How much does an E-4 make per month in 2026?

An E-4 is paid $3,142.20 per month in basic pay at the 2 or less step in 2026, $3,815.40 per month at the Over 10 step, and a maximum of $3,815.40 per month. Basic pay is only one part of military compensation; housing (BAH) and food (BAS) allowances are paid on top of it.

How much does an E-4 make per year in 2026?

Basic pay for an E-4 runs from $37,706.40 per year at the 2 or less step to $45,784.80 per year at the top rate of $3,815.40 per month. Basic pay is taxable; BAH and BAS allowances are not, and they are paid in addition to these amounts.

When does E-4 basic pay stop increasing?

E-4 basic pay tops out at the Over 6 step, at $3,815.40 per month. Staying at the grade beyond that step does not raise basic pay again; further growth comes from promotion or the annual raise set by Congress.

Is E-4 basic pay the same in every branch?

Yes. Basic pay is set only by pay grade and years of service, and the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard all pay from the same table. Rank titles differ by branch, but the dollar figure for an E-4 is identical everywhere.

E-4 Basic Pay Rates 2026

Basic pay for pay grade E-4 in 2026 starts at $3,142.20 per month at the 2 or less step, reaches $3,815.40 per month at Over 10 years, and tops out at $3,815.40 per month ($45,784.80 per year). Basic pay is the taxable core of military pay, set by pay grade and years of service only; housing and food allowances are paid on top of it.

2026 basic pay table for E-4

The full official 2026 table for pay grade E-4, at every years-of-service step the table publishes. Steps marked n/a have no published rate, because the grade cannot be held that early in a career.

Years of service	Monthly basic pay	Annual basic pay
2 or less	$3,142.20	$37,706.40
Over 2	$3,303.00	$39,636.00
Over 3	$3,482.40	$41,788.80
Over 4	$3,658.50	$43,902.00
Over 6	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 8	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 10	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 12	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 14	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 16	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 18	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 20	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 22	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 24	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 26	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 28	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 30	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 32	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 34	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 36	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 38	$3,815.40	$45,784.80
Over 40	$3,815.40	$45,784.80

Pay at E-4 rises as years of service build, reaching $3,815.40 per month at the Over 10 step, and tops out at $3,815.40 per month from the Over 6 step onward. After that step, staying at the grade does not raise basic pay again.

About the E-4 grade

Rank titles: Specialist or Corporal (Army), Petty Officer Third Class (Navy and Coast Guard), Senior Airman (Air Force and Space Force), Corporal (Marine Corps).

E-4 is where many members first take on leadership duties. Pay climbs through the Over 6 step and then holds at $3,815.40 per month, so further growth at this grade comes from promotion to E-5.

Source and how to verify: rates on this page are the official 2026 monthly basic pay rates from Schedule 8 of Executive Order 14368, "Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay" (December 18, 2025), effective January 1, 2026, published at whitehouse.gov and paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). EveryCalc republishes them for convenience; your Leave and Earnings Statement and your service finance office are the official record of your own pay.

Basic pay for other grades

Enlisted

E-1 basic pay (starts at $2,407.20 per month, top rate $2,407.20)
E-2 basic pay (starts at $2,697.90 per month, top rate $2,697.90)
E-3 basic pay (starts at $2,836.80 per month, top rate $3,198.00)
E-5 basic pay (starts at $3,342.90 per month, top rate $4,421.70)
E-6 basic pay (starts at $3,401.10 per month, top rate $5,267.70)
E-7 basic pay (starts at $3,932.10 per month, top rate $7,067.40)
E-8 basic pay (starts at $5,656.50 per month, top rate $8,067.30)
E-9 basic pay (starts at $6,910.20 per month, top rate $10,729.20)

Warrant officers

W-1 basic pay (starts at $4,056.60 per month, top rate $7,010.10)
W-2 basic pay (starts at $4,621.80 per month, top rate $7,714.20)
W-3 basic pay (starts at $5,223.30 per month, top rate $9,162.60)
W-4 basic pay (starts at $5,719.80 per month, top rate $10,653.60)
W-5 basic pay (starts at $10,169.70 per month, top rate $13,308.30)

Commissioned officers

O-1 basic pay (starts at $4,150.20 per month, top rate $5,222.40)
O-2 basic pay (starts at $4,782.00 per month, top rate $6,617.70)
O-3 basic pay (starts at $5,534.10 per month, top rate $9,004.20)
O-4 basic pay (starts at $6,294.60 per month, top rate $10,509.90)
O-5 basic pay (starts at $7,295.40 per month, top rate $12,394.80)
O-6 basic pay (starts at $8,751.30 per month, top rate $15,408.30)
O-7 basic pay (starts at $11,540.10 per month, top rate $17,242.20)
O-8 basic pay (starts at $13,888.50 per month, top rate $18,999.90)
O-9 basic pay (starts at $18,999.90 per month, top rate $18,999.90)
O-10 basic pay (starts at $18,999.90 per month, top rate $18,999.90)

Prior-enlisted officers

O-1E basic pay (starts at $5,222.40 per month, top rate $6,484.50)
O-2E basic pay (starts at $6,484.50 per month, top rate $7,663.50)
O-3E basic pay (starts at $7,382.70 per month, top rate $9,609.60)

See the full index of 2026 military basic pay charts, estimate total pay with the military pay calculator, look up housing rates on the 2026 BAH rates by location pages, or check the 2026 VA disability rates by rating.