E-8 Pay 2026: Monthly Basic Pay by Years of Service
E-8 basic pay in 2026 is $5,656.50 to $8,067.30 a month, or $67,878.00 to $96,807.60 a year (monthly × 12), under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026. DFAS lists no E-8 rate for 8 years of service or less. Every branch that has the grade uses the same table; the rank title differs by branch.
This is basic pay only. For what lands in your account after taxes and allowances, use the military pay calculator, and see how to read your military LES to check it against your leave and earnings statement. Every grade is on the 2026 military pay chart.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Tables checked against archived DFAS pay tables October 18, 2026 · Methodology & sources
E-8 monthly and annual basic pay by years of service
DFAS 2026 rates effective January 1, 2026. Years of service are cumulative, as DFAS lists them; years with the same pay are shown as one row. Annual pay is monthly × 12, assuming a full year at that years-of-service step.
DFAS lists no E-8 basic pay for 8 years of service or less.
| Years of service | Monthly basic pay | Annual (monthly × 12) |
|---|---|---|
| Over 8 to 10 yearsDFAS column: Over 8 | $5,656.50 | $67,878.00 |
| Over 10 to 12 yearsDFAS column: Over 10 | $5,907.00 | $70,884.00 |
| Over 12 to 14 yearsDFAS column: Over 12 | $6,061.80 | $72,741.60 |
| Over 14 to 16 yearsDFAS column: Over 14 | $6,247.20 | $74,966.40 |
| Over 16 to 18 yearsDFAS column: Over 16 | $6,448.20 | $77,378.40 |
| Over 18 to 20 yearsDFAS column: Over 18 | $6,811.20 | $81,734.40 |
| Over 20 to 22 yearsDFAS column: Over 20 | $6,995.40 | $83,944.80 |
| Over 22 to 24 yearsDFAS column: Over 22 | $7,308.30 | $87,699.60 |
| Over 24 to 26 yearsDFAS column: Over 24 | $7,481.70 | $89,780.40 |
| Over 26 to 30 yearsDFAS columns: Over 26 to Over 28 | $7,908.90 | $94,906.80 |
| Over 30 yearsDFAS columns: Over 30 to Over 40 | $8,067.30 | $96,807.60 |
How E-8 pay grows
- E-8 pay stops rising at the "Over 30" column (over 30 years of service) and stays at $8,067.30 a month from there.
- From the first listed column ("Over 8", $5,656.50 a month) to the last ($8,067.30 a month), E-8 pay grows $2,410.80 a month, $28,929.60 a year, or 42.6%.
E-8 compared with E-7 and E-9
Monthly basic pay at the same years of service, with the difference from E-8 in 2026.
| Years of service | E-7 | E-8 | E-9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 10 to 12 years | $5,300.40-$606.60 | $5,907.00 | $6,910.20+$1,003.20 |
| Over 16 to 18 years | $6,000.90-$447.30 | $6,448.20 | $7,496.10+$1,047.90 |
| Over 22 to 24 years | $6,475.20-$833.10 | $7,308.30 | $8,423.10+$1,114.80 |
See E-7 pay 2026 and E-9 pay 2026.
E-8 rank titles by branch
Rank is not pay grade: pay grades such as E-5 are administrative classifications used mainly to standardize compensation across the services.
At E-8 the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force have two positions at the same paygrade. Whether one is, for example, a senior master sergeant or a first sergeant in the Air Force depends on the person's job.
| Branch | Rank titles and positions |
|---|---|
| Army |
|
| Marine Corps |
|
| Navy |
|
| Air Force |
|
| Space Force |
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| Coast Guard |
|
Source: U.S. military rank insignia (defense.gov), read from an archived copy on October 26, 2026.
E-8 BAS: food allowance
E-8s are paid the enlisted BAS rate of Basic Allowance for Subsistence: $476.95 a month, $5,723.40 a year, at the 2026 rate. BAS is on top of basic pay and does not change with years of service. See BAS rates 2026 for every category.
