Army Ranks: How Much Do They Make?

There are many Army ranks you can achieve in the premiere United States military branch, and how quickly you advance is based on a number of factors, some are in your control, and others not so much. However, once you enlist you can expect to reach the status of officer fairly quickly if you put all your effort into advancing, and don’t do anything that will lead to your being demoted. Today we will examine some of the officer ranks of the United States army, and how these ranks are achieved, how much they pay, and what duties these promotions entail. Read ahead in my article titled army ranks: 3 how much do they make?

One of the first questions I asked was a practical one. How long until I get a pay raise? In the Army, your rank not only indicates your pay grade, but also the amount of responsibility you hold. Corporals, for example, may be responsible for a small team of Soldiers, while a major general could hold command of anywhere between 10,000-15,000 Soldiers. While the amount of time spent in each rank is based on averages, you can often accelerate the promotion process by taking advantage of additional training and schooling opportunities. Pay is upgraded with each promotion, and as long as you tow the line, you will make more money fairly quickly.

An enlisted member enters the Army as a Private. After completing basic training, the enlisted recruits advances to Private First Class. The next notable advancement is to a Non-commissioned Officer. From there you can quickly advance to higher and higher positions, and with the advancement you can earn higher and higher pay grades. For instance, a soldier in the United states army in 2020 can earn between $20,000 and $40,000 and this does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits. This process can take up to six years, but be achieved in as little as two. There are a few tips and tricks that are well known to the enlisted men, but it really comes down to how much effort you are willing to put into your specialized job. It will come down to a written exam, and as long as you are reasonably studious and stay out of trouble, you will be promoted to the next group, the Army Officer.

The Army officer corp consists of several ranks, including first lieutenant, second lieutenant, captain, and then major. For instance, a first lieutenant will make $40,000 in his first year, and that goes all the way up to $50,000 within 6 years time. A good officer will earn his promotions quickly as he was promoted from soldier to officer, the Army has big investment in this soldier already, and will expedite his or her pay raises. Once you make first lieutenant, you can make between $45,000 and $65,000 within your 6 year commission. And the highest rank and officer can obtain, a major will earn $60,000 in his or her first year, and that can go up to as high as $80,000 a year for a major who has risen in the ranks all the way to the top in 6 years time.

The highest rank attainable in the Army is the five-star General of the Army. Often called a “five-star general”, the rank of General of the Army has historically been reserved for wartime use and is not currently active in the U.S. Army. Whether in wartime or peace a General will make a great deal of money, $200,000 a year. Rising this high in the ranks of the army is very rare and reserved for those seemingly groomed since birth for the role. Usually coming out of West Pointe or one of the other illustrious military schools these fine men and women have taken the duty of service as a lifelong calling.