Do you have a goal of joining the Air Force or already in it? Have you already decided what rank and branch you want to be in? If yes, then this article makes perfect sense for you. We’ll look at the salary of air force officers, benefits and career promotion, ranks and positions, discussion on becoming an officer and as well as who can join the Air Force military.
The Air Force offers a number of incentives to those who join their ranks. Some include:
-A starting salary around $62,000
-An annual pay raise of 2.5%
-A 401K plan that allows you to contribute up to $18,000 per year (this amount increases with your rank), as well as a matching contribution from the Air Force
-Tuition assistance, which can help you pay for college courses or vocational training programs
-Housing allowance while you’re deployed overseas
Salary for air force officer
The United States Air Force serves as the aerial and space warfare branch of the military. It was divided from the U.S. Army in the early 20th century in order to support changing technology as equipment went to the air.
The USAF has a structure for how it ranks its service members. The ranking is important as it not only assigns roles and responsibilities, but also relates to how much you get paid.
Here is a detailed outline of Air Force rankings and 2021 pay.
Air Force Ranks And Pay For 2021 – Enlisted
Insignia | Pay Grade | Rank | Abbreviation | 2021 Minimum Monthly Pay |
---|---|---|---|---|
E-1 | Airman Basic | AB | $1,785 | |
E-2 | Airman | Amn | $2,001 | |
E-3 | Airman First Class | A1C | $2,104 | |
E-4 | Senior Airman | SrA | $2,330 | |
E-5 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt | $2,542 | |
E-6 | Technical Sergeant | TSgt | $2,775 | |
E-7 | Master Sergeant | MSgt | $3,208 | |
E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt | $4,480 | |
E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant | CMSgt | $5,473 | |
E-9 | Command Chief Master Sergeant | CCM | $5,473 | |
E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant Of The Air Force | CMSAF | $5,473 |
The pay in the United States Air Force improves the longer you serve just like most occupations. As you will notice in the charts (below) the base pay steadily increases yet eventually reaches a cap for each ranking.
Here is a detailed breakdown of USAF ranks and pay based on years served
Years 2 – 6
Pay Grade | Less than 2 Years | Over 2 Years | Over 3 Years | Over 4 Years | Over 6 Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
E-1 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
E-3 | $2,104 | $2,236 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
E-4 | $2,330 | $2,450 | $2,583 | $2,713 | $2,829 |
E-5 | $2,542 | $2,713 | $2,844 | $2,978 | $3,187 |
E-6 | $2,775 | $3,053 | $3,188 | $3,319 | $3,455 |
E-7 | $3,208 | $3,501 | $3,635 | $3,813 | $3,952 |
Years 8 – 16
Pay Grade | Over 8 Years | Over 10 Years | Over 12 Years | Over 14 Years | Over 16 Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
E-1 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
E-3 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
E-4 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 |
E-5 | $3,406 | $3,585 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 |
E-6 | $3,763 | $3,883 | $4,114 | $4,185 | $4,237 |
E-7 | $4,190 | $4,324 | $4,562 | $4,760 | $4,895 |
E-8 | $4,615 | $4,819 | $4,945 | $5,097 | $5,261 |
E-9 | N/A | $5,637 | $5,765 | $5,926 | $6,115 |
Years 18 – 26
Pay Grade | Over 18 Years | Over 20 Years | Over 22 Years | Over 24 Years | Over 26 Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
E-1 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 | $1,785 |
E-2 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 | $2,001 |
E-3 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 | $2,372 |
E-4 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 | $2,829 |
E-5 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 | $3,607 |
E-6 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 | $4,297 |
E-7 | $5,039 | $5,095 | $5,282 | $5,383 | $5,765 |
E-8 | $5,557 | $5,706 | $5,962 | $6,103 | $6,452 |
E-9 | $6,306 | $6,612 | $6,871 | $7,144 | $7,560 |
30+ Years
Pay Grade | Over 30 Years | Over 34 Years | Over 38 Years | Over 40 Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
E-8 | $6,582 | $6,582 | $6,582 | $6,582 |
E-9 | $7,938 | $8,335 | $8,752 | $8,752 |
The pay rates posted above do not include a variety of bonus and benefits exclusive to the U.S. Air Force.
Additional incentives, pay, and bonuses may also include:
- Uniform allowances
- Family separation allowance
- Hardship duty pay
- Re-Enlistment bonuses
- Quick ship bonuses
- BAH – Basic Allowance for Housing
- Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus