Salary Information for Military Ranks

The military has several pay grades for each rank. The Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks down occupational pay across all branches of the military, as well as the ranks within those branches.

Considerations

• The United States military is split among four central divisions: the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines. In total, these four branches of the military employ over 1.4 million people. Pay in the military is often determined by length of time served. After 20 years, each military rank reaches its highest level of pay.

Categories

• All four military branches define pay by two divisions. The first division is enlisted soldiers. Enlisted soldiers make up 80 percent of all military personnel. Enlisted soldiers perform day-to-day duties during peacetime and war. The lowest level enlisted soldiers are privates. The other 20 percent of personnel are officers, which include a hierarchy of military leaders. The top level leaders in all four branches of the military are generals, although the head of the Navy is referred to as the admiral of the Navy. As of November 2010, the United States only has 38 generals in its military.

Pay Scales

• The highest generals in the U.S. military make $14,688 a month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest level officer is a second lieutenant, and these soldiers may make up to $3,340 a month after 20 years of service. The lieutenant colonel is the center rank of the officer hierarchy. This official makes around $7,697 a month. On the enlisted soldier level, a private earns around $1,399 a month after four months of service. In the middle, a sergeant earns $2,828 a month. The highest level enlisted soldier, the sergeant major, earns $5,185 a month.