Basic pay raises by year
| Year | Raise | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3.8% | |
| 2025 | 4.5% | E-1 to E-4 got a further 10% on April 1 |
| 2024 | 5.2% | |
| 2023 | 4.6% | |
| 2022 | 2.7% | |
| 2021 | 3.0% | |
| 2020 | 3.1% | |
| 2019 | 2.6% | |
| 2018 | 2.4% | |
| 2017 | 2.1% | |
| 2016 | 1.3% | |
| 2015 | 1.0% | |
| 2014 | 1.0% | |
| 2013 | 1.7% | |
| 2012 | 1.6% | |
| 2011 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 3.4% | |
| 2009 | 3.9% | |
| 2008 | 3.5% | |
| 2007 | 2.2% | Plus a targeted increase averaging 0.5% on April 1 |
These are the across-the-board raises published by the Department of Defense. They take effect on January 1 of each year.
Your own pay grew faster than the raises
The table shows how the pay tables moved. Your own pay moved more, because you were also promoted and passed longevity steps along the way. An E-3 in 2016 who is an E-6 over 10 years today got ten annual raises plus three promotions and several steps within grade.
To see what you make now, use the military pay calculator or the current enlisted pay chart.
Questions
What was the military pay raise for 2026?
Basic pay rose 3.8% on January 1, 2026.
What was the largest military pay raise in recent years?
The 2024 raise of 5.2% was the largest across-the-board raise since 2002. In 2025 the across-the-board raise was 4.5%, and members in grades E-1 to E-4 got a further 10% on April 1, 2025.
How is the military pay raise decided?
By law the raise follows the Employment Cost Index, a Labor Department measure of private-sector wage growth. Congress or the President can set a different figure, which is why the 2014, 2015 and 2016 raises came in below the index.
Does a pay raise change BAH and BAS?
No. BAH is reset each January from local rent surveys, and BAS follows food costs. Each can rise by more or less than basic pay.