Updated Oct. 17: This story now includes the president’s Aug. 26 alternative pay plan, which makes the tiered 7-6-5 raise the default for Jan. 1 unless Congress changes it, projected 2027 basic pay charts for every grade, and the latest on the stalled defense bill. An earlier version described the wage-index period incorrectly; the 3.6% figure covers the 12 months ending September 2025.
Junior enlisted troops are on track for a 7% raise in January. Unless Congress writes a different number into this year’s defense bill, a tiered “7-6-5” plan the White House sent to Capitol Hill in August takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
That plan gives 7% to E-1 through E-5, 6% to E-6 through O-3 and 5% to O-4 and above. The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act matches it. The Senate Armed Services Committee’s version gives everyone a flat 3.6%, and the two chambers have not yet settled the difference.
Below are the projected 2027 basic pay charts for enlisted members, warrant officers and officers, what each plan is worth by rank, and where the fight in Congress stands.
2027 raise by paygrade
| Paygrade | White House plan (default Jan. 1) | House bill (H.R. 8800) | Senate committee (S. 4784) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 to E-5 | 7% | 7% | 3.6% |
| E-6 to O-3 | 6% | 6% | 3.6% |
| O-4 and above | 5% | 5% | 3.6% |
The White House budget requested $5.8 billion for the tiered plan, which the Pentagon says averages about 6.2% across the force.
What changed in August
On Aug. 26, President Donald Trump sent Congress an alternative pay plan, published as House Document 119-189. In it, he used his authority under section 1009(e) of Title 37 of the U.S. Code to set 2027 basic pay increases at “7.0 percent for grades E1 to E5,” “6.0 percent for grades E6 to O3, and 5.0 percent for grades O4 and above.”
“The adjustments described shall take effect on January 1, 2027,” the letter says.
That matters because of how the pay law works. Each year’s raise is set automatically by a formula unless the president submits an alternative plan before Sept. 1, or Congress sets a different number in law. With the plan on file, 7-6-5 is what troops get on Jan. 1 if the final defense bill is silent on the raise. If the final bill sets 3.6%, or a compromise figure, that number replaces the president’s plan.
The letter said the larger raises are needed “to support the Federal Government’s ability to attract and retain well-qualified members” and to “rebuild our military’s readiness and capabilities.”
The same letter froze pay for civilian federal workers. “[B]ase pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates,” it says. Members of the uniformed services outside the armed forces get 3.6%, according to the letter.
Which services get 7-6-5
The plan covers members of the armed forces: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. In discussing armed forces pay, the letter names “the Department of War and the United States Coast Guard,” using the administration’s name for the Defense Department.
The two other uniformed services, the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, are not part of the armed forces. Their members get the 3.6% formula raise under the letter, which notes that uniformed members outside the armed forces “also provide significant service to our national defense.”
Where 3.6% comes from
By law, the automatic raise follows the Employment Cost Index, which tracks private-sector wage growth. For 2027, the measure is the 12 months ending in September 2025, when private industry wages and salaries rose 3.6%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Congressional Research Service notes that 7-6-5 “would be larger than the automatic annual adjustment of 3.6% for calendar year 2027,” in its analysis of the proposal.
An unusual use of the president’s power
Presidents have used the alternative pay plan authority before, but recent ones used it to give troops less than the formula. In 2014, 2015 and 2016, the raises were held to 1.0%, 1.0% and 1.3%, below the wage index, with no increase for O-7 and above in the last two years, according to the Congressional Research Service’s military pay raise primer. From 2019 through 2026, troops got at least the formula raise every year.
The 2027 plan goes the other way, setting raises above the formula for every armed forces grade.
| Year | Wage index (ECI) | Basic pay raise |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | 1.0% (none for O-7 and above) |
| 2016 | 2.3% | 1.3% (none for O-7 and above) |
| 2017 | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| 2022 | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | 4.5%, plus extra junior enlisted raises in April |
| 2026 | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| 2027 | 3.6% | 7-6-5 by default; final number pending |
In 2017 and 2018, Congress overrode lower requests and set the raise at the wage index.
