O-2 earns $6,617.70 in basic pay and $328.48 in BAS. With an example housing allowance of $1,806 (an E-5 with dependents at Fort Bragg in 2026; your own rate depends on your grade and duty station), the monthly total is $8,752.18. The housing and food parts are tax-free, which is worth thousands of dollars a year compared with a civilian salary of the same size.

Work out your exact total

Questions

How much does an O-2 make a month in 2026?

Basic pay for an O-2 ranges from $4,782.00 a month (2 or less years of service) to $6,617.70 (over 40 years). Most members also receive tax-free BAS of $328.48 and, unless they live in government housing, BAH that depends on their duty station.

What is O-2 pay per year?

$57,384 to $79,412 a year in basic pay alone, before allowances.

Is O-2 pay the same in every branch?

Yes. Basic pay depends only on grade and years of service, so an O-2 in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard is paid from the same table.

Source: DFAS 2026 military basic pay table, effective January 1, 2026. Checked November 2026.