Updated August 2026

E-7 Pay 2026 — Sergeant First Class

Complete 2026 E-7 (Sergeant First 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)
$3,932.10/mo
$47,185.20/year
Max Pay
$7,067.40/mo
$84,808.80/year
BAH Range (w/ Dependents)
$1,491–$5,832
Across 338 locations
Enlisted BAS
$476.95/mo
Tax-free food allowance

What E-7 Is Called in Each Branch

E-7 is a paygrade, not a rank. Every branch pays E-7 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-7
ArmySergeant First Class (SFC)
Marine CorpsGunnery Sergeant (GySgt)
NavyChief Petty Officer (CPO)
Air ForceMaster Sergeant (MSgt) or First Sergeant
Space ForceMaster Sergeant (MSgt)
Coast GuardChief Petty Officer (CPO)

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-7 Base Pay Table — 2026

Years of Service Monthly Pay Annual Pay
2 or less $3,932.10 $47,185.20
2 $4,291.50 $51,498.00
3 $4,456.20 $53,474.40
4 $4,673.10 $56,077.20
6 $4,843.80 $58,125.60
8 $5,135.70 $61,628.40
10 $5,300.40 $63,604.80
12 $5,591.70 $67,100.40
14 $5,835.00 $70,020.00
16 $6,000.90 $72,010.80
18 $6,177.30 $74,127.60
20 $6,245.70 $74,948.40
22 $6,475.20 $77,702.40
24 $6,598.20 $79,178.40
26 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
28 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
30 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
32 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
34 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
36 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
38 $7,067.40 $84,808.80
40 $7,067.40 $84,808.80

All amounts reflect the 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026. Source: DFAS.

E-7 base pay stops increasing at 26 years of service. It reaches $7,067.40 per month there and stays flat — every row from 26 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-7 end at 26 years.

After that, E-7 base pay only moves two ways: the annual military pay raise, or promotion. Promotion to E-8 is worth $841.50 more per month at that point ($10,098 a year) before any change in BAH.

E-7 BAH Rates — 2026 (With Dependents)

BAH for an E-7 with dependents ranges from $1,491 to $5,832 per month, with a national average of approximately $2,634/mo across 338 locations.

Top 5 Highest BAH Locations

Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations

Total Compensation Example — E-7 at 20 Years

Base Pay (20 YOS)$6,245.70
BAH (National Average, w/ Dependents)$2,634
BAS (Enlisted)$476.95
Estimated Monthly Total$9,356.65
Estimated Annual Total$112,279.80

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-7 Drill Pay — Guard and Reserve

Guard and Reserve members at E-7 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$131.07$524.28$8,257
Over 4 yrs$155.77$623.08$9,814
Over 8 yrs$171.19$684.76$10,785
Over 12 yrs$186.39$745.56$11,743
Over 20 yrs$208.19$832.76$13,116

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-7 pay changed in 2026

The 2026 raise added 3.8% to E-7 base pay: $177 more per month at 6 years of service ($2,128 a year) compared with the 2025 table.

Years of service20252026Change
Over 2 yrs$4,134/mo$4,292/mo+$157 (3.8%)
Over 6 yrs$4,667/mo$4,844/mo+$177 (3.8%)
Over 12 yrs$5,387/mo$5,592/mo+$205 (3.8%)

2025 figures: DoD pay tables (incl. the April 2025 junior-enlisted adjustment). 2026 figures: official tables effective January 1, 2026.