Updated August 2026
E-2 Pay 2026 — Private Second Class
Complete 2026 E-2 (Private Second Class) base pay table by years of service, plus BAH rates and total compensation breakdown. All rates include the 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026.
What E-2 Is Called in Each Branch
E-2 is a paygrade, not a rank. Every branch pays E-2 the same base pay from the same table — only the title changes. If you came here from a Navy or Coast Guard search, the numbers below are yours too.
| Branch | Rank at E-2 |
|---|---|
| Army | Private (PV2) |
| Marine Corps | Private First Class (PFC) |
| Navy | Seaman Apprentice (SA) |
| Air Force | Airman (Amn) |
| Space Force | Specialist 2 (Spc2) |
| Coast Guard | Seaman Apprentice (SA) |
Rank titles: U.S. Department of War, Military Rank Insignia. Where a service lists two ranks at one paygrade, the job determines which one you hold — the pay is identical.
E-2 Base Pay Table — 2026
| Years of Service | Monthly Pay | Annual Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 2 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 3 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 4 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 6 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 8 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 10 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 12 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 14 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 16 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 18 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 20 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 22 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 24 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 26 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 28 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 30 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 32 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 34 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 36 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 38 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
| 40 | $2,697.90 | $32,374.80 |
All amounts reflect the 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026. Source: DFAS.
E-2 base pay stops increasing at 0 years of service. It reaches $2,697.90 per month there and stays flat — every row from 0 years through 40 in the table above is the same number. That is why the bottom of the table looks repetitive: longevity raises for E-2 end at 0 years.
After that, E-2 base pay only moves two ways: the annual military pay raise, or promotion. Promotion to E-3 is worth $138.90 more per month at that point ($1,667 a year) before any change in BAH.
E-2 BAH Rates — 2026 (With Dependents)
BAH for an E-2 with dependents ranges from $1,134 to $5,067 per month, with a national average of approximately $2,069/mo across 338 locations.
Top 5 Highest BAH Locations
- New York City, NY$5,067/mo
- San Francisco, CA$4,764/mo
- Santa Clara County, CA$4,356/mo
- Boston, MA$4,344/mo
- Northern New Jersey, NJ$4,275/mo
Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations
- Youngstown, OH$1,134/mo
- Monroe, LA$1,143/mo
- Vance AFB/Enid, OK$1,155/mo
- Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR$1,173/mo
- Altus AFB, OK$1,173/mo
Total Compensation Example — E-2 at 20 Years
BAH and BAS are tax-free allowances. Actual total compensation varies by duty station and dependency status. Use the Military Pay Calculator for a personalized estimate.
E-2 Drill Pay — Guard and Reserve
Guard and Reserve members at E-2 are paid from the same base pay table. One drill period pays 1/30 of the monthly base pay above, and a standard drill weekend is four periods.
| Years of service | 1 drill period | Drill weekend (4) | Annual (48 drills + 15 AT days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2 yrs | $89.93 | $359.72 | $5,666 |
| Over 4 yrs | $89.93 | $359.72 | $5,666 |
| Over 8 yrs | $89.93 | $359.72 | $5,666 |
| Over 12 yrs | $89.93 | $359.72 | $5,666 |
| Over 20 yrs | $89.93 | $359.72 | $5,666 |
Drill periods are computed as monthly base pay ÷ 30 per DFAS Reserve Component drill pay rules; annual training is paid at the active-duty daily rate, so 15 AT days add 15 daily payments rather than 30 drill periods. Run your own numbers with the Drill Pay Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How E-2 pay changed in 2026
The 2026 raise added 3.8% to E-2 base pay: $99 more per month at 6 years of service ($1,184 a year) compared with the 2025 table.
| Years of service | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 2 yrs | $2,599/mo | $2,698/mo | +$99 (3.8%) |
| Over 6 yrs | $2,599/mo | $2,698/mo | +$99 (3.8%) |
| Over 12 yrs | $2,599/mo | $2,698/mo | +$99 (3.8%) |
Promotion is still the bigger lever: at 6 years of service, pinning on E-3 is worth $500 more per month in base pay alone ($6,001 a year) — before any change in BAH.
2025 figures: DoD pay tables (incl. the April 2025 junior-enlisted adjustment). 2026 figures: official tables effective January 1, 2026.