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.

Entry Pay (0 YOS)
$2,697.90/mo
$32,374.80/year
Max Pay
$2,697.90/mo
$32,374.80/year
BAH Range (w/ Dependents)
$1,134–$5,067
Across 338 locations
Enlisted BAS
$476.95/mo
Tax-free food allowance

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.

BranchRank at E-2
ArmyPrivate (PV2)
Marine CorpsPrivate First Class (PFC)
NavySeaman Apprentice (SA)
Air ForceAirman (Amn)
Space ForceSpecialist 2 (Spc2)
Coast GuardSeaman 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

Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations

Total Compensation Example — E-2 at 20 Years

Base Pay (20 YOS)$2,697.90
BAH (National Average, w/ Dependents)$2,069
BAS (Enlisted)$476.95
Estimated Monthly Total$5,243.85
Estimated Annual Total$62,926.20

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 service1 drill periodDrill 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 service20252026Change
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.