Colonel Pay 2026
In the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, a Colonel is pay grade O-6, between Lieutenant Colonel and Brigadier General. Abbreviated COL in the Army and Col in the Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is O-6: $8,751.30 to $15,408.30, depending on years of service. Annual pay is monthly × 12.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Page reviewed against DFAS pay tables and defense.gov rank titles October 26, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Which pay grade is a Colonel?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | O-6 | Army pay chart 2026 | None |
| Marine Corps | O-6 | Marine Corps pay chart 2026 | None |
| Air Force | O-6 | Air Force pay chart 2026 | None |
| Space Force | O-6 | Space Force pay chart 2026 | None |
Colonel pay 2026 at O-6: monthly basic pay by years of service
O-6 is Colonel pay in the Army and Marine Corps and Air Force and Space Force. Monthly basic pay is $8,751.30 to $15,408.30; annual is monthly × 12, $105,015.60 to $184,899.60 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 | $8,751.30 | $105,015.60 | $291.71 | $1,166.84 |
| Over 2 to 3 years | $9,613.80 | $115,365.60 | $320.46 | $1,281.84 |
| Over 3 to 6 years | $10,245.00 | $122,940.00 | $341.50 | $1,366.00 |
| Over 6 to 8 years | $10,284.30 | $123,411.60 | $342.81 | $1,371.24 |
| Over 8 to 10 years | $10,725.00 | $128,700.00 | $357.50 | $1,430.00 |
| Over 10 to 14 years | $10,783.50 | $129,402.00 | $359.45 | $1,437.80 |
| Over 14 to 16 years | $11,396.40 | $136,756.80 | $379.88 | $1,519.52 |
| Over 16 to 18 years | $12,479.70 | $149,756.40 | $415.99 | $1,663.96 |
| Over 18 to 20 years | $13,115.40 | $157,384.80 | $437.18 | $1,748.72 |
| Over 20 to 22 years | $13,751.10 | $165,013.20 | $458.37 | $1,833.48 |
| Over 22 to 24 years | $14,112.90 | $169,354.80 | $470.43 | $1,881.72 |
| Over 24 to 26 years | $14,479.20 | $173,750.40 | $482.64 | $1,930.56 |
| Over 26 to 30 years | $15,188.70 | $182,264.40 | $506.29 | $2,025.16 |
| Over 30 years | $15,408.30* | $184,899.60 | $513.61 | $2,054.44 |
Basic pay for O-6 and below is limited to Executive Schedule Level V, $15,408.30 a month. The O-6 cells at that amount are marked with an asterisk.
Drill pay is 1/30 of monthly basic pay per drill period, four drills for a usual weekend. BAS for officer (commissioned and warrant) is $328.48 a month ($3,941.76 a year, monthly × 12) in 2026, paid on top of basic pay. See the full O-6 pay page and the BAS rates.
Colonel 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-6 | $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 | $9,189.00 to $15,408.30* | $9,066.30 to $15,408.30* |
Every grade and column is on the 2027 military pay chart.
Rank notes from the defense.gov insignia page
Commissioned officers hold presidential commissions and are confirmed at their ranks by the Senate. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps officers are called field grade officers in the paygrades of O-4 to O-6 (mid-grade in the Navy).
Same pay grade, other branches
Promotion path from Colonel
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.
- Army: previous Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,350.90 a month less; next Brigadier General (O-7), $2,277.00 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Marine Corps: previous Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,350.90 a month less; next Brigadier General (O-7), $2,277.00 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Air Force: previous Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,350.90 a month less; next Brigadier General (O-7), $2,277.00 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Space Force: previous Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,350.90 a month less; next Brigadier General (O-7), $2,277.00 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.
Colonel pay questions
How much does an Army Colonel make in 2026?
An Army Colonel is pay grade O-6. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-6: $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 a month ($105,015.60 to $184,899.60 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does a Marine Corps Colonel make in 2026?
A Marine Corps Colonel is pay grade O-6. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-6: $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 a month ($105,015.60 to $184,899.60 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does an Air Force Colonel make in 2026?
An Air Force Colonel is pay grade O-6. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-6: $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 a month ($105,015.60 to $184,899.60 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does a Space Force Colonel make in 2026?
A Space Force Colonel is pay grade O-6. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-6: $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 a month ($105,015.60 to $184,899.60 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does a COL or Col make in 2026?
COL is the Army abbreviation and Col is the Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force abbreviation for Colonel, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. A Colonel is pay grade O-6 in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, paid $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 a month at O-6, depending on years of service.
Is a Colonel an O-6?
Yes. In the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, a Colonel is pay grade O-6, paid $8,751.30 to $15,408.30 a month in 2026. Every branch uses the same basic pay table by grade; only the title differs.
What is the next rank after a Colonel?
In the Army, Brigadier General (O-7), paid $2,277.00 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Marine Corps, Brigadier General (O-7), paid $2,277.00 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Air Force, Brigadier General (O-7), paid $2,277.00 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Space Force, Brigadier General (O-7), paid $2,277.00 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service.
How much is Colonel drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Colonel is $1,166.84 to $2,054.44 at O-6, depending on years of service.
What will Colonel pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. O-6: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $9,189.00 to $15,408.30; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $9,066.30 to $15,408.30.