E-7 (Sergeant First Class) Pay with 8 Years of Service — 2026
An E-7 (Sergeant First Class) with 8 years of service earns $5,135.70 per month in base pay in 2026, which is $61,628.40 per year. Base pay is the taxable portion of military compensation and does not include housing or food allowances.
When you add the national average BAH of $2,702/mo (with dependents) and BAS of $476.95/mo, total monthly compensation comes to approximately $8,315. BAH and BAS are tax-free, making the effective compensation even higher than it appears.
Monthly Compensation Breakdown
| Component | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Base Pay | $5,135.70 | $5,135.70 |
| BAH (national avg) | $2,702 | $2,158 |
| BAS | $476.95 | $476.95 |
| Total | $8,315 | $7,771 |
BAH varies by location. Use the BAH Calculator for your exact rate.
E-7 Pay Progression by Years of Service
See how E-7 base pay changes as you gain more time in service:
| Years of Service | Monthly Base Pay | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 0 years | $3,932.10 | $47,185.20 |
| 2 years | $4,291.50 | $51,498.00 |
| 3 years | $4,456.20 | $53,474.40 |
| 4 years | $4,673.10 | $56,077.20 |
| 6 years | $4,843.80 | $58,125.60 |
| 8 years ← you | $5,135.70 | $61,628.40 |
| 10 years | $5,300.40 | $63,604.80 |
| 12 years | $5,591.70 | $67,100.40 |
| 14 years | $5,835.00 | $70,020.00 |
| 16 years | $6,000.90 | $72,010.80 |
| 18 years | $6,177.30 | $74,127.60 |
| 20 years | $6,245.70 | $74,948.40 |
How E-7 Compares to Other Ranks at 8 Years
More E-7 Pay Information
- E-7 with 6 years of service
- E-7 with 10 years of service
- Full E-7 Pay Table (all years)
- All Military Pay Charts
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an E-7 make with 8 years of service?
An E-7 (Sergeant First Class) with 8 years of service earns $5,135.70/month in base pay ($61,628.40/year). With BAH and BAS, total compensation averages $8,315/month with dependents.
What is E-7 base pay at 8 years?
2026 E-7 base pay at 8 years of service is $5,135.70/month. This is the taxable portion of military pay.
Is military pay taxable?
Base pay is subject to federal income tax. BAH and BAS are tax-free. For an E-7, this means $3,178.95/month in allowances is untaxed, significantly reducing your effective tax rate.
E-7 at 8 years, in context
This exact cell of the pay table — E-7 over 8 years — pays $188 more per month than it did in 2025 (3.8% increase, $2,257 a year).
The next longevity raise on this row lands at over 10 years: $5,300/mo, a $165 bump with no promotion required.
For comparison, E-8 pay at the same 8 years of service is $5,657/mo — promotion here is worth $521/mo, versus $165/mo for waiting on longevity.