How to read a military pay chart
Two things set your basic pay: your pay grade and your years of service. Grade is your rank’s pay level, from E-1 to E-9 for enlisted members, W-1 to W-5 for warrant officers and O-1 to O-10 for commissioned officers. Years of service are counted from your Pay Entry Base Date, which appears on your Leave and Earnings Statement.
Pay rises in steps. You move to the next column when you pass a service milestone, such as “over 4” years, and to a new row when you are promoted. Some cells stay flat for years. An E-4’s pay, for example, stops rising after six years of service, which is one reason promotion matters more than time for junior enlisted pay.
A raise like 7-6-5 lifts every cell in the table by the same percentage for that grade band. The 2027 charts below show six common years-of-service columns. The full official tables, with every column, will be posted by DFAS.
2027 military pay chart: enlisted
These projected monthly basic pay rates apply the 7-6-5 plan to the official 2026 tables from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, rounded to the nearest 10 cents. They are StopCop.City estimates, not official figures. DFAS publishes the official 2027 tables once the raise is final.
| Grade | 2 years or less | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 16 | Over 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-9 | — | — | — | $7,490.50 | $7,945.90 | $8,591.40 |
| E-8 | — | — | $5,995.90 | $6,425.50 | $6,835.10 | $7,415.10 |
| E-7 | $4,168.00 | $4,953.50 | $5,443.80 | $5,927.20 | $6,361.00 | $6,620.40 |
| E-6 | $3,605.20 | $4,313.00 | $4,889.60 | $5,345.90 | $5,505.20 | $5,583.80 |
| E-5 | $3,576.90 | $4,223.10 | $4,600.90 | $4,731.20 | $4,731.20 | $4,731.20 |
| E-4 | $3,362.20 | $3,914.60 | $4,082.50 | $4,082.50 | $4,082.50 | $4,082.50 |
| E-3 | $3,035.40 | $3,421.90 | $3,421.90 | $3,421.90 | $3,421.90 | $3,421.90 |
| E-2 | $2,886.80 | $2,886.80 | $2,886.80 | $2,886.80 | $2,886.80 | $2,886.80 |
| E-1 | $2,575.70 | $2,575.70 | $2,575.70 | $2,575.70 | $2,575.70 | $2,575.70 |
A dash means the grade has no rate at that length of service. E-1 rates are for members with four months or more of service; new recruits with less earn a lower rate. Columns show selected years of service only.
2027 military pay chart: warrant officers
| Grade | 2 years or less | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 16 | Over 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W-5 | — | — | — | — | — | $10,779.90 |
| W-4 | $6,063.00 | $6,892.30 | $7,523.90 | $8,319.20 | $9,137.10 | $9,782.60 |
| W-3 | $5,536.70 | $6,081.10 | $6,817.00 | $7,564.60 | $8,125.90 | $8,985.10 |
| W-2 | $4,899.10 | $5,603.20 | $6,414.10 | $6,900.00 | $7,425.30 | $7,883.20 |
| W-1 | $4,300.00 | $5,150.60 | $5,919.30 | $6,433.50 | $6,958.80 | $7,430.70 |
The president’s letter does not name warrant officers. This chart assumes warrant officers fall inside the “E6 to O3” band and applies 6%. Check the official DFAS table when it is released.
