Updated August 2026
W-1 Pay 2026 — Warrant Officer 1
Complete 2026 W-1 (Warrant Officer 1) 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.
W-1 Base Pay Table — 2026
| Years of Service | Monthly Pay | Annual Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $4,056.60 | $48,679.20 |
| 2 | $4,493.70 | $53,924.40 |
| 3 | $4,611.00 | $55,332.00 |
| 4 | $4,859.10 | $58,309.20 |
| 6 | $5,152.20 | $61,826.40 |
| 8 | $5,584.20 | $67,010.40 |
| 10 | $5,786.10 | $69,433.20 |
| 12 | $6,069.30 | $72,831.60 |
| 14 | $6,346.50 | $76,158.00 |
| 16 | $6,564.90 | $78,778.80 |
| 18 | $6,766.20 | $81,194.40 |
| 20 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 22 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 24 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 26 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 28 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 30 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 32 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 34 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 36 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 38 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
| 40 | $7,010.10 | $84,121.20 |
All amounts reflect the 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026. Source: DFAS.
W-1 base pay stops increasing at 20 years of service. It reaches $7,010.10 per month there and stays flat — every row from 20 years through 40 in the table above is the same number. That is why the bottom of the table looks repetitive: longevity raises for W-1 end at 20 years.
After that, W-1 base pay only moves two ways: the annual military pay raise, or promotion. Promotion to W-2 is worth $426.90 more per month at that point ($5,123 a year) before any change in BAH.
W-1 BAH Rates — 2026 (With Dependents)
BAH for an W-1 with dependents ranges from $1,350 to $5,472 per month, with a national average of approximately $2,564/mo across 338 locations.
Top 5 Highest BAH Locations
- San Francisco, CA$5,472/mo
- Westchester County, NY$5,400/mo
- Nantucket, MA$5,148/mo
- New York City, NY$5,100/mo
- Northern New Jersey, NJ$5,070/mo
Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations
- Youngstown, OH$1,350/mo
- Anniston/Fort McClellan, AL$1,509/mo
- Fort Sill/Lawton, OK$1,509/mo
- Vance AFB/Enid, OK$1,530/mo
- Hattiesburg, MS$1,539/mo
Total Compensation Example — W-1 at 20 Years
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.
W-1 Drill Pay — Guard and Reserve
Guard and Reserve members at W-1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2 yrs | $135.22 | $540.88 | $8,519 |
| Over 4 yrs | $161.97 | $647.88 | $10,204 |
| Over 8 yrs | $186.14 | $744.56 | $11,727 |
| Over 12 yrs | $202.31 | $809.24 | $12,746 |
| Over 20 yrs | $233.67 | $934.68 | $14,721 |
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 W-1 pay changed in 2026
Warrant officer pay moved with the standard 3.8% military raise in 2026: a W-1 with 6 years of service earns $189 more per month than in 2025.
| Years of service | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 2 yrs | $4,329/mo | $4,494/mo | +$164 (3.8%) |
| Over 6 yrs | $4,964/mo | $5,152/mo | +$189 (3.8%) |
| Over 12 yrs | $5,847/mo | $6,069/mo | +$222 (3.8%) |
Promotion is still the bigger lever: at 6 years of service, pinning on W-2 is worth $433 more per month in base pay alone ($5,198 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.