Military pay raise 2027: 5% to 7% by rank, unless Congress picks 3.6%
The 2027 military pay raise is set at 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3 and 5% for O-4 and up on Jan. 1, unless Congress passes 3.6%.
The short answer
The 2027 military pay raise is set to start January 1, 2027. The President's pay plan gives 7% to E-1 through E-5, 6% to E-6 through O-3, and 5% to O-4 and above. The Senate's defense bill would give everyone 3.6% instead. That bill has not passed. Unless Congress passes a law with a different number, the tiered raise stands.
- The President sent the tiered 7%, 6% and 5% plan to Congress on August 26, 2026.
- The pay formula in law works out to 3.6%. The Senate committee's bill, S. 4784, uses that number.
- An E-4 with over 4 years would get about $256 more a month under the tiered plan, or about $132 under 3.6%.
The military pay raise for 2027 is set at 5% to 7%, depending on rank. It starts January 1, 2027. Junior enlisted get the biggest bump. A Senate bill would cut it to 3.6% for everyone, but that bill hasn't passed.
Here's where things stand two months out.
What is the military pay raise for 2027?
It depends on your pay grade. On August 26, 2026, the President sent Congress a pay plan with three tiers:
| Pay grades | 2027 raise |
|---|---|
| E-1 through E-5 | 7.0% |
| E-6 through O-3 | 6.0% |
| O-4 and above | 5.0% |
The letter says the pay caps in current law still apply to the most senior officers. Members of the other uniformed services, such as the Public Health Service and NOAA Corps, get 3.6%.
Put your pay to work
Paid linksAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and doesn't change our calculators.
Why is there a 3.6% number too?
Because that's what the law's formula gives. Each year, basic pay goes up by the rise in private-sector wages, as measured by a Labor Department index. For 2027 that works out to 3.6%. The same law lets the President set a different raise if he sends Congress a plan before September 1. That's what the August letter did.
The Senate Armed Services Committee chose the formula number. Its defense bill, S. 4784, sets a flat 3.6% raise starting January 1, 2027. Military Times reported in June that the committee would move the money saved to other programs, including about $1.77 billion for the Defense Health Program.
Has Congress passed the 2027 NDAA?
No. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is the yearly defense policy law. Each chamber has its own version this year.
- The House passed H.R. 8800 on July 22 by a vote of 216 to 212. The Senate received it on September 14. The bill doesn't include its own pay raise section. MOAA reports that the House version matches the President's tiered plan.
- The Senate committee reported S. 4784 on June 15. A July 14 vote to start debate failed, 50 to 46. The full Senate hasn't voted on it.
MOAA reported on October 7 that serious talks between the two chambers should start after the election. The final raise could land anywhere between the two versions. If Congress writes a raise into law, it replaces the President's plan.
How much more will I get per month?
The table below uses the 2026 basic pay tables from DFAS. The new amounts are estimates, so they're marked "about." The official 2027 tables come from DFAS once the raise is final.
| Grade and years | 2026 monthly | Tiered plan | At 3.6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1, 2 years or less | $2,407.20 | about $2,575.70 (+$168.50) | about $2,493.86 (+$86.66) |
| E-4, over 4 years | $3,658.50 | about $3,914.60 (+$256.10) | about $3,790.21 (+$131.71) |
| E-5, over 6 years | $4,110.00 | about $4,397.70 (+$287.70) | about $4,257.96 (+$147.96) |
| E-6, over 8 years | $4,612.80 | about $4,889.57 (+$276.77) | about $4,778.86 (+$166.06) |
| O-3, over 6 years | $7,737.00 | about $8,201.22 (+$464.22) | about $8,015.53 (+$278.53) |
| O-4, over 10 years | $9,420.00 | about $9,891.00 (+$471.00) | about $9,759.12 (+$339.12) |
The gap matters most for junior enlisted. At E-5, the two plans differ by about $140 a month. That's close to $1,700 a year before taxes.
What should service members do now?
Plan your 2027 budget around 3.6%. It's the lower number, so anything above it is a bonus. You'll know the final rate once Congress acts or January 1 arrives without a new law.
To see your own numbers, enter your grade and years of service in our military pay calculator. For current rates by rank, see the 2026 military pay chart. We'll update both when DFAS posts the 2027 tables.
Questions people ask
What is the military pay raise for 2027?
Under the President's August 26 plan, it's 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3, and 5% for O-4 and above. A Senate bill would make it 3.6% for everyone. The final number depends on whether Congress passes a law that sets it.
When does the 2027 military pay raise start?
January 1, 2027. Both the President's plan and the Senate bill use that date.
Are junior enlisted getting a 7% raise in 2027?
That's the current plan. E-1 through E-5 get 7% under the President's letter to Congress. If Congress passes the Senate version, they'd get 3.6% instead.
What happens if Congress doesn't pass the NDAA by January?
The President's plan was sent under a law that lets him set a different raise than the formula. His letter says the tiered raise starts January 1. MOAA reports that a law from Congress setting the raise would replace it.
Sources
- GovInfo: House Document 119-189, the President's alternative pay plan for January 2027 (August 26, 2026)
- GovInfo: 37 U.S.C. 1009, adjustments of monthly basic pay
- GovInfo bill text: S. 4784, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (reported in Senate), Sec. 602
- GovInfo bill status: S. 4784, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
- GovInfo bill status: H.R. 8800, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
- GovInfo bill text: H.R. 8800 (engrossed in House)
- DFAS: Military pay tables (Basic Pay, effective January 1, 2026)
- MOAA: NDAA and military pay, House and Senate versions differ on your 2027 raise (October 7, 2026)
- Military Times: Senate committee proposes 3.6% military pay raise (June 18, 2026)
SquaredAwayPay is independent and not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Check official sources before making decisions.