Major Pay 2026
In the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, a Major is pay grade O-4, between Captain and Lieutenant Colonel. Abbreviated MAJ in the Army and Maj in the Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is O-4: $6,294.60 to $10,509.90, 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 Major?
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-4 | Army pay chart 2026 | None |
| Marine Corps | O-4 | Marine Corps pay chart 2026 | None |
| Air Force | O-4 | Air Force pay chart 2026 | None |
| Space Force | O-4 | Space Force pay chart 2026 | None |
Major pay 2026 at O-4: monthly basic pay by years of service
O-4 is Major pay in the Army and Marine Corps and Air Force and Space Force. Monthly basic pay is $6,294.60 to $10,509.90; annual is monthly × 12, $75,535.20 to $126,118.80 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 | $6,294.60 | $75,535.20 | $209.82 | $839.28 |
| Over 2 to 3 years | $7,286.40 | $87,436.80 | $242.88 | $971.52 |
| Over 3 to 4 years | $7,773.60 | $93,283.20 | $259.12 | $1,036.48 |
| Over 4 to 6 years | $7,881.00 | $94,572.00 | $262.70 | $1,050.80 |
| Over 6 to 8 years | $8,332.20 | $99,986.40 | $277.74 | $1,110.96 |
| Over 8 to 10 years | $8,816.40 | $105,796.80 | $293.88 | $1,175.52 |
| Over 10 to 12 years | $9,420.00 | $113,040.00 | $314.00 | $1,256.00 |
| Over 12 to 14 years | $9,888.30 | $118,659.60 | $329.61 | $1,318.44 |
| Over 14 to 16 years | $10,214.40 | $122,572.80 | $340.48 | $1,361.92 |
| Over 16 to 18 years | $10,401.60 | $124,819.20 | $346.72 | $1,386.88 |
| Over 18 years | $10,509.90 | $126,118.80 | $350.33 | $1,401.32 |
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-4 pay page and the BAS rates.
Major 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-4 | $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 | $6,609.30 to $11,035.50 | $6,521.10 to $10,888.20 |
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-4 | Major | Major | Lieutenant Commander | Major | Major | Lieutenant Commander |
Promotion path from Major
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 Captain (O-3), $498.30 a month less; next Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,013.10 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Marine Corps: previous Captain (O-3), $498.30 a month less; next Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,013.10 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Air Force: previous Captain (O-3), $498.30 a month less; next Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,013.10 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Space Force: previous Captain (O-3), $498.30 a month less; next Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), $1,013.10 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.
Major pay questions
How much does an Army Major make in 2026?
An Army Major is pay grade O-4. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-4: $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 a month ($75,535.20 to $126,118.80 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 Major make in 2026?
A Marine Corps Major is pay grade O-4. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-4: $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 a month ($75,535.20 to $126,118.80 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 Major make in 2026?
An Air Force Major is pay grade O-4. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-4: $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 a month ($75,535.20 to $126,118.80 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 Major make in 2026?
A Space Force Major is pay grade O-4. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is O-4: $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 a month ($75,535.20 to $126,118.80 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does an MAJ or Maj make in 2026?
MAJ is the Army abbreviation and Maj is the Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force abbreviation for Major, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. A Major is pay grade O-4 in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, paid $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 a month at O-4, depending on years of service.
Is a Major an O-4?
Yes. In the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, a Major is pay grade O-4, paid $6,294.60 to $10,509.90 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 Major?
In the Army, Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), paid $1,013.10 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Marine Corps, Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), paid $1,013.10 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), paid $1,013.10 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Space Force, Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), paid $1,013.10 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service.
How much is Major drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Major is $839.28 to $1,401.32 at O-4, depending on years of service.
What will Major pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. O-4: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $6,609.30 to $11,035.50; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $6,521.10 to $10,888.20.