Specialist Pay 2026
In the Army, a Specialist is pay grade E-4, between Private First Class and Sergeant. Abbreviated SPC in the Army. Monthly basic pay in 2026 is E-4: $3,142.20 to $3,815.40, 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 Specialist?
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-4 | Army pay chart 2026 | Corporal |
Specialist pay 2026 at E-4: monthly basic pay by years of service
E-4 is Specialist pay in the Army. Monthly basic pay is $3,142.20 to $3,815.40; annual is monthly × 12, $37,706.40 to $45,784.80 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 | $3,142.20 | $37,706.40 | $104.74 | $418.96 |
| Over 2 to 3 years | $3,303.00 | $39,636.00 | $110.10 | $440.40 |
| Over 3 to 4 years | $3,482.40 | $41,788.80 | $116.08 | $464.32 |
| Over 4 to 6 years | $3,658.50 | $43,902.00 | $121.95 | $487.80 |
| Over 6 years | $3,815.40 | $45,784.80 | $127.18 | $508.72 |
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-4 pay page and the BAS rates.
Specialist 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-4 | $3,142.20 to $3,815.40 | $3,362.10 to $4,082.40 | $3,255.30 to $3,952.80 |
Every grade and column is on the 2027 military pay chart.
Rank notes from the defense.gov insignia page
Some enlisted paygrades have two ranks. The Army has both corporal and specialist at E-4; a corporal is expected to fill a leadership role and has a higher rank than a specialist, even though both receive E-4 pay.
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-4 | Corporal, Specialist | Corporal | Petty Officer Third Class | Senior Airman | Specialist 4 | Petty Officer Third Class |
Promotion path from Specialist
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 First Class (E-3), $460.50 a month less; next Sergeant (E-5), $288.30 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.
Specialist pay questions
How much does an Army Specialist make in 2026?
An Army Specialist is pay grade E-4. Basic pay under the DFAS table effective January 1, 2026 is E-4: $3,142.20 to $3,815.40 a month ($37,706.40 to $45,784.80 a year, monthly × 12), depending on years of service. Basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are separate.
How much does an SPC make in 2026?
SPC is the Army abbreviation for Specialist, as the defense.gov rank insignia page prints them. A Specialist is pay grade E-4 in the Army, paid $3,142.20 to $3,815.40 a month at E-4, depending on years of service.
Is a Specialist an E-4?
Yes. In the Army, a Specialist is pay grade E-4, paid $3,142.20 to $3,815.40 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 Specialist?
In the Army, Sergeant (E-5), paid $288.30 a month more at over 4 to 6 years of service.
How much is Specialist drill pay for a weekend?
A drill period is 1/30 of monthly basic pay, so a four-drill weekend for Specialist is $418.96 to $508.72 at E-4, depending on years of service.
What will Specialist pay be in 2027?
Not final, and neither scenario is an official DFAS table. E-4: 2027 (7-6-5 tiered raise) gives $3,362.10 to $4,082.40; 2027 (3.6% raise) gives $3,255.30 to $3,952.80.