Updated August 2026

O-1E Pay 2026 — Prior Enlisted Officer

Q: How much does an O-1E make in 2026?

In 2026, an O-1E (Prior Enlisted Officer) earns between $4,590.30 and $6,274.50 per month in base pay, depending on years of service. This does not include BAH or BAS allowances, which can add $1,500 to $5,500+ per month depending on location and dependency status.

Q: What is the maximum O-1E pay?

The maximum base pay for an O-1E in 2026 is $6,274.50 per month ($75,294.00 per year). This is reached at 10+ years of service. Total compensation including BAH and BAS is significantly higher.

Q: Does an O-1E get BAH?

Yes, O-1E service members receive BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) in addition to base pay. BAH for an O-1E with dependents ranges from $1,521 to $5,931 per month depending on duty station location. BAH is a tax-free allowance. They also receive BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence) of $328.48 per month.

Complete 2026 O-1E (Prior Enlisted Officer) 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)

$4,590.30/mo

$55,083.60/year

Max Pay

$6,274.50/mo

$75,294.00/year

BAH Range (w/ Dependents)

$1,521–$5,931

Across 338 locations

Officer BAS

$328.48/mo

Tax-free food allowance

What O-1E Is Called in Each Branch

O-1E is a paygrade, not a rank. Every branch pays O-1E 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 O-1E
Army	Second Lieutenant (2LT)
Marine Corps	Second Lieutenant (2ndLt)
Navy	Ensign (ENS)
Air Force	Second Lieutenant (2d Lt)
Space Force	Second Lieutenant (2d Lt)
Coast Guard	Ensign (ENS)

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.

O-1E Base Pay Table — 2026

Years of Service	Monthly Pay	Annual Pay
2 or less	$4,590.30	$55,083.60
2	$5,222.40	$62,668.80
3	$5,416.80	$65,001.60
4	$5,534.10	$66,409.20
6	$5,766.00	$69,192.00
8	$6,068.70	$72,824.40
10	$6,274.50	$75,294.00

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

O-1E base pay keeps rising through 14 years of service, from $5,222.40 at entry to $6,484.50.

O-1E BAH Rates — 2026 (With Dependents)

BAH for an O-1E with dependents ranges from $1,521 to $5,931 per month, with a national average of approximately $2,650/mo across 338 locations.

Top 5 Highest BAH Locations

Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations

Total Compensation Example — O-1E at 4 Years

Base Pay (4 YOS)$5,534.10

BAH (National Average, w/ Dependents)$2,650

BAS (Officer)$328.48

Estimated Monthly Total$8,512.58

Estimated Annual Total$102,150.96

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.

O-1E Drill Pay — Guard and Reserve

Guard and Reserve members at O-1E 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)
Over 4 yrs	$174.08	$696.32	$10,967
Over 8 yrs	$192.77	$771.08	$12,145
Over 12 yrs	$206.69	$826.76	$13,021

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.

O-2E Prior Enlisted Officer →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an O-1E make in 2026?

In 2026, an O-1E (Prior Enlisted Officer) earns between $4,590.30 and $6,274.50 per month in base pay, depending on years of service. Total compensation including BAH and BAS is significantly higher.

What is the maximum O-1E pay?

The maximum base pay for an O-1E in 2026 is $6,274.50/month ($75,294.00/year), reached at 10+ years of service.

Does an O-1E get BAH?

Yes. In addition to base pay, O-1E service members receive BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) ranging from $1,521 to $5,931/month with dependents, depending on duty station. They also receive BAS of $328.48/month. Both are tax-free.

How O-1E pay changed in 2026

O-1E (prior-enlisted officer) pay rose 5% over 2025 — $301 more per month at the 12-year point. These rates only apply with at least four years of enlisted or warrant service before commissioning.

Years of service	2025	2026	Change
Over 6 yrs	$5,372/mo	$5,766/mo	+$394 (7.3%)
Over 12 yrs	$5,974/mo	$6,275/mo	+$301 (5%)

Promotion is still the bigger lever: at 6 years of service, pinning on O-2E is worth $1,022 more per month in base pay alone ($12,262 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.