Paid while exercising or operating in the field.
Australian Army
Pay rates from Private to Lieutenant General
Permanent base rates, trainee pay, allowances, and take-home estimates for Army members.
Service
Rank
Pay period
Show
Trainee
8
- RankMinMax
Enlisted
5
- RankMinMax
Warrant Officer
6
- RankMinMax
Officer
12
- RankMinMax
Current pay rates · Source: Department of Defence.
Army salary ranges
Lowest
$34,220/ yr
Median
$132,802/ yr
Top
$478,781/ yr
Compare two rank groups
Tap to change
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K$500K
Enlisted
5 ranks·$79K–$148K
Officer
9 ranks·$87K–$479K
Δ Lowest
+$7,995/ yr
Δ Median
+$84,903/ yr
Δ Top
+$330,690/ yr
On top of base pay
Pay & Conditions ManualADF allowances and benefits
ADF superannuation
16.4%vs 12% civilian standard(+4.4pp)
ADF members receive a 16.4% employer super rate — well above the standard Super Guarantee.
Cash allowancesService allowances paid on top of base salary
Service2
Compensates the unique demands of military service.
Operational1
Warlike and non-warlike operations — rate by zone and threat level.
Location1
Remote postings such as Darwin, Townsville, Tindal.
Non-cash benefitsHousing, healthcare and ADF support entitlements
- ADF Health (medical and dental)IncludedAll permanent members
- Defence housing (DHA)DHADefence Housing Australia
- Uniforms and kitIssuedMaintained at Defence cost
- Tax-free deploymentOperationalOn certified deployments
- Retention bonusConditionalSpecialist trades
- Fully paid trainingLifelongTrade, leadership, degree pathways
Rates and eligibility set by ADF Pay and Conditions.
About Australian Army Pay Scales
The Australian Army section mirrors the current official ADF military salary rates. It covers permanent base-rate schedules and trainee schedule B.13 for 31 pay groups, ranging from $34,220 up to $478,781. Specialist, reserve, aviation, cyber, and Military Factor tables are not included on this page.
Figures are annual gross base salary. Army members are paid fortnightly (26 cycles a year), so divide by 26 for a per-fortnight gross figure, by 12 for an approximate monthly amount, or by 52 for a weekly equivalent. Use the timeframe toggle on the salary table above to switch any rank between yearly, monthly, fortnightly, and weekly views.
Army Enlisted Pay — Private to Sergeant
In the permanent Army schedules, a Private (PTE) earns from $79,096 to $126,292, a Corporal (CPL) from $86,966 to $137,047, and a Sergeant (SGT) from $97,575 to $148,091. Army-only rows such as Lance Corporal (LCPL) and Staff Sergeant (SSGT) also appear in the single-service table because they exist in the official ADF military salary rates.
Army Warrant Officer Pay — WO2 and WO1 Tiers A/B/C
A Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) sits at $109,733 to $158,815. The senior Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) grade is split across three tiers: Tier A from $117,408 to $166,648, Tier B from $134,419 to $169,795, and Tier C from $156,144 to $169,795. The WO1 three-tier split is an Army-specific structure that does not exist in Navy or Air Force pay schedules.
Army Officer Pay — Lieutenant to Lieutenant General
Among permanent officers, a Captain (CAPT) ranges from $106,257 to $179,912 and a Major (MAJ) from $130,007 to $193,476. Senior officer rows continue through Lieutenant Colonel (LTCOL), Colonel (COL), Brigadier (BRIG), Major General (MAJGEN), and Lieutenant General (LTGEN) at the top of the permanent schedule.
Drop any figure from the tables above into the tax calculator to see take-home pay after PAYG, Medicare and HECS, or weigh up a posting move against a civilian offer with the salary comparison tool.
Use this page when
- You want the current Army base salary for a specific rank and increment.
- You are comparing Army pay against another service or a civilian role.
- You need to estimate take-home pay after PAYG, Medicare and HECS.
- You want to understand which allowances sit on top of base pay.
ADF superannuation: 16.4%, not the civilian default
ADF members get 16.4% employer super on base pay, well above the 12% civilian Super Guarantee. On a six-figure base, the gap alone is worth several thousand a year before any contributions you add through salary sacrifice. The exact split between ADF Super (accumulation) and the legacy MSBS (defined benefit) depends on your enlistment date.
When does the ADF get a pay rise?
Pay movements come from the ADF Workplace Remuneration Arrangement (WRA), which is negotiated for a fixed term and delivers scheduled annual increases. The current pay schedule applies the latest WRA increase, with further movements built into the determination.
What is the Military Factor?
Military Factor is a recognition payment built into ADF base salaries — it compensates for the 24/7 nature of military service, liability for deployment, and conditions civilians do not face. It is already embedded in the salary figures on this page, not a separate top-up.
MSBS vs ADF Super
Members who joined before 1 July 2016 are usually in MSBS (the defined-benefit Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme). Members who joined from that date are in ADF Super, an accumulation scheme with 16.4% employer contributions plus an insurance-style death and invalidity cover.
How Army pay compares to civilian roles
Base salaries are broadly competitive with equivalent public and private roles, but total compensation is typically higher once you factor in 16.4% super, tax-free deployment allowances, subsidised medical and dental, and housing assistance. Use Compare Job Offers to model the after-tax gap.
Reading increments and PMKEYS plan codes
Read the table as rank → increment → salary. Increment 0 is the promotion entry point. PAA / PAB / PAJ are PMKEYS pay grade codes for other-rank tables; officer tables use PGA–PGN. Payslip labels may not match the table label exactly.
Reserve and part-time service
Reserve members on Service Category 5 (active reserve) are paid the same daily rate as their permanent equivalent but on a tax-free basis up to the published limit. Reserve and specialist tables are not included on this page — refer to the linked determination for the full set.
Army-only ranks and structural quirks
Two enlisted rows appear only in Army: Lance Corporal (LCPL) sits between Private and Corporal, and Staff Sergeant (SSGT) between Sergeant and Warrant Officer Class 2. Navy and Air Force have no equivalents. Army also splits Warrant Officer Class 1 across three tiers (A, B, C) where the other services use a single tier system, and the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army is a unique senior appointment with its own pay grade.
Source: Official ADF Military Salary Rates (PDF)
Comparing pay across Navy, Army and Air Force? See the full cross-service rank and salary table →
More reading
Related guides
Background reading on tax, super, and salary topics.
Superannuation Contributions GuideConcessional caps, non-concessional caps, Division 293, voluntary contributions, and carry-forward.Complete Salary Sacrifice GuideWhat salary sacrifice is, how it saves tax, and which types (super, cars, healthcare) are available.How Income Tax Works in AustraliaTax brackets, marginal vs effective rates, LITO, Medicare levy, and HECS — everything in one place.Medicare Levy Surcharge CalculatorCheck whether you owe the surcharge, find your tier and rate, and weigh private hospital cover against the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the Army recruit training salary in the official ADF military salary rates?
The official ADF military salary rates list Army recruit basic training at $60,517 per year effective 06 November 2025. The same trainee schedule then shows initial employment training at $69,162 for 0-6 months, $72,621 for 6-12 months, and $76,079 for 12 months and beyond.
What permanent Army base rates are shown on this page?
The Army page covers the permanent base-rate schedules from Private through Lieutenant General, plus Army trainee schedule B.13 entries. It also keeps Army-only rows such as Lance Corporal and Staff Sergeant visible in the single-service table because those rows exist in the official ADF military salary rates.
How does Army superannuation compare to civilian employment?
This site shows ADF employer superannuation separately at 16.4% for pay comparisons and take-home estimates. Compared with the standard civilian rate of 12%, that would mean $19,680 in employer super on a $120,000 base salary rather than $14,400.
What is the salary range for an Army officer in the permanent tables?
In the permanent officer schedules, Second Lieutenant (2LT) starts at $87,091, Lieutenant (LT) ranges from $91,778 to $156,316, Captain (CAPT) ranges from $106,257 to $179,912, Major (MAJ) ranges from $130,007 to $193,476, and Colonel (COL) ranges from $186,934 to $248,376. Senior officer rows continue through Brigadier, Major General, and Lieutenant General.
What is the difference between Warrant Officer Class 1 tiers and Warrant Officer Class 2?
The official permanent tables show Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) at $109,733 to $158,815, while Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) is split into Tier A, Tier B, and Tier C. Tier A runs from $117,408 to $166,648, Tier B from $134,419 to $169,795, and Tier C from $156,144 to $169,795.
What do increment 0 and plan codes like PAA, PAB, and PGA mean in Army 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.
Is Australian Army salary tax free?
Australian Army base salary is subject to standard income tax, Medicare levy, and HECS/HELP repayments — the same rules that apply to civilian employment. Some allowances are treated differently: deployment allowance paid during eligible overseas operations may be exempt from income tax under ATO provisions. Service allowance and field allowance are generally taxable. Use the pay calculator on this site to estimate take-home pay from any Army rank salary after tax and Medicare.
Does this page cover Army Reserve pay?
No. This page shows permanent (full-time) Army base rates and trainee schedule B.13 only. Army Reserve members are paid a daily rate equivalent to their permanent rank, calculated on a service category basis, but those schedules are outside the scope shown here. For current Reserve pay rates, refer to the official ADF Pay and Conditions website at pay-conditions.defence.gov.au.
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