Get To See What US Military Are Paid As Salary, Nigeria Military Are In Hell.
Get To See What US Officers Are Paid As Salary, Nigeria Officers Are In Hell.
By Rowlandgate.
The United States military had more than 2.4 million people in active duty or reserve service as of 2019, all of whom were getting a fair salary. The Army is by far the biggest of the six branches, followed by the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the newly established Space Force.
With those massive numbers and the great benefits that can come with serving, it’s no wonder that the military has been called “America’s biggest jobs program.” We’ve taken a look at how much money each rank in the military pays, from the entry-level cadet to the seasoned five-star general and the numbers might surprise you
How Do We Know Their Salaries?
While America’s military intelligence is among the nation’s most guarded information, many details about the armed forces are an open book by law. Since U.S. taxpayers fund the military, the salary information for every rank is available for anyone to read as a public record.
The numbers we are reporting come straight from the military’s 2021 pay table, which went into effect at the start of the new year. The rate of pay increased by 3% from 2020 to 2021, which is the same bump service members saw from 2019 to 2020.
Cadet/Midshipman — $1,186 Per Month
Students at the country’s five service academies are the lowest-ranking people in the military, in terms of salary. Cadets (as they are called at the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Coast Guard Academy) and Midshipmen (as they are called at the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy) will be paid $1,186 per month in 2021.
This allows those young service members to make a maximum salary of $14,232 for the year, but they get the additional benefits that go with being a college student and the likely chance that they will be a commissioned officer upon graduating.
E-1: Private/Seaman Recruit/Airman Basic — $1,650-$1,785 Per Month
The lowest rank of enlisted service member across the six branches of the military makes up the E-1 pay grade. They are known as privates in the Army and Marines, Seaman Recruits in the Navy and Coast Guard and Airman Basics in the Air Force and Space Force. If these members have less than four months of service under their belt, they get $1,650 per month, while any that have surpassed that milestone will make $1,785 per month.
That higher number would make for a yearly salary of $21,420 in 2021.
E-2: Private Second Class/Private First Class/Seaman Apprentice/Airman — $2,000.70 Per Month
The next tier of service members have a chance to make $24,008.40 per year, based on their base monthly salary. That’s still far below the median salary for American workers, which was about $50,000 in 2020. This group includes a private second class in the Army, a private first class in the Marines, a seaman apprentice in the Navy and Coast guard and an airman in the Air Force and Space Force.
E-3: Private First Class/Lance Corporal/Seaman/Airman First Class — $2,103.90-$2,371.80 Per Month
The E-3 pay grade is the first tier that sees its base pay increase based on how many years of service the member has put in. Those with less than two years of experience will make $2,103.90 per month, while those with at least three years of experience will make $2,371.80 per month. This means the yearly salary ranges from $25,246.80 to $28,461.60 for these enlistees, which include Army privates first class, Marine lance corporals, Navy and Coast Guard seamen and Air Force and Space Force airmen first class.
E-4: Specialist/Corporal/Petty Officer Third Class/Senior Airman — $2,330.40-$2,829 Per Month
This pay grade caps out for those service members who have at least six years of experience. Anyone with at least that much experience at this tier will make about $500 more per month than equally ranked members with less than two total years of service. The ranks in E-4 include Army specialists and corporals, Marine corporals, Navy and Coast Guard petty officers third class and Air Force and Space Force senior airmen.
E-5: Sergeant/Petty Officer Second Class/Staff Sergeant — $2,541.60-$3,606.90 Per Month
This tier starts to represent those enlisted service members who have reached the status of noncommissioned officers across all six branches. From sergeants in the Army and Marines to petty officers second class in the Navy and Coast Guard to staff sergeants in the Air Force and Space Force, service members that have reached the E-5 pay grade typically got there the hard way, by working their way up from E-1 status.
Anyone at this pay grade has a chance to make as much as $43,282.80 per year if they have at least 12 years of service in their file.
E-6: Staff Sergeant/Petty Officer First Class/Technical Sergeant — $2,774.40-$4,297.20 Per Month
Service members who have at least 18 years of experience on the books and have reached the pay grade of E-6 can make as much as $51,566.40 per year, surpassing that median mark of the average American salary that was previously mentioned. This includes staff sergeants in the Army and Marines, petty officers first class in the Navy and Coast Guard and technical sergeants in the Air Force and Space Force. These service members maintain the status of noncommissioned officers.
