E-8 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.
| Years of service | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | — | — |
| Over 2 | — | — |
| Over 3 | — | — |
| Over 4 | — | — |
| Over 6 | — | — |
| Over 8 | $5,656.50 | $67,878.00 |
| Over 10 | $5,907.00 | $70,884.00 |
| Over 12 | $6,061.80 | $72,741.60 |
| Over 14 | $6,247.20 | $74,966.40 |
| Over 16 | $6,448.20 | $77,378.40 |
| Over 18 | $6,811.20 | $81,734.40 |
| Over 20 | $6,995.40 | $83,944.80 |
| Over 22 | $7,308.30 | $87,699.60 |
| Over 24 | $7,481.70 | $89,780.40 |
| Over 26 | $7,908.90 | $94,906.80 |
| Over 28 | $7,908.90 | $94,906.80 |
| Over 30 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
| Over 32 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
| Over 34 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
| Over 36 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
| Over 38 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
| Over 40 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
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.
E-8 pay in 2027: what is set and what could change
On August 26, 2026 the President's alternative pay plan (House Document 119-189) set the January 1, 2027 raise at 6% for E-8. It takes effect unless Congress enacts something different; the Senate committee's defense bill would make it 3.6% and has not passed. DFAS has not published a 2027 table. The figures below are the 2026 row times each percentage, rounded to the nearest ten cents. Status as of November 6, 2026; every grade is on the 2027 military pay chart.
| Years of service | 2026 | 2027 plan (+6%) | 2027 Senate bill (+3.6%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 8 | $5,656.50 | $5,995.90 | $5,860.10 |
| Over 10 | $5,907.00 | $6,261.40 | $6,119.70 |
| Over 12 | $6,061.80 | $6,425.50 | $6,280.00 |
| Over 14 | $6,247.20 | $6,622.00 | $6,472.10 |
| Over 16 | $6,448.20 | $6,835.10 | $6,680.30 |
| Over 18 | $6,811.20 | $7,219.90 | $7,056.40 |
| Over 20 | $6,995.40 | $7,415.10 | $7,247.20 |
| Over 22 | $7,308.30 | $7,746.80 | $7,571.40 |
| Over 24 | $7,481.70 | $7,930.60 | $7,751.00 |
| Over 26 | $7,908.90 | $8,383.40 | $8,193.60 |
| Over 28 | $7,908.90 | $8,383.40 | $8,193.60 |
| Over 30 | $8,067.30 | $8,551.30 | $8,357.70 |
| Over 32 | $8,067.30 | $8,551.30 | $8,357.70 |
| Over 34 | $8,067.30 | $8,551.30 | $8,357.70 |
| Over 36 | $8,067.30 | $8,551.30 | $8,357.70 |
| Over 38 | $8,067.30 | $8,551.30 | $8,357.70 |
| Over 40 | $8,067.30 | $8,551.30 | $8,357.70 |
E-8 beside the grades on either side — 2026 monthly basic pay
What a promotion is worth at the same years of service, from the same DFAS table.
E-8 BAH at five installations, 2026, and BAS
Basic Allowance for Housing is set by the duty station's ZIP code, not the grade alone; these are DTMO's 2026 rates for an E-8. BAS (enlisted) is $476.95 a month at every grade in the enlisted table, effective January 1, 2026. Both are tax-free.
| Installation | With dep.dependents | No dep.Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Naval Base San Diego, CA | $4,488.00 | $4,065.00 |
| Fort Hood, TX | $2,238.00 | $1,746.00 |
| Eglin AFB, FL | $3,189.00 | $2,457.00 |
| Camp Lejeune, NC | $2,049.00 | $1,662.00 |
| Joint Base San Antonio, TX | $2,121.00 | $1,920.00 |
Source: DTMO 2026 BAH rates (every installation on BAH rates by installation; any ZIP in the BAH calculator); BAS from DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 25.
E-8 drill pay (Guard and Reserve), 2026
One drill period pays 1/30 of the monthly basic pay above; a standard weekend is four drills (37 U.S.C. 206, DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 58).
| Years of service | 1 drill | Weekend (4) |
|---|---|---|
| Over 8 | $188.55 | $754.20 |
| Over 10 | $196.90 | $787.60 |
| Over 12 | $202.06 | $808.24 |
| Over 14 | $208.24 | $832.96 |
| Over 16 | $214.94 | $859.76 |
| Over 18 | $227.04 | $908.16 |
| Over 20 | $233.18 | $932.72 |
| Over 22 | $243.61 | $974.44 |
| Over 24 | $249.39 | $997.56 |
| Over 26 | $263.63 | $1,054.52 |
| Over 30 and later | $268.91 | $1,075.64 |
The drill pay calculator adds the 15 days of annual training and the yearly total.
What E-8 means in each service
One pay grade, five titles. E-8 is Master Sergeant / First Sergeant in the Army, Senior Master Sergeant in the Air Force, Senior Chief Petty Officer in the Navy and Coast Guard, Master Sergeant / First Sergeant in the Marine Corps, Senior Master Sergeant 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) and BAS, both in the tables above, 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
Monthly basic pay at the first published years-of-service step shown.