O-8 (Major General) Pay with 20 Years of Service — 2026
An O-8 (Major General) with 20 years of service earns $18,598.20 per month in base pay in 2026, which is $223,178.40 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 $NaN/mo (with dependents) and BAS of $328.48/mo, total monthly compensation comes to approximately $NaN. 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 | $18,598.20 | $18,598.20 |
| BAH (national avg) | $NaN | $NaN |
| BAS | $328.48 | $328.48 |
| Total | $NaN | $NaN |
BAH varies by location. Use the BAH Calculator for your exact rate.
O-8 Pay Progression by Years of Service
See how O-8 base pay changes as you gain more time in service:
| Years of Service | Monthly Base Pay | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 0 years | $13,888.50 | $166,662.00 |
| 2 years | $14,343.90 | $172,126.80 |
| 3 years | $14,645.40 | $175,744.80 |
| 4 years | $14,729.40 | $176,752.80 |
| 6 years | $15,106.50 | $181,278.00 |
| 8 years | $15,735.30 | $188,823.60 |
| 10 years | $15,882.00 | $190,584.00 |
| 12 years | $16,479.60 | $197,755.20 |
| 14 years | $16,651.80 | $199,821.60 |
| 16 years | $17,166.60 | $205,999.20 |
| 18 years | $17,911.80 | $214,941.60 |
| 20 years ← you | $18,598.20 | $223,178.40 |
How O-8 Compares to Other Ranks at 20 Years
More O-8 Pay Information
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an O-8 make with 20 years of service?
An O-8 (Major General) with 20 years of service earns $18,598.20/month in base pay ($223,178.40/year). With BAH and BAS, total compensation averages $NaN/month with dependents.
What is O-8 base pay at 20 years?
2026 O-8 base pay at 20 years of service is $18,598.20/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-8, this means $NaN/month in allowances is untaxed, significantly reducing your effective tax rate.
O-8 at 20 years, in context
This exact cell of the pay table — O-8 over 20 years — pays $681 more per month than it did in 2025 (3.8% increase, $8,172 a year).
The next longevity raise on this row lands at over 22 years: $19,000/mo, a $402 bump with no promotion required.
For comparison, O-9 pay at the same 20 years of service is $19,000/mo — promotion here is worth $402/mo, versus $402/mo for waiting on longevity.