2027 military pay chart: commissioned officers
| Grade | 2 years or less | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 16 | Over 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-10 | — | — | — | — | — | $18,999.90 |
| O-9 | — | — | — | — | — | $18,999.90 |
| O-8 | $14,582.90 | $15,465.90 | $16,522.10 | $17,303.60 | $18,024.90 | $18,999.90 |
| O-7 | $12,117.10 | $13,148.10 | $13,893.40 | $14,748.00 | $16,522.10 | $17,658.60 |
| O-6 | $9,188.90 | $10,757.30 | $11,261.30 | $11,322.70 | $13,103.70 | $14,438.70 |
| O-5 | $7,660.20 | $9,338.80 | $9,934.50 | $10,785.30 | $11,960.90 | $12,634.30 |
| O-4 | $6,609.30 | $8,275.10 | $9,257.20 | $10,382.70 | $10,921.70 | $11,035.40 |
| O-3 | $5,866.10 | $7,825.70 | $8,613.00 | $9,315.50 | $9,544.50 | $9,544.50 |
| O-2 | $5,068.90 | $6,873.60 | $7,014.80 | $7,014.80 | $7,014.80 | $7,014.80 |
| O-1 | $4,399.20 | $5,535.70 | $5,535.70 | $5,535.70 | $5,535.70 | $5,535.70 |
Federal law caps basic pay. In 2026, pay for O-7 through O-10 is limited to $18,999.90 a month, the Level II rate of the Executive Schedule, and pay for O-6 and below is limited to $15,408.30, the Level V rate, according to DFAS. This chart holds those caps at 2026 levels. That is why O-9 and O-10 rates over 20 years do not rise, and the O-8 rate over 20 years rises only to the $18,999.90 cap rather than the full 5%. The 2027 caps will depend on 2027 Executive Schedule rates.
Officers with prior enlisted service (O-1E to O-3E)
Officers credited with more than four years of active enlisted or warrant officer service draw from a separate, higher table. These projections apply 6%.
| Grade | 2 years or less | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 16 | Over 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-3E | — | $7,825.70 | $8,613.00 | $9,315.50 | $9,897.10 | $10,186.20 |
| O-2E | — | $6,873.60 | $7,237.70 | $7,906.40 | $8,123.30 | $8,123.30 |
| O-1E | — | $5,535.70 | $6,130.10 | $6,572.70 | $6,873.60 | $6,873.60 |
What each plan is worth by rank
The gap between the two plans is largest in dollars for senior company-grade and warrant officers in the 6% band and in percentage terms for junior enlisted troops. For an E-4 with more than four years of service, 7-6-5 is worth about $1,490 more a year than 3.6%.
| Grade and service | 2026 monthly | 2027 at 3.6% | 2027 at 7-6-5 | Extra per year under 7-6-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1, 2 years or less | $2,407.20 | $2,493.90 | $2,575.70 | $982 |
| E-3, 2 years or less | $2,836.80 | $2,938.90 | $3,035.40 | $1,158 |
| E-4, over 4 | $3,658.50 | $3,790.20 | $3,914.60 | $1,493 |
| E-5, over 8 | $4,299.90 | $4,454.70 | $4,600.90 | $1,754 |
| E-6, over 8 | $4,612.80 | $4,778.90 | $4,889.60 | $1,328 |
| E-7, over 12 | $5,591.70 | $5,793.00 | $5,927.20 | $1,610 |
| W-2, over 8 | $6,051.00 | $6,268.80 | $6,414.10 | $1,744 |
| O-1, 2 years or less | $4,150.20 | $4,299.60 | $4,399.20 | $1,195 |
| O-3, over 4 | $7,382.70 | $7,648.50 | $7,825.70 | $2,126 |
| O-4, over 12 | $9,888.30 | $10,244.30 | $10,382.70 | $1,661 |
| O-5, over 20 | $12,032.70 | $12,465.90 | $12,634.30 | $2,021 |
For any monthly amount, here is what each raise adds:
| Monthly basic pay | 3.6% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | +$90 | +$125 | +$150 | +$175 |
| $3,000 | +$108 | +$150 | +$180 | +$210 |
| $4,000 | +$144 | +$200 | +$240 | +$280 |
| $6,000 | +$216 | +$300 | +$360 | +$420 |
| $8,000 | +$288 | +$400 | +$480 | +$560 |
| $10,000 | +$360 | +$500 | +$600 | +$700 |
Raises apply to basic pay only. Retirement pay for members under the Blended Retirement System and the legacy High-3 system is calculated from basic pay, so a larger raise now also raises future retired pay.
