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O-4 pay in 2026

Major / Lieutenant Commander. Monthly basic pay from $6,294.60 to $10,509.90, depending on years of service.

Starting basic pay$6,294.60 a month
Top of the O-4 scale$10,509.90 a month
Per year at over 6 years$99,986
Plus BAS food allowance$328.48 a month, tax-free

O-4 is an officer pay grade. The title depends on the branch, but the pay is identical.

O-4 basic pay by years of service

Years of serviceMonthlyYearlyChange
2 or less$6,294.60$75,535
Over 2$7,286.40$87,437+$991.80
Over 3$7,773.60$93,283+$487.20
Over 4$7,881.00$94,572+$107.40
Over 6$8,332.20$99,986+$451.20
Over 8$8,816.40$105,797+$484.20
Over 10$9,420.00$113,040+$603.60
Over 12$9,888.30$118,660+$468.30
Over 14$10,214.40$122,573+$326.10
Over 16$10,401.60$124,819+$187.20
Over 18$10,509.90$126,119+$108.30
Over 20$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 22$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 24$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 26$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 28$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 30$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 32$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 34$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 36$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 38$10,509.90$126,119no change
Over 40$10,509.90$126,119no change

Rank title in each branch

ArmyMajor
NavyLieutenant Commander
Marine CorpsMajor
Air ForceMajor
Space ForceMajor
Coast GuardLieutenant Commander

What an O-4 takes home in total

Basic pay is only part of the picture. At over 6 years, an O-4 earns $8,332.20 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 $10,466.68. 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-4 make a month in 2026?

Basic pay for an O-4 ranges from $6,294.60 a month (2 or less years of service) to $10,509.90 (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-4 pay per year?

$75,535 to $126,119 a year in basic pay alone, before allowances.

Is O-4 pay the same in every branch?

Yes. Basic pay depends only on grade and years of service, so an O-4 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.