Sergeant First Class Pay 2026
In the Army, a Sergeant First Class is pay grade E-7, between Staff Sergeant and Master Sergeant. Abbreviated SFC in the Army. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is E-7: $3,932.10 to $7,067.40, 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 a Sergeant 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | E-7 | Army pay chart 2026 | None |
Sergeant First Class pay 2026 at E-7: monthly basic pay by years of service
E-7 is Sergeant First Class pay in the Army. Monthly basic pay is $3,932.10 to $7,067.40; annual is monthly × 12, $47,185.20 to $84,808.80 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 | $3,932.10 | $47,185.20 | $131.07 | $524.28 |
| Over 2 to 3 years | $4,291.50 | $51,498.00 | $143.05 | $572.20 |
| Over 3 to 4 years | $4,456.20 | $53,474.40 | $148.54 | $594.16 |
| Over 4 to 6 years | $4,673.10 | $56,077.20 | $155.77 | $623.08 |
| Over 6 to 8 years | $4,843.80 | $58,125.60 | $161.46 | $645.84 |
| Over 8 to 10 years | $5,135.70 | $61,628.40 | $171.19 | $684.76 |
| Over 10 to 12 years | $5,300.40 | $63,604.80 | $176.68 | $706.72 |
| Over 12 to 14 years | $5,591.70 | $67,100.40 | $186.39 | $745.56 |
| Over 14 to 16 years | $5,835.00 | $70,020.00 | $194.50 | $778.00 |
| Over 16 to 18 years | $6,000.90 | $72,010.80 | $200.03 | $800.12 |
| Over 18 to 20 years | $6,177.30 | $74,127.60 | $205.91 | $823.64 |
| Over 20 to 22 years | $6,245.70 | $74,948.40 | $208.19 | $832.76 |
| Over 22 to 24 years | $6,475.20 | $77,702.40 | $215.84 | $863.36 |
| Over 24 to 26 years | $6,598.20 | $79,178.40 | $219.94 | $879.76 |
| Over 26 years | $7,067.40 | $84,808.80 | $235.58 | $942.32 |
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-7 pay page and the BAS rates.
Sergeant 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-7 | $3,932.10 to $7,067.40 | $4,167.90 to $7,491.30 | $4,073.70 to $7,321.80 |
Every grade and column is on the 2027 military pay chart.
Rank notes from the defense.gov insignia page
Leadership responsibility significantly increases in the midlevel enlisted ranks, recognized by the terms noncommissioned officer and petty officer. An Army sergeant, an Air Force staff sergeant and a Marine corporal are considered NCO ranks; the Navy equivalent, petty officer, is achieved at petty officer third class.
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-7 | Sergeant First Class | Gunnery Sergeant | Chief Petty Officer | Master Sergeant, First Sergeant | Master Sergeant | Chief Petty Officer |
Promotion path from Sergeant 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 Staff Sergeant (E-6), $522.90 a month less; next Master Sergeant (E-8), $520.80 a month more, at over 8 to 10 years of service.
All titles are on the military rank pay page; the full table is the military pay chart 2026.
Sergeant First Class pay questions
How much does an Army Sergeant First Class make in 2026?
An Army Sergeant First Class is pay grade E-7. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is E-7: $3,932.10 to $7,067.40 a month ($47,185.20 to $84,808.80 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does an SFC make in 2026?
SFC is the Army abbreviation for Sergeant First Class, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. A Sergeant First Class is pay grade E-7 in the Army, paid $3,932.10 to $7,067.40 a month at E-7, depending on years of service.
Is a Sergeant First Class an E-7?
Yes. In the Army, a Sergeant First Class is pay grade E-7, paid $3,932.10 to $7,067.40 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 Sergeant First Class?
In the Army, Master Sergeant (E-8), paid $520.80 a month more at over 8 to 10 years of service.
How much is Sergeant First Class drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Sergeant First Class is $524.28 to $942.32 at E-7, depending on years of service.
What will Sergeant First Class pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. E-7: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $4,167.90 to $7,491.30; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $4,073.70 to $7,321.80.