2027 military salary: yearly basic pay by rank
Basic pay is only part of military compensation. It does not include housing and food allowances, special pays or the tax advantage of untaxed allowances. Here is what the projected rates add up to over a year:
| Grade | 2026 yearly basic pay | 2027 at 3.6% | 2027 at 7-6-5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 (4+ months) | $28,886 | $29,927 | $30,908 |
| E-3, 2 years or less | $34,042 | $35,267 | $36,425 |
| E-4, over 4 | $43,902 | $45,482 | $46,975 |
| E-5, over 8 | $51,599 | $53,456 | $55,211 |
| E-6, over 8 | $55,354 | $57,347 | $58,675 |
| E-7, over 12 | $67,100 | $69,516 | $71,126 |
| O-1, 2 years or less | $49,802 | $51,595 | $52,790 |
| O-3, over 4 | $88,592 | $91,782 | $93,908 |
| O-4, over 12 | $118,660 | $122,932 | $124,592 |
| O-5, over 20 | $144,392 | $149,591 | $151,612 |
Reserve and National Guard drill pay
Reserve and Guard members are paid by the drill. Each drill period pays one-thirtieth of the monthly active-duty basic pay for the member’s grade and years of service, which is how DFAS builds its drill pay tables. A typical drill weekend counts as four drill periods; DFAS lists an E-4 with more than four years of service at $121.95 a drill in 2026, or $487.80 for four. So the same 7-6-5 or 3.6% raise flows straight through to drill pay.
| Grade | 2026 drill weekend (4 drills) | 2027 one drill (7-6-5) | 2027 drill weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-4, over 4 | $487.80 | $130.49 | $521.96 |
| E-6, over 8 | $615.04 | $162.99 | $651.96 |
| W-2, over 8 | $806.80 | $213.80 | $855.20 |
| O-3, over 4 | $984.36 | $260.86 | $1,043.44 |
These are projections based on the 7-6-5 rates above, rounded to the cent.
The case for each
Backers of the tiered raise say junior enlisted troops, often young parents paying off-base rent, need it most. Congress already gave them a boost in 2025: a 4.5% raise for everyone in January, then an extra 10% in April for E-1 through E-4 and an average of about 7% for E-5s with under 10 years of service, according to the Congressional Research Service.
In its report, the Senate committee said it “recognizes the importance of maintaining competitive compensation” and noted the targeted 2025 raise for junior enlisted troops. “Our service members and their families deserve significant improvements in their quality-of-life benefits,” the committee said in a statement to Military Times. The committee added that it “supported a 3.6% pay increase while also investing funds to address pressing quality-of-life challenges.”
The committee’s bill redirects the estimated $2.3 billion that raises above 3.6% would cost toward other accounts, including $1.77 billion more for the Defense Health Program, $126.9 million more for special and incentive pays and $28.3 million more for tuition and credentialing assistance, Military Times reported.
Supporters of 3.6% also cite the 2025 Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation. It found junior enlisted pay already well above the 90th percentile of comparable civilian pay, recommended benchmarking to the 75th percentile, and warned that big raises focused on one part of the pay table can squeeze the gap between grades. “Pay compression matters because it can affect performance incentives,” the review said.
The Military Officers Association of America, which has long pushed to keep raises at least equal to the wage index, said in its October update that the final number will likely land somewhere between the two.
Where Congress stands
The House passed its defense bill, H.R. 8800, 216-212 on July 22. In the Senate, a vote to begin debate on the committee’s bill, S. 4784, failed 50-46 on July 14, and the Senate had taken no further floor action on it as of Sept. 1, according to the Congressional Research Service. The House bill reached the Senate on Sept. 14.
