Updated August 2026
W-3 Pay 2026 — Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3)
Complete 2026 W-3 (CW3) 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-3 Base Pay Table — 2026
| Years of Service | Monthly Pay | Annual Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $5,223.30 | $62,679.60 |
| 2 | $5,440.50 | $65,286.00 |
| 3 | $5,664.30 | $67,971.60 |
| 4 | $5,736.90 | $68,842.80 |
| 6 | $5,970.90 | $71,650.80 |
| 8 | $6,431.10 | $77,173.20 |
| 10 | $6,910.50 | $82,926.00 |
| 12 | $7,136.40 | $85,636.80 |
| 14 | $7,397.70 | $88,772.40 |
| 16 | $7,665.90 | $91,990.80 |
| 18 | $8,150.40 | $97,804.80 |
| 20 | $8,476.50 | $101,718.00 |
| 22 | $8,671.80 | $104,061.60 |
| 24 | $8,879.70 | $106,556.40 |
| 26 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 28 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 30 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 32 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 34 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 36 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 38 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
| 40 | $9,162.60 | $109,951.20 |
All amounts reflect the 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026. Source: DFAS.
W-3 base pay stops increasing at 26 years of service. It reaches $9,162.60 per month there and stays flat — every row from 26 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-3 end at 26 years.
After that, W-3 base pay only moves two ways: the annual military pay raise, or promotion. Promotion to W-4 is worth $1,282.80 more per month at that point ($15,394 a year) before any change in BAH.
W-3 BAH Rates — 2026 (With Dependents)
BAH for an W-3 with dependents ranges from $1,689 to $6,654 per month, with a national average of approximately $2,793/mo across 338 locations.
Top 5 Highest BAH Locations
- Westchester County, NY$6,654/mo
- Maui County, HI$5,586/mo
- San Francisco, CA$5,559/mo
- New York City, NY$5,535/mo
- Nantucket, MA$5,445/mo
Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations
- Anniston/Fort McClellan, AL$1,689/mo
- Monroe, LA$1,731/mo
- Stevens Point, WI$1,749/mo
- Fort Sill/Lawton, OK$1,761/mo
- Youngstown, OH$1,773/mo
Total Compensation Example — W-3 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-3 Drill Pay — Guard and Reserve
Guard and Reserve members at W-3 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 | $174.11 | $696.44 | $10,969 |
| Over 4 yrs | $191.23 | $764.92 | $12,047 |
| Over 8 yrs | $214.37 | $857.48 | $13,505 |
| Over 12 yrs | $237.88 | $951.52 | $14,986 |
| Over 20 yrs | $282.55 | $1,130.20 | $17,801 |
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-3 pay changed in 2026
Warrant officer pay moved with the standard 3.8% military raise in 2026: a W-3 with 6 years of service earns $219 more per month than in 2025.
| Years of service | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 2 yrs | $5,241/mo | $5,441/mo | +$199 (3.8%) |
| Over 6 yrs | $5,752/mo | $5,971/mo | +$219 (3.8%) |
| Over 12 yrs | $6,875/mo | $7,136/mo | +$261 (3.8%) |
Promotion is still the bigger lever: at 6 years of service, pinning on W-4 is worth $831 more per month in base pay alone ($9,972 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.