Military pay raise 2027
From January 1, 2027, basic pay goes up 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3 and 5% for O-4 and above under the President's pay plan, unless Congress sets a different raise in law.
- The plan: the President's letter to Congress of August 26, 2026.
- The formula raise would have been 3.6% for everyone.
- The FY2027 NDAA isn't law yet. The House and Senate versions differ.
Where the 2027 raise stands
| Formula raise (37 U.S.C. 1009(c)) | 3.6%, from the Employment Cost Index |
|---|---|
| President's alternative plan, August 26, 2026 | 7.0% E-1 to E-5, 6.0% E-6 to O-3, 5.0% O-4 and above, effective January 1, 2027; 3.6% for the NOAA Corps and Public Health Service |
| House NDAA (H.R. 8800), passed July 22, 2026 | No basic pay raise section, so it leaves the 7-6-5 plan in place |
| Senate committee NDAA (S. 4784) | Sets aside the plan and raises basic pay 3.6% for everyone (sec. 602). The full Senate hasn't passed it. |
| Final FY2027 NDAA | Not law as of November 7, 2026 |
Under 37 U.S.C. 1009(e), the President may send Congress an alternative pay plan before September 1 when, "because of national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare," he considers the formula raise inappropriate. The 2027 letter says the higher raises support recruiting and retention. The raises are subject to the pay caps in 37 U.S.C. 203, which only affect the highest-paid officers. For comparison, the 2026 raise was 3.8% for everyone, the formula raise under 37 U.S.C. 1009 (House Document 119-87, the President's letter of August 28, 2025; Executive Order 14368).
Full tables: the official 2026 military pay chart and our projected 2027 chart.
Retired pay in 2027
Military retired pay doesn't get the active-duty raise. It gets a cost-of-living adjustment each December 1. 10 U.S.C. 1401a uses the rise in the third-quarter average of the Consumer Price Index; the Defense Department uses the CPI-W, the same index Social Security uses, which gave Social Security its 3.6% raise for 2027 (Federal Register, October 26, 2026). So the retired pay COLA for December 2026 should also be 3.6%, or 2.6% for REDUX retirees, whose COLA is reduced by 1 point. People who retired during 2026 get a smaller first-year COLA under the same law. The Defense Department hadn't posted its 2027 COLA memo as of November 7, 2026.
VA disability compensation follows Social Security's percentage too, once Congress passes the yearly act: see VA disability rates 2027.
Questions people ask
What is the military pay raise for 2027?
Under the President's August 26, 2026 pay plan, basic pay rises 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3 and 5% for O-4 and above on January 1, 2027. Congress can still set a different raise in the FY2027 NDAA, which wasn't law as of November 7, 2026.
Is the 2027 military pay raise final?
Not yet. The President's plan stands unless Congress passes a different raise. The House-passed NDAA has no pay raise section, which leaves the 7-6-5 plan in place, while the Senate Armed Services Committee's version sets 3.6% instead (sec. 602). The full Senate hasn't passed it.
When does the 2027 pay raise start?
January 1, 2027.
Do military retirees get the 2027 pay raise?
No. Retired pay gets a cost-of-living adjustment each December 1 instead. It is figured from the same price index measure that gave Social Security a 3.6% raise for 2027, so it should be 3.6%, or 2.6% for REDUX retirees.
Does the raise apply to BAH and BAS?
No. The raise is for basic pay. Housing and food allowances are set separately each year.
Updated November 7, 2026. Sources: House Document 119-189, the President's alternative pay plan of August 26, 2026; 37 U.S.C. 1009; 37 U.S.C. 203; Congressional Research Service, "FY2027 NDAA: Military Basic Pay Raise Proposal" (IN12706) and "FY2027 NDAA: Status of Legislative Activity" (IN12704); H.R. 8800 (bill text as passed by the House); S. 4784 (bill text as reported in the Senate); House Document 119-87; Executive Order 14368, "Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay," 90 FR 60521, December 23, 2025; 10 U.S.C. 1401a; Defense Department, "Retirement Cost of Living Adjustments"; Social Security Administration, "Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027"; Federal Register, "Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2027" (document 2026-21796, October 26, 2026). Not affiliated with the Department of Defense or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.