The 2027 fiscal year began Oct. 1 without a new defense authorization. Congress instead passed a stopgap spending bill that keeps the government funded through Dec. 11, Breaking Defense reported. Serious House-Senate negotiations on the defense bill are expected after the Nov. 3 election, and in recent years the final bill has usually passed in December.
There are three ways this can end:
- The final bill sets 7-6-5 or says nothing on pay: the president’s plan takes effect Jan. 1.
- The final bill sets 3.6%: every member gets 3.6%, replacing the president’s plan.
- The final bill sets a compromise: that number replaces both.
Other changes in the House bill
The House version also carries quality-of-life provisions, according to the House Armed Services Committee’s minority summary of the bill as it left committee:
- broader authority to pay higher BAH rates in areas hit by disasters, population surges or sharp housing cost increases
- more than $2 billion for new barracks, dormitories and family housing
- a pilot to lower costs and expand infant and toddler care in high-cost locations
- expanded leave policies
- fertility treatment coverage and up to a year’s supply of contraception through TRICARE
- no-cost TRICARE dental for Reserve E-1 to E-4
The Senate committee’s bill raises caps on some special pays and bonuses, increases tuition assistance limits and expands hearing aid eligibility.
BAH, BAS and other pay in 2027
The raise covers basic pay only. Housing and food allowances are set separately.
Basic Allowance for Subsistence in 2026 is $476.95 a month for enlisted members and $328.48 for officers, according to DFAS. It rose 2.4% for enlisted members from 2025. The 2027 rate has not been announced.
Basic Allowance for Housing rates for 2027 will be published by the Defense Travel Management Office, which posts the current rates and calculator online.
Military retirees and disabled veterans get a separate cost-of-living increase of 3.6% in 2027, tied to inflation rather than wages. See our breakdown of the 2027 VA disability rates.
When you’ll see it
The raise takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and most active-duty members see it in their mid-January paycheck.
To check your own raise, compare the basic pay line on your January Leave and Earnings Statement in myPay with your December statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2027 military pay raise final?
Not yet. The president’s alternative pay plan sets 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3 and 5% for O-4 and above starting Jan. 1, 2027. Congress can replace it with a different number in the final defense bill, which is expected in December. The Senate Armed Services Committee’s bill sets a flat 3.6%.
What happens if Congress doesn’t decide in time?
The president’s 7-6-5 plan takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027, because it was submitted to Congress on Aug. 26 under 37 U.S.C. 1009(e). Only a different rate written into law would change it.
How much is an E-1 paid in 2027?
Under the 7-6-5 plan, an E-1 with four months or more of service would earn about $2,575.70 a month in basic pay, up from $2,407.20 in 2026, according to StopCop.City projections based on DFAS tables. Under a flat 3.6%, it would be about $2,493.90.
When does the 2027 raise take effect?
Jan. 1, 2027. Most service members see it in their mid-January paycheck.
Does the raise change BAH or BAS?
No. The raise applies to basic pay. Housing and food allowances are set separately and announced on their own schedules.
Do civilian federal employees get a raise in 2027?
No. The same Aug. 26 plan sets the 2027 civilian General Schedule adjustment at zero, keeping base and locality pay at 2026 rates.
Sources
- House Document 119-189: Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments (Aug. 26, 2026)
- Defense Finance and Accounting Service: 2026 military pay tables
- Congressional Research Service: FY2027 NDAA military basic pay raise proposal
- Congressional Research Service: Defense primer, military pay raise
- Congressional Research Service: FY2027 NDAA status of legislative activity
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Cost Index, September 2025
- Military Times: Senate committee proposes 3.6% military pay raise
- MOAA: House and Senate versions differ on your 2027 raise
- House Armed Services Committee (minority): FY2027 NDAA summary
- Breaking Defense: House passes funding stopgap
Featured image: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Thomas Dixon / Wikimedia Commons, public domain (cropped). Charts: StopCop.City.
