Updated August 2026
W-4 Pay 2026 — Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4)
Complete 2026 W-4 (CW4) 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-4 Base Pay Table — 2026
| Years of Service | Monthly Pay | Annual Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $5,719.80 | $68,637.60 |
| 2 | $6,152.10 | $73,825.20 |
| 3 | $6,328.50 | $75,942.00 |
| 4 | $6,502.20 | $78,026.40 |
| 6 | $6,801.90 | $81,622.80 |
| 8 | $7,098.00 | $85,176.00 |
| 10 | $7,398.00 | $88,776.00 |
| 12 | $7,848.30 | $94,179.60 |
| 14 | $8,243.70 | $98,924.40 |
| 16 | $8,619.90 | $103,438.80 |
| 18 | $8,928.60 | $107,143.20 |
| 20 | $9,228.90 | $110,746.80 |
| 22 | $9,669.60 | $116,035.20 |
| 24 | $10,032.00 | $120,384.00 |
| 26 | $10,445.40 | $125,344.80 |
| 28 | $10,445.40 | $125,344.80 |
| 30 | $10,653.60 | $127,843.20 |
| 32 | $10,653.60 | $127,843.20 |
| 34 | $10,653.60 | $127,843.20 |
| 36 | $10,653.60 | $127,843.20 |
| 38 | $10,653.60 | $127,843.20 |
| 40 | $10,653.60 | $127,843.20 |
All amounts reflect the 3.8% pay raise effective January 1, 2026. Source: DFAS.
W-4 base pay stops increasing at 30 years of service. It reaches $10,653.60 per month there and stays flat — every row from 30 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-4 end at 30 years.
After that, W-4 base pay only moves two ways: the annual military pay raise, or promotion. Promotion to W-5 is worth $1,417.20 more per month at that point ($17,006 a year) before any change in BAH.
W-4 BAH Rates — 2026 (With Dependents)
BAH for an W-4 with dependents ranges from $1,779 to $6,963 per month, with a national average of approximately $2,906/mo across 338 locations.
Top 5 Highest BAH Locations
- Westchester County, NY$6,963/mo
- San Francisco, CA$5,892/mo
- New York City, NY$5,883/mo
- Nantucket, MA$5,772/mo
- Maui County, HI$5,760/mo
Top 5 Lowest BAH Locations
- Stevens Point, WI$1,779/mo
- Anniston/Fort McClellan, AL$1,782/mo
- Youngstown, OH$1,785/mo
- Monroe, LA$1,797/mo
- Fort Sill/Lawton, OK$1,872/mo
Total Compensation Example — W-4 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-4 Drill Pay — Guard and Reserve
Guard and Reserve members at W-4 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 | $190.66 | $762.64 | $12,012 |
| Over 4 yrs | $216.74 | $866.96 | $13,655 |
| Over 8 yrs | $236.60 | $946.40 | $14,906 |
| Over 12 yrs | $261.61 | $1,046.44 | $16,481 |
| Over 20 yrs | $307.63 | $1,230.52 | $19,381 |
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-4 pay changed in 2026
Warrant officer pay moved with the standard 3.8% military raise in 2026: a W-4 with 6 years of service earns $249 more per month than in 2025.
| Years of service | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 2 yrs | $5,927/mo | $6,152/mo | +$225 (3.8%) |
| Over 6 yrs | $6,553/mo | $6,802/mo | +$249 (3.8%) |
| Over 12 yrs | $7,561/mo | $7,848/mo | +$287 (3.8%) |
2025 figures: DoD pay tables (incl. the April 2025 junior-enlisted adjustment). 2026 figures: official tables effective January 1, 2026.