ADF Pay Rates 2025 — Navy, Army & Air Force Salary Scales
Compare official permanent base rates and trainee pay for Navy, Army, and Air Force members using the official ADF military salary rates effective 06 November 2025.
ADF Pay Structure — Ranks, Rates and Allowances Explained
This page now uses the official ADF military salary rates dated 06 November 2025 as its source of truth. The public tables cover permanent base-rate schedules plus trainee schedule B.13 across the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
Effective Date
- 06 November 2025: Workplace Remuneration Arrangement 3.4% salary increase effective for the official ADF military salary rates
- Source scope: permanent base rates and trainee schedule B.13
- Excluded here: reserve, specialist, aviation, cyber, and Military Factor tables
How The Updated Tables Work
Each summary card shows the starting and maximum rate for a pay group, while the expandable detail reproduces the official salary rate row structure with plan codes and annual salaries. That keeps the page readable without losing traceability back to the official source.
What Increment 0, PAA, PAB, and PGA Mean
In the ADF pay tables, an increment labels the salary row within a rank grouping. Increment 0 is the starting pay point when someone is promoted into that rank.
Codes such as PAA, PAB, and PAC are the PMKEYS pay grade codes shown in the other-rank salary tables. Officer tables use their own code range, such as PGA through PGN, and some warrant officer or transitional schedules use different code sets again.
The practical reading order is: rank name, then increment, then salary. The plan code is mainly there to help you match the row back to the official ADF military salary rates. On some payslips, that promotion entry point may appear under a different increment label, so table wording and payslip labels may not always match exactly.
ADF Ranks and Pay by Rank
The Australian Defence Force uses equivalent rank structures across Navy, Army, and Air Force. While rank titles differ between services, equivalent positions share the same pay group and salary range. All figures below are annual base salary — add 16.4% for superannuation.
For official abbreviations, NATO codes, descriptions and a full cross-service equivalency table, see the ADF Ranks & Hierarchy page.
Enlisted Ranks and Pay
| Navy | Army | Air Force | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seaman | Private | Aircraftman / Aircraftwoman | $79,096 – $126,292 |
| Able Seaman | Private Proficient | Leading Aircraftman / Aircraftwoman | $80,341 – $127,530 |
| Leading Seaman | Corporal | Corporal | $86,966 – $137,047 |
| Petty Officer | Sergeant | Sergeant | $97,575 – $148,091 |
Warrant Officer Ranks and Pay
| Navy | Army | Air Force | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Petty Officer | Warrant Officer Class 2 | Flight Sergeant | $109,733 – $158,815 |
| Warrant Officer (Tier A) | Warrant Officer Class 1 (Tier A) | Warrant Officer (Tier A) | $117,408 – $166,648 |
| Warrant Officer (Tier B) | Warrant Officer Class 1 (Tier B) | Warrant Officer (Tier B) | $134,419 – $169,795 |
| Warrant Officer (Tier C) | Warrant Officer Class 1 (Tier C) | Warrant Officer (Tier C) | $156,144 – $169,795 |
| Warrant Officer Of The Navy | Regimental Sergeant Major Of The Army | Warrant Officer Of The Air Force | $169,795 – $169,795 |
Officer Ranks and Pay
| Navy | Army | Air Force | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acting Sub Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Pilot Officer | $87,091 – $145,493 |
| Sub Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Flying Officer | $91,778 – $156,316 |
| Lieutenant | Captain | Flight Lieutenant | $106,257 – $179,912 |
| Lieutenant Commander | Major | Squadron Leader | $130,007 – $193,476 |
| Commander | Lieutenant Colonel | Wing Commander | $159,440 – $220,780 |
| Captain | Colonel | Group Captain | $186,934 – $248,376 |
| Commodore | Brigadier | Air Commodore | $282,677 – $282,677 |
| Rear Admiral | Major General | Air Vice Marshal | $316,619 – $332,277 |
| Vice Admiral | Lieutenant General | Air Marshal | $478,781 – $478,781 |
Service-Specific Pay Information
The allowance examples below are separate from the official salary rate tables. Use current pay and conditions policy to confirm exact entitlement rules and rates.
