Sergeant Major Pay 2026
In the Army and Marine Corps, a Sergeant Major is pay grade E-9, the top rank, above Master Sergeant. Abbreviated SGM in the Army and SgtMaj in the Marine Corps. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is E-9: $6,910.20 to $10,729.20, 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 Sergeant 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 | E-9 | Army pay chart 2026 | Command Sergeant Major |
| Marine Corps | E-9 | Marine Corps pay chart 2026 | Master Gunnery Sergeant |
Sergeant Major pay 2026 at E-9: monthly basic pay by years of service
E-9 is Sergeant Major pay in the Army and Marine Corps. Monthly basic pay is $6,910.20 to $10,729.20; annual is monthly × 12, $82,922.40 to $128,750.40 a year. An asterisk marks pay held at an Executive Schedule cap. DFAS lists no E-9 basic pay for 10 years of service or less.
| Years of service | Monthly | Annual (monthly × 12) | 1 drill | 4 drills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over 10 to 12 years | $6,910.20 | $82,922.40 | $230.34 | $921.36 |
| Over 12 to 14 years | $7,066.50 | $84,798.00 | $235.55 | $942.20 |
| Over 14 to 16 years | $7,263.60 | $87,163.20 | $242.12 | $968.48 |
| Over 16 to 18 years | $7,496.10 | $89,953.20 | $249.87 | $999.48 |
| Over 18 to 20 years | $7,730.70 | $92,768.40 | $257.69 | $1,030.76 |
| Over 20 to 22 years | $8,105.10 | $97,261.20 | $270.17 | $1,080.68 |
| Over 22 to 24 years | $8,423.10 | $101,077.20 | $280.77 | $1,123.08 |
| Over 24 to 26 years | $8,756.70 | $105,080.40 | $291.89 | $1,167.56 |
| Over 26 to 30 years | $9,267.90 | $111,214.80 | $308.93 | $1,235.72 |
| Over 30 to 34 years | $9,730.20 | $116,762.40 | $324.34 | $1,297.36 |
| Over 34 to 38 years | $10,217.40 | $122,608.80 | $340.58 | $1,362.32 |
| Over 38 years | $10,729.20 | $128,750.40 | $357.64 | $1,430.56 |
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-9 pay page and the BAS rates.
Sergeant 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-9 | $6,910.20 to $10,729.20 | $7,324.80 to $11,373.00 | $7,158.90 to $11,115.60 |
Every grade and column is on the 2027 military pay chart.
Positions and senior enlisted advisors
A Command Sergeant Major is a position held at E-9 in the Army, not a separate pay grade; it is paid from the same table as a Sergeant Major.
The Army's senior enlisted advisor is the Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA): a single position at E-9, not a title shared by every E-9, paid $11,166.90 a month at any length of service.
The Marine Corps's senior enlisted advisor is the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SgtMajMC): a single position at E-9, not a title shared by every E-9, paid $11,166.90 a month at any length of service.
Rank notes from the defense.gov insignia page
E-9 also has two positions at the same paygrade in several branches. Marine Corps master gunnery sergeants and sergeants major receive the same pay but have different responsibilities, and the sergeant major has the higher rank. A third E-9 element is the senior enlisted person of each service, listed below.
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-9 | Sergeant Major, Command Sergeant Major | Master Gunnery Sergeant, Sergeant Major | Master Chief Petty Officer, Fleet/Command Master Chief Petty Officer | Chief Master Sergeant, First Sergeant, Command Chief Master Sergeant | Chief Master Sergeant | Master Chief Petty Officer, Fleet/Command Master Chief Petty Officer |
Promotion path from Sergeant 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 Master Sergeant (E-8), $1,003.20 a month less; no higher title in this group, at over 10 to 12 years of service.
- Marine Corps: previous Master Sergeant (E-8), $1,003.20 a month less; no higher title in this group, at over 10 to 12 years of service.
All titles are on the military rank pay page; the full table is the military pay chart 2026.
Sergeant Major pay questions
How much does an Army Sergeant Major make in 2026?
An Army Sergeant Major is pay grade E-9. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is E-9: $6,910.20 to $10,729.20 a month ($82,922.40 to $128,750.40 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 Sergeant Major make in 2026?
A Marine Corps Sergeant Major is pay grade E-9. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is E-9: $6,910.20 to $10,729.20 a month ($82,922.40 to $128,750.40 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does an SGM or SgtMaj make in 2026?
SGM is the Army abbreviation and SgtMaj is the Marine Corps abbreviation for Sergeant Major, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. A Sergeant Major is pay grade E-9 in the Army and Marine Corps, paid $6,910.20 to $10,729.20 a month at E-9, depending on years of service.
Is a Sergeant Major an E-9?
Yes. In the Army and Marine Corps, a Sergeant Major is pay grade E-9, paid $6,910.20 to $10,729.20 a month in 2026. Every branch uses the same basic pay table by grade; only the title differs.
How much does the Sergeant Major of the Army make in 2026?
Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is a single E-9 position, paid $11,166.90 a month in 2026 ($134,002.80 a year, monthly × 12) at any length of service, instead of the E-9 years-of-service rates. The rate is the senior enlisted advisor note in the DFAS enlisted basic pay table. Basic pay only; allowances and special pays are separate.
How much does the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps make in 2026?
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SgtMajMC) is a single E-9 position, paid $11,166.90 a month in 2026 ($134,002.80 a year, monthly × 12) at any length of service, instead of the E-9 years-of-service rates. The rate is the senior enlisted advisor note in the DFAS enlisted basic pay table. Basic pay only; allowances and special pays are separate.
How much is Sergeant Major drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Sergeant Major is $921.36 to $1,430.56 at E-9, depending on years of service.
What will Sergeant Major pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. E-9: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $7,324.80 to $11,373.00; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $7,158.90 to $11,115.60.