O-2 (First Lieutenant) Pay with 4 Years of Service — 2026
An O-2 (First Lieutenant) with 4 years of service earns $6,484.50 per month in base pay in 2026, which is $77,814.00 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 $2,608/mo (with dependents) and BAS of $328.48/mo, total monthly compensation comes to approximately $9,421. 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 | $6,484.50 | $6,484.50 |
| BAH (national avg) | $2,608 | $2,243 |
| BAS | $328.48 | $328.48 |
| Total | $9,421 | $9,056 |
BAH varies by location. Use the BAH Calculator for your exact rate.
O-2 Pay Progression by Years of Service
See how O-2 base pay changes as you gain more time in service:
| Years of Service | Monthly Base Pay | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 0 years | $4,782.00 | $57,384.00 |
| 2 years | $5,446.20 | $65,354.40 |
| 3 years | $6,272.40 | $75,268.80 |
| 4 years ← you | $6,484.50 | $77,814.00 |
| 6 years | $6,617.70 | $79,412.40 |
How O-2 Compares to Other Ranks at 4 Years
More O-2 Pay Information
- O-2 with 2 years of service
- O-2 with 6 years of service
- Full O-2 Pay Table (all years)
- All Military Pay Charts
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an O-2 make with 4 years of service?
An O-2 (First Lieutenant) with 4 years of service earns $6,484.50/month in base pay ($77,814.00/year). With BAH and BAS, total compensation averages $9,421/month with dependents.
What is O-2 base pay at 4 years?
2026 O-2 base pay at 4 years of service is $6,484.50/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 O-2, this means $2,936.48/month in allowances is untaxed, significantly reducing your effective tax rate.
O-2 at 4 years, in context
This exact cell of the pay table — O-2 over 4 years — pays $237 more per month than it did in 2025 (3.8% increase, $2,848 a year).
The next longevity raise on this row lands at over 6 years: $6,618/mo, a $133 bump with no promotion required.
For comparison, O-3 pay at the same 4 years of service is $7,383/mo — promotion here is worth $898/mo, versus $133/mo for waiting on longevity.