E-7: Sergeant First Class/Gunnery Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer/Master Sergeant — $3,207.60-$5,765.40 Per Month
We’re getting near the high end of the pay grades offered to enlisted members who aren’t warrant officers or commissioned officers, which is what the “E” in these tiers stands for. The E-7 class includes Army sergeants first class, Marine gunnery sergeants, Navy and Coast Guard chief petty officers and Air Force and Space Force master sergeants. Yearly salaries range from $38,491.20 for service members who’ve served less than two years to $69,184.80 for those who’ve served at least 26 years.
E-8: Master Sergeant/First Sergeant/Senior Chief Petty Officer/Senior Master Sergeant — $4,614.60-$6,581.40 Per Month
Unlike the previous pay grades for enlisted members, which start with salaries for members who have less than two years of service experience, the military’s E-8 distinction doesn’t begin until someone has at least eight years of experience. These ranks are where we start to see salaries that are more lucrative, as E-8’s can make anywhere from $55,375.20 to $78,976.80 in 2021.
Master sergeants in the Army and Marines, first sergeants in the Army, senior chief petty officers in the Navy and Coast Guard and senior master sergeants in the Air Force and Space Force are all in this pay grade.
E-9: Sergeant Major/Master Gunnery Sergeant/Master Chief Petty Officer/Chief Master Sergeant — $5,637-$8,752.50 Per Month
The prestigious E-9 pay grade is the highest achievable by anyone in the class of enlisted members. These high-ranking noncommissioned officers include Army sergeant majors, Marine master gunnery sergeants and sergeant majors, Navy and Coast Guard master chief petty officers and Air Force and Space Force chief master sergeants, as well as the command versions of these ranks and special distinctions, such as the rank of sergeant major of the Army.
This is the only pay grade for enlisted members that can offer a six-figure salary, as E-9s with at least 38 years of service experience can bring in $105,030 in 2021.
W-1: Warrant Officer 1 — $3,309.30-$5,718.60 Per Month
W-2: Chief Warrant Officer 2 — $3,770.40-$6,293.10 Per Month
W-3: Chief Warrant Officer 3 — $4,261.20-$7,474.50 Per Month
W-4: Chief Warrant Officer 4 — $4,665.90-$8,691 Per Month
W-5: Chief Warrant Officer 5 — $8,296.20-$10,856.40 Per Month
O-1: Second Lieutenant/Ensign — $3,385.80-$4,260.60 Per Month
O-1E: Second Lieutenant/Ensign — $4,260.60-$5,289.90 Per Month
O-2: First Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade — $3,901.20-$5,398.50 Per Month
O-2E: First Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade — $5,289.90-$6,251.70 Per Month
O-3: Captain/Lieutenant — $4,514.70-$7,345.20 Per Month
O-3E: Captain/Lieutenant — $6,022.80-$7,839 Per Month
O-4: Major/Lieutenant Commander — $5,135.10-$8,573.70 Per Month
O-5: Lieutenant Colonel/Commander — $5,951.40-$10,111.20 Per Month
O-6: Colonel/Captain — $7,139.10-$12,638.40 Per Month
O-7: Brigadier General/Rear Admiral Lower Half — $9,414.30-$14,065.80 Per Month
We’re now getting into the truly elite ranks of the armed services. Commissioned officers who reach the O-7 pay grade will find that they aren’t outranked by many people. This tier cover a brigadier general of the Army, Marines, Air Force or Space Force, as well as a rear admiral lower half of the Navy or Coast Guard and starts at a six-figure salary for those with the least experience. On the low end, an O-7 can clear $112,971.60 in 2021, while those with at least 30 years of military experience will clear $168,789.60. Odogwublog.com
O-8: Major General/Rear Admiral — $11,329.50-$16,333.20 Per Month
O-9: Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral — $16,012.50-$16,608.30 Per Month
O-10: General/Admiral — $16,608.30 Per Month
Unlike the other pay grades in the military, the one at the very top offers a flat rate of basic pay for anyone who reaches it. This is because the monthly salary for this most elite grade is tied to the rate of pay for Level II of the U.S. Executive Schedule. This means anyone who reaches the rank of general in the Army, Marines, Air Force or Space Force, as well as admiral in the Navy or Coast Guard, is capped at a yearly salary of $199,299.60 in 2021.
This pay grade also includes those officers serving in the prestigious roles of chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, chief of staff of the Army or Air Force, chief of Naval operations, chief of space operations and commandant of the Marine Corps or Coast Guard.
