Airman First Class Pay 2026
In the Air Force, an Airman First Class is pay grade E-3, between Airman and Senior Airman. Abbreviated A1C in the Air Force. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is E-3: $2,836.80 to $3,198.00, depending on years of service. Annual pay is monthly × 12. Pay follows the grade, not the title: every branch uses the same DFAS table.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Page reviewed against DFAS pay tables and defense.gov rank titles October 26, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Which pay grade is an Airman First Class?
The title is one pay grade; the other branches use different titles for it (see below). Grades come from the defense.gov rank insignia page.
| Branch | Pay grade | Branch pay chart | Other titles at this grade in the branch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | E-3 | Air Force pay chart 2026 | None |
Airman First Class pay 2026 at E-3: monthly basic pay by years of service
E-3 is Airman First Class pay in the Air Force. Monthly basic pay is $2,836.80 to $3,198.00; annual is monthly × 12, $34,041.60 to $38,376.00 a year. An asterisk marks pay held at an Executive Schedule cap.
| Years of service | Monthly | Annual (monthly × 12) | 1 drill | 4 drills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 years or less | $2,836.80 | $34,041.60 | $94.56 | $378.24 |
| Over 2 to 3 years | $3,015.00 | $36,180.00 | $100.50 | $402.00 |
| Over 3 years | $3,198.00 | $38,376.00 | $106.60 | $426.40 |
Drill pay is 1/30 of monthly basic pay per drill period, four drills for a usual weekend. BAS for enlisted is $476.95 a month ($5,723.40 a year, monthly × 12) in 2026, paid on top of basic pay. See the full E-3 pay page and the BAS rates.
Airman First Class 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) would take 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.
| Pay grade | 2026 (official) | 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) | 2027 (3.6% raise) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 | $2,836.80 to $3,198.00 | $3,035.40 to $3,421.80 | $2,938.80 to $3,313.20 |
Every grade and column is on the 2027 military pay chart.
Same pay grade, other branches
One pay grade has one basic pay and a different title in each branch. Select a title for its own page.
| Pay grade | Army | Marine Corps | Navy | Air Force | Space Force | Coast Guard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 | Private First Class | Lance Corporal | Seaman | Airman First Class | Specialist 3 | Seaman |
Promotion path from Airman First Class
The next lower and next higher pay grade in each branch, as the defense.gov rank list orders them, with the monthly basic pay difference at the length of service stated for that branch.
- Air Force: previous Airman (E-2), $500.10 a month less; next Senior Airman (E-4), $460.50 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
All titles are on the military rank pay page; the full table is the military pay chart 2026.
Airman First Class pay questions
How much does an Air Force Airman First Class make in 2026?
An Air Force Airman First Class is pay grade E-3. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is E-3: $2,836.80 to $3,198.00 a month ($34,041.60 to $38,376.00 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does an A1C make in 2026?
A1C is the Air Force abbreviation for Airman First Class, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. An Airman First Class is pay grade E-3 in the Air Force, paid $2,836.80 to $3,198.00 a month at E-3, depending on years of service.
Is an Airman First Class an E-3?
Yes. In the Air Force, an Airman First Class is pay grade E-3, paid $2,836.80 to $3,198.00 a month in 2026. Every branch uses the same basic pay table by grade; only the title differs.
What is the next rank after an Airman First Class?
In the Air Force, Senior Airman (E-4), paid $460.50 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service.
How much is Airman First Class drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Airman First Class is $378.24 to $426.40 at E-3, depending on years of service.
What will Airman First Class pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. E-3: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $3,035.40 to $3,421.80; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $2,938.80 to $3,313.20.