Do You Earn More or Less Than a First Lieutenant in the Air Force?

Military

Published: August 13, 2024 8:10 am

24/7 Wall St. Insights

We used data from the 2024 basic pay tables from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the Department of Defense.
Commissioned ranks are generally the highest paid in the USAF, especially the higher the rank.
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In 1907, the US Army Signal Corps formed an aeronautical division. By World War I, fixed-winged aircraft were conducting reconnaissance missions and involved in ground attacks. In 1947, the US Air Force was officially established. Since then, aircraft have played a pivotal role in all major conflicts and wars.

Like all U.S. military personnel, Air Force members are paid a minimum basic pay based on rank and years of service. The Department of Defense budget increased that pay by 5.2% in 2024 — the highest increase of the past two decades.

To find every rank in the USAF and what they’re paid, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 basic pay tables from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the Department of Defense as well as Air Force ranks from the DOD. These ranks were matched with pay grades and are ordered by the maximum possible annual base pay (we used monthly pay to calculate annual pay), with the minimum pay used as a tie-breaker.

It is important to note that all military members also receive a basic allowance for subsistence, which amounts to about $3,803 a year for officers and $5,523 a year for enlisted personnel. For the Air Force, there are also other allowances, depending on the different roles. For example, there can be clothing allowances of hundreds to well over $1,000. There can be hazardous duty incentive pay of $150 to $250 a month, depending on rank. There are also aviation incentive pay and critical skill incentive pay.

As for the basic pay, the ranks of Airmen, Basic through Senior Airmen, make the least. These service members are usually either in some kind of training (basic or specialized) or on their initial assignment. They are followed by Staff Sergeants through Master Sergeants or First Sergeants, who often take on leadership responsibility and are termed noncommissioned officers. The highest ranking enlisted Air Force ranks are Chief Master Sergeant through Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.

Commissioned ranks are generally the highest paid in the USAF, especially the higher the rank. The highest-paid ranks in the USAF are Colonels through Generals — a four-star rank. They can make over $150,000 a year. Generals who have 20 years of experience or more and vast amounts of personnel under their command can make over $200,000 a year in basic pay. To compare, the average CEO pay is $258,900, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

(It is important to note that the O-1E to O-3E officers – those with previous enlisted active-duty service – get paid extra in acknowledgment of their service time and experience.)

Why Are We Covering This

Army identification medallions and dollar bills on United states flag. Military pension, salary in the army or military insurance

The U.S. military services collectively missed recruiting goals by about 41,000 recruits in 2023, the DOD noted recently. While the Air Force tries to attract recruits by paying enlistment bonuses of up to $50,000, it is also important for those considering a career in the Air Force to know about pay. While initial wages may seem low, these are basic pay and do not include any allowances many personnel receive, in addition to different benefits and career training. Here we aim to at least provide an overview of the basic pay of Air Force ranks.