Pay & Entitlements

E-4 Pay 2026

Enlisted

Senior Airman pay grade — every years-of-service step from the DFAS 2026 table, effective January 1, 2026. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force

E-4 monthly basic pay · 2026 DFAS table

2 or less years

$3,142.20

over 8 years

$3,815.40

Top step (over 6)

$3,815.40

$37,706.40 to $45,784.80 a year in basic pay alone. Add housing and subsistence with the RMC calculator.

E-4 basic pay by years of service — 2026

Monthly and annual basic pay at every longevity step, effective January 1, 2026. Years of service are cumulative, counted from your pay entry base date. “—” means DFAS publishes no rate because the grade cannot be held at that length of service.

E-4 basic pay 2026 by years of service
Years of serviceMonthlyAnnual
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

Source: DFAS 2026 Military Pay Tables — DoD FMR Vol. Effective January 1, 2026 (3.8% raise). O-6 and below are capped at Executive Schedule Level V ($15,408.30); O-7 and above at Level II ($18,999.90). Verify on the DFAS pay tables.

What E-4 means in each service

One pay grade, five titles. E-4 is Specialist / Corporal in the Army, Senior Airman in the Air Force, Petty Officer Third Class in the Navy and Coast Guard, Corporal in the Marine Corps, Specialist 4 in the Space Force. Basic pay is set by pay grade and years of service in a single table for every service (37 U.S.C. § 203), so the figures on this page apply whichever uniform you wear.

Basic pay is the floor, not the paycheck. Most members also draw BAH (or government quarters), BAS, and where it applies special or incentive pay. The RMC calculator adds those and the tax advantage together; the basic pay calculator shows your exact longevity step and the next raise date.

Promotion is the biggest single jump. The promotion pay raise calculator compares this row with the next grade at your years of service, and the promotion timeline shows when that pin-on typically happens.

Other enlisted grades, 2026

E-1 · $2,407.20E-2 · $2,697.90E-3 · $2,836.80E-5 · $3,342.90E-6 · $3,401.10E-7 · $3,932.10E-8 · $5,656.50E-9 · $6,910.20Full table + calculator

Monthly basic pay at the first published years-of-service step shown.

FAQ

E-4 pay — frequently asked questions

How much does an E-4 make in 2026?
$3,142.20 a month in basic pay at 2 or less years of service ($37,706.40 a year), rising with longevity to $3,658.50 over 4, $3,815.40 over 8, $3,815.40 over 12 and a maximum of $3,815.40 over 6 ($45,784.80 a year). That is basic pay only — housing (BAH), subsistence (BAS) and any special pays are added on top, and all of them are in the RMC calculator.
What is the E-4 rank called in each branch?
E-4 is Specialist / Corporal in the Army, Senior Airman in the Air Force, Petty Officer Third Class in the Navy and Coast Guard, Corporal in the Marine Corps, Specialist 4 in the Space Force. The pay grade is the same across services (37 U.S.C. § 203 sets one basic pay table for all of them); only the title differs.
When does E-4 pay go up?
Two ways. Longevity: the table steps up at over 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 years and so on, counted from your pay entry base date (PEBD), and for E-4 the last step is over 6 at $3,815.40. Annual raise: Congress and the President set a percentage each year — the 2026 raise was 3.8%, effective January 1, 2026. Promotion to the next grade is the third lever; the promotion calculator shows that jump.
Is E-4 basic pay taxable?
Yes. Basic pay is taxable income for federal and (in most states) state income tax, and it is subject to Social Security and Medicare. BAH and BAS are not taxed. In a designated combat zone, enlisted basic pay is fully excluded from federal income tax and officer pay is excluded up to the CZTE cap — see the CZTE calculator.
What does an E-4 earn per year in basic pay?
Multiply the monthly figure by 12: $37,706.40 at 2 or less years of service, $45,784.80 over 8 and $45,784.80 at the top step (over 6). Drill-status Guard and Reserve members are paid 1/30 of the monthly rate per drill period instead — the Reserve drill pay page shows those figures.

Keep going

Pair with these pay tools

BAS Rates

Subsistence allowance for enlisted + officers.

BAH Comparison

Housing allowance by duty station.

Federal Tax Withholding

Monthly withholding from basic pay.

REF: DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 1 · 37 U.S.C. § 203, effective January 1, 2026

DFAS 2026 Military Pay Tables — DoD FMR Vol.

Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial