2026 BAH Rates by Pay Grade

Your BAH rate depends heavily on your pay grade. Browse rates for every military rank below, or use our BAH calculator to look up your specific rate.

Enlisted Ranks

E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,129

Avg w/o Dep

$1,681

Highest: New York City, NY

E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,129

Avg w/o Dep

$1,681

Highest: New York City, NY

E-3 (PFC/Seaman)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,129

Avg w/o Dep

$1,681

Highest: New York City, NY

E-4 (Specialist/Corporal)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,129

Avg w/o Dep

$1,681

Highest: New York City, NY

E-5 (Sergeant)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,289

Avg w/o Dep

$1,870

Highest: San Francisco, CA

E-6 (Staff Sergeant)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,611

Avg w/o Dep

$2,036

Highest: San Francisco, CA

E-7 (Sergeant First Class)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,701

Avg w/o Dep

$2,157

Highest: Westchester County, NY

E-8 (Master Sergeant)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,799

Avg w/o Dep

$2,356

Highest: Westchester County, NY

E-9 (Sergeant Major)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,946

Avg w/o Dep

$2,451

Highest: Westchester County, NY

Warrant Officer Ranks

W-1 (Warrant Officer)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,630

Avg w/o Dep

$2,106

Highest: San Francisco, CA

W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,741

Avg w/o Dep

$2,348

Highest: Westchester County, NY

W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,863

Avg w/o Dep

$2,464

Highest: Westchester County, NY

W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,978

Avg w/o Dep

$2,627

Highest: Westchester County, NY

W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5)

Avg w/ Dep

$3,126

Avg w/o Dep

$2,721

Highest: Westchester County, NY

Commissioned Officer Ranks

O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,334

Avg w/o Dep

$1,974

Highest: San Francisco, CA

O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,607

Avg w/o Dep

$2,243

Highest: San Francisco, CA

O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,859

Avg w/o Dep

$2,493

Highest: Westchester County, NY

O-4 (Major/LCDR)

Avg w/ Dep

$3,172

Avg w/o Dep

$2,699

Highest: Westchester County, NY

O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR)

Avg w/ Dep

$3,400

Avg w/o Dep

$2,760

Highest: Westchester County, NY

O-6 (Colonel/Captain)

Avg w/ Dep

$3,427

Avg w/o Dep

$2,842

Highest: Westchester County, NY

O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML)

Avg w/ Dep

$3,451

Avg w/o Dep

$2,887

Highest: Westchester County, NY

Prior Enlisted Officer Ranks

O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,717

Avg w/o Dep

$2,286

Highest: Westchester County, NY

O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted)

Avg w/ Dep

$2,843

Avg w/o Dep

$2,424

Highest: Westchester County, NY

O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted)

Avg w/ Dep

$3,001

Avg w/o Dep

$2,605

Highest: Westchester County, NY

How Pay Grade Affects Your BAH

Your military pay grade is one of the three factors that determine your Basic Allowance for Housing rate. Higher-ranking service members receive more BAH to reflect their expected standard of living. The difference between an E-1 and an O-7 can be over $2,000/month at the same duty station.

Prior-enlisted officers (O-1E through O-3E) typically receive higher BAH than their non-prior-enlisted counterparts at the same grade, reflecting their additional years of service.

Related Tools

BAH Calculator — Look up your exact rate by location, rank, and dependency status
Compare BAH Rates — Compare rates between two duty stations side by side
Historical BAH Rates — See how rates have changed from 2022 to 2026
BAH Affordability Tool — Find out what you can afford with your BAH