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Pay Scales
The Navy section covers permanent base-rate rows from Seaman through Vice Admiral, plus Navy trainee pay from schedule B.13. Allowances and service conditions are handled separately from the base salary tables.
Navy Rank Structure
- • Seaman → Leading Seaman → Petty Officer
- • Chief Petty Officer → Warrant Officer (Tier A/B/C)
- • Sub Lieutenant → Lieutenant → Lieutenant Commander
- • Commander → Captain → Commodore → Rear Admiral → Vice Admiral
Allowance Examples
- • Sea Going Service Allowance
- • Submarine Service Allowance
- • Deployment Allowance (tax-free)
- • District Allowance for remote ports
Australian Army Pay Scales
The Army section covers permanent base-rate rows from Private through Lieutenant General, plus Army trainee pay from schedule B.13. Allowances and service conditions are handled separately from the base salary tables.
Army Rank Structure
- • Private → Corporal → Sergeant
- • Staff Sergeant → Warrant Officer Class 2 → Warrant Officer Class 1 (Tier A/B/C)
- • Lieutenant → Captain → Major
- • Lieutenant Colonel → Colonel → Brigadier → Major General → Lieutenant General
Allowance Examples
- • Field Allowance
- • Deployment Allowance (tax-free)
- • Military Factor Allowance
- • District Allowance for remote postings
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Pay Scales
The Air Force section covers permanent base-rate rows from Aircraftman / Aircraftwoman through Air Marshal, plus Air Force trainee pay from schedule B.13. Allowances and service conditions are handled separately from the base salary tables.
Air Force Rank Structure
- • Aircraftman → Leading Aircraftman → Corporal
- • Sergeant → Flight Sergeant → Warrant Officer (Tier A/B/C)
- • Pilot Officer → Flying Officer → Flight Lieutenant
- • Squadron Leader → Wing Commander → Group Captain → Air Commodore → Air Vice Marshal → Air Marshal
Allowance Examples
- • Flying Allowance
- • Deployment Allowance (tax-free)
- • Military Factor Allowance
- • District Allowance for remote bases
Check the ADF Pay and Conditions Manual for current allowance eligibility and rate details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you get paid in the ADF?
ADF base salaries range from around $60,517 for a recruit in basic training up to over $478,781 for senior officers, based on the official ADF military salary rates effective 6 November 2025. Your exact pay depends on your rank, increment (time in rank), and service branch. All ADF members also receive 16.4% employer superannuation and may be eligible for additional allowances.
Do ADF members pay tax?
Yes, ADF members pay income tax on their base salary just like civilian employees. The standard tax brackets, Medicare levy, and HECS/HELP repayments all apply. However, some ADF allowances — such as deployment allowance for overseas service — are tax-exempt. Use the tax calculator on this site to estimate your take-home pay from any ADF salary.
What is the starting salary for ADF recruits?
New ADF recruits start on the trainee pay schedule (B.13). Basic training pay is approximately $60,517 per year, with initial employment training rates increasing over the first 12 months. After completing training and moving to a permanent rank, base salary increases substantially. All trainees also receive 16.4% superannuation.
How often do ADF members get paid?
ADF members are paid fortnightly (every two weeks), which means 26 pay cycles per year. Use the timeframe toggle on the salary table above to switch between annual, monthly, fortnightly, and weekly views of any rank's pay.
How does ADF superannuation compare to civilian jobs?
This site separately uses 16.4% employer superannuation in its ADF calculations. That sits above the civilian Super Guarantee rate of 12% and can materially change total-remuneration comparisons.
What allowances can I expect in addition to base salary?
This page shows base salary only. Depending on service, role, and location, members may also have separate allowance entitlements. Common examples include sea-going, submarine, field, flying, district, deployment, and other condition-based payments, but exact eligibility and rates should be checked in current pay and conditions policy.
Does this page include reserves, specialist, aviation, or cyber salaries?
No. The current ADF pay pages are limited to permanent base-rate schedules and trainee schedule B.13 from the official ADF military salary rates effective 06 November 2025. Reserve, specialist, aviation, cyber, and Military Factor tables are out of scope here.
Are ranks equivalent across Navy, Army, and Air Force?