E-8 BAH examples: housing allowance
Monthly BAH for E-8 at five large duty locations, 2026 rates from DoD's BAH files (checked October 25, 2026). BAH depends on grade, location and whether you have dependents; members in government housing generally do not receive it. Having dependents adds $198 to $696 a month across these five locations.
| Duty location | With dependents | Without dependents | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA | $2,661 | $2,463 | +$198 |
| San Diego, CA | $4,488 | $4,065 | +$423 |
| Washington, DC Metro Area | $3,957 | $3,261 | +$696 |
| Fort Bragg/Pope, NC | $2,142 | $1,860 | +$282 |
| Fort Hood, TX | $2,238 | $1,746 | +$492 |
Other locations are on the BAH rates 2026 by location pages; look up your own ZIP code in the BAH calculator.
E-8 drill pay for the Guard and Reserve
One drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, and a usual weekend is four drills. For E-8 that is $188.55 to $268.91 for one drill and $754.20 to $1,075.64 for four, depending on years of service.
| Years of service | 1 drill | 4 drills |
|---|---|---|
| Over 8 to 10 years | $188.55 | $754.20 |
| Over 10 to 12 years | $196.90 | $787.60 |
| Over 12 to 14 years | $202.06 | $808.24 |
| Over 14 to 16 years | $208.24 | $832.96 |
| Over 16 to 18 years | $214.94 | $859.76 |
| Over 18 to 20 years | $227.04 | $908.16 |
| Over 20 to 22 years | $233.18 | $932.72 |
| Over 22 to 24 years | $243.61 | $974.44 |
| Over 24 to 26 years | $249.39 | $997.56 |
| Over 26 to 30 years | $263.63 | $1,054.52 |
| Over 30 years | $268.91 | $1,075.64 |
See the drill pay chart 2026 for every grade.
E-8 pay in 2027: not final
Not final as of October 18, 2026. The President's tiered plan (7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3, 5% for O-4 and above) takes effect January 1, 2027 unless Congress sets a different raise; the Senate Armed Services Committee's bill would set 3.6% for every grade. Neither is an official DFAS table.
| Scenario | Lowest monthly pay | Highest monthly pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) | $5,995.80+$339.30 | $8,551.20+$483.90 |
| 2027 (3.6% raise) | $5,860.20+$203.70 | $8,357.70+$290.40 |
- 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise): $5,995.80 to $8,551.20 a month. The plan's raise for E-8 is 6%.
- 2027 (3.6% raise): $5,860.20 to $8,357.70 a month.
Every column under both scenarios is on the 2027 military pay chart.
E-8 pay questions
How much does an E-8 make in 2026?
Under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026, an E-8 is paid $5,656.50 to $8,067.30 a month in basic pay, or $67,878.00 to $96,807.60 a year (monthly × 12), depending on years of service. DFAS lists no E-8 basic pay for 8 years of service or less. Basic pay only; housing, food and special pays are separate.
What ranks are pay grade E-8?
Army: Master Sergeant, First Sergeant. Marine Corps: Master Sergeant, First Sergeant. Navy: Senior Chief Petty Officer. Air Force: Senior Master Sergeant, First Sergeant. Space Force: Senior Master Sergeant. Coast Guard: Senior Chief Petty Officer. Source: defense.gov rank insignia page.
Do E-8s get BAH?
E-8s who qualify do, and it is paid on top of basic pay. BAH depends on pay grade, duty location and whether you have dependents, and members who live in government housing generally do not get it. At the five duty locations on this page, E-8 BAH in 2026 runs from $1,746 without dependents to $4,488 with dependents a month; having dependents adds $198 to $696 a month. E-8s also draw BAS, $476.95 a month in 2026, at the enlisted BAS rate.
Is E-8 pay the same in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard?
Yes. Every branch uses the same basic pay table by pay grade and years of service, so E-8 is paid $5,656.50 to $8,067.30 a month in all six. Only the rank title differs.
How much is E-8 drill pay for a weekend?
One drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, and a usual weekend is four drills. For E-8 that is $188.55 to $268.91 for one drill and $754.20 to $1,075.64 for four, depending on years of service.
What will E-8 pay be in 2027?
Not final as of October 18, 2026. The President's tiered plan (7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3, 5% for O-4 and above) takes effect January 1, 2027 unless Congress sets a different raise; the Senate Armed Services Committee's bill would set 3.6% for every grade. Neither is an official DFAS table. For E-8, under 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise): $5,995.80 to $8,551.20 a month. Under 2027 (3.6% raise): $5,860.20 to $8,357.70 a month.
Basic pay only. Special and incentive pays, taxes and your own service record change what you are paid. Your leave and earnings statement in myPay is the record.