Private First Class Pay 2026
A Private First Class is pay grade E-2 in the Marine Corps and E-3 in the Army. Abbreviated PFC in the Army and Marine Corps. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is E-2: $2,697.90; E-3: $2,836.80 to $3,198.00, 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 Private First Class?
The title is in more than one pay grade, depending on the branch. Pay follows the grade, so check the branch row first. Grades come from the defense.gov rank insignia page.
| Branch | Pay grade | Branch pay chart | Other titles at this grade in the branch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Corps | E-2 | Marine Corps pay chart 2026 | None |
| Army | E-3 | Army pay chart 2026 | None |
Private First Class pay 2026 at E-2: monthly basic pay
E-2 is Private First Class pay in the Marine Corps. Monthly basic pay is $2,697.90; annual is monthly × 12, $32,374.80 a year. An asterisk marks pay held at an Executive Schedule cap.
| Years of service | Monthly | Annual (monthly × 12) | 1 drill | 4 drills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any length of service | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 | $89.93 | $359.72 |
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-2 pay page and the BAS rates.
Private First Class pay 2026 at E-3: monthly basic pay by years of service
E-3 is Private First Class pay in the Army. 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.
Private 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-2 | $2,697.90 | $2,886.90 | $2,795.10 |
| 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-2 | Private | Private First Class | Seaman Apprentice | Airman | Specialist 2 | Seaman Apprentice |
| E-3 | Private First Class | Lance Corporal | Seaman | Airman First Class | Specialist 3 | Seaman |
Promotion path from Private 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.
- Army: previous Private (E-2), $500.10 a month less; next Corporal (E-4), Specialist (E-4), $460.50 a month more, at over 4 to 6 years of service.
- Marine Corps: previous Private (E-1), $290.70 a month less; next Lance Corporal (E-3), $500.10 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.
Private First Class pay questions
How much does an Army Private First Class make in 2026?
An Army Private 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 a Marine Corps Private First Class make in 2026?
A Marine Corps Private First Class is pay grade E-2. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is E-2: $2,697.90 a month ($32,374.80 a year, monthly × 12). Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does a PFC make in 2026?
PFC is the Army and Marine Corps abbreviation for Private First Class, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. A Private First Class is pay grade E-2 in the Marine Corps and E-3 in the Army, paid $2,697.90 a month at E-2 or $2,836.80 to $3,198.00 a month at E-3, depending on years of service.
Is a Private First Class an E-2 or E-3?
It depends on the branch. A Private First Class is pay grade E-2 in the Marine Corps and E-3 in the Army. Pay follows the grade, not the title, so the same title is paid $2,697.90 at E-2 or $2,836.80 to $3,198.00 at E-3 a month in 2026.
What is the next rank after a Private First Class?
In the Army, Corporal or Specialist (E-4), paid $460.50 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service. In the Marine Corps, Lance Corporal (E-3), paid $500.10 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service.
How much is Private First Class drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Private First Class is $359.72 at E-2 or $378.24 to $426.40 at E-3, depending on years of service.
What will Private First Class pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. E-2: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $2,886.90; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $2,795.10. 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.