Many permanent pay groups line up across services — for example, Petty Officer (PO) in the Navy equates to Sergeant (SGT) in the Army and Air Force. However, the official ADF military salary rates also include Army-only rows such as Lance Corporal (LCPL) and Staff Sergeant (SSGT), transitional officer schedules, and Warrant Officer tiering. The comparison view focuses only on the shared core permanent groups. See the ADF Ranks page for a full equivalency table with official abbreviations.
When was the most recent ADF pay increase in the official ADF military salary rates?
The official ADF military salary rates on this page state a 3.4% salary increase effective 06 Nov 25 under the Workplace Remuneration Arrangement. This page aligns its salary tables and date wording to that effective date.
What do increment 0 and plan codes like PAA, PAB, and PGA mean in ADF pay tables?
In the ADF pay tables, an increment such as increment 0, increment 1, or increment 2 labels the salary row within a rank grouping. Increment 0 is the starting pay point when someone is promoted into that rank, and later increments are higher pay steps within the same rank. On some payslips, that promotion entry point may appear differently, so the label on a payslip may not always match the table wording exactly. Codes such as PAA to PAJ and PGA to PGN are the PMKEYS pay grade codes shown in the tables. The simplest way to read a row is rank first, then increment, then salary, with the plan code helping you match that row back to the official table.
What do ADF rank abbreviations like CPL, SGT, and LEUT mean?
The ADF uses official abbreviations for each rank. Common examples include PTE (Private), CPL (Corporal), SGT (Sergeant), WO2 (Warrant Officer Class 2), LEUT (Lieutenant in Navy), CAPT (Captain), and MAJ (Major). Air Force uses distinct abbreviations such as PLTOFF (Pilot Officer), FLTLT (Flight Lieutenant), and SQNLDR (Squadron Leader). See the ADF Ranks page for a full list with descriptions and cross-service equivalencies.
How much does a Private in the Australian Army get paid?
An Australian Army Private earns between $79,096 and $126,292 per year in base salary, plus 16.4% superannuation on top. The exact amount depends on your increment (time in rank) and pay plan code. Use the salary table above to see the full breakdown.
How much does a Navy sailor earn in Australia?
A Royal Australian Navy Seaman earns between $79,096 and $126,292 per year in base salary. Additional allowances for sea-going service, submarine duty, and deployment can significantly increase total compensation. All ADF members also receive 16.4% superannuation.
What is a Squadron Leader's salary in the RAAF?
A Royal Australian Air Force Squadron Leader earns between $130,007 and $193,476 per year in base salary, plus 16.4% super. Aircrew members may also receive flying allowance on top of base pay.
How much does a Corporal earn in the ADF?
An ADF Corporal (Army and Air Force) or equivalent rank earns between $86,966 and $137,047 per year in base salary. The Navy equivalent is Leading Seaman. All receive 16.4% superannuation and may receive additional service-specific allowances.
What is the salary of a Captain in the Australian Army?
An Australian Army Captain earns between $106,257 and $179,912 per year in base salary. The Navy equivalent is Lieutenant and the Air Force equivalent is Flight Lieutenant. All officer ranks receive 16.4% superannuation.
What are the ADF ranks in order?
Each ADF service has its own rank titles but they follow equivalent pay groups. Army (enlisted): Private, Private Proficient, Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant; (warrant officer): Warrant Officer Class 2, Warrant Officer Class 1; (officer): Second Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier, Major General, Lieutenant General. Navy: Seaman through to Vice Admiral. Air Force: Aircraftman through to Air Marshal. See the rank comparison table above for the full cross-service mapping with salary ranges.
How does ADF pay compare to civilian jobs?
ADF base salaries are broadly competitive with equivalent public sector roles, but total compensation is often higher due to 16.4% superannuation (vs 12% civilian standard), tax-free deployment allowances, free medical and dental care, subsidised housing, and retention bonuses. Use the Compare Jobs calculator on this site to do a side-by-side comparison with a specific civilian offer.
Where can I find official ADF recruitment information?
Visit defencejobs.gov.au for official recruitment information, career paths, and application details. For pay and conditions, visit the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal.
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