Money

 

Basic Pay

Although only a limited amount of time is spent on duty, reservists earn competitive salaries and qualify for a list of bonuses and incentives, as well as a wide range of benefits. Your Army salary "basic pay" increases with pay grades and time served. 

Army Reservists work part-time and are paid according to the hours that they've worked, so your base salary might appear low compared to a civilian job, it essentially translates to disposable income in the military context. This is due to "in-kind" benefits provided by the Army, such as training, access to on-base facilities, and medical insurance, which civilians typically have to cover out of pocket. While your basic pay is taxable, your in-kind benefits aren't. We've taken those into account and calculated your Total Compensation or "Adjusted Basic Pay," so you can have a comparison between what you really get in the Army Reserve to a civilian pay scale.

Avg Basic Pay Avg BAH Avg Meals Avg Medical Avg Tax Savings Avg Adj Basic Pay Total Enlistment Earnings
6 Year Enlistment





Assuming I enlist for 6 years as an  and achieve minimum time in grade promotions during my enlistment, I could earn an adjusted pay of around during my first year, working up to in my sixth year. Based on your average adjusted basic pay and your 272 average work hours per year, your effective wage is per hour.

Pay Increases

 

Annual Cost of Living Increase

Annual military basic pay raises are linked to the increase in consumer prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). No need to wait and negotiate for a raise like civilians as these increases are automatically included in your basic pay.

Promotion & Seniority Increase

In the Army, every Soldier is paid equally based on their rank (hence, "paygrade") and years of service. In the Army Reserve, Pay is based on two weeks of training each year and one drill weekend each month. Each drill period is four hours; a drill weekend is four drill periods. There are two drill periods each day.

The chart below reflects annual Reservist Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances, and other benefits. 

 
Rank
 <2 Years Experience 4 Years Experience 6 Years Experience 8 Years Experience
  Private (E1) $4,026.96* ------
Private (E2) $4,513.32 $4,513.32 $4,513.32 $4,513.32
Private First Class (E3) $4,745.79 $5,349.96 $5,349.96 $5,349.96
Specialist or Corporal (E4) $5,257.35 $6,121.08 $6,382.53 $6,382.53
Sergeant (E5) $5,733.63 $6,718.32 $7,190.19 $7,682.85
Staff Sergeant (E6) $6,259.05 $7,487.55 $7,794.99 $8,488.62

Bonuses

There's a host of unique accession bonuses available to those who are considering joining the Army Reserve—some of which would take years to earn in the civilian world. 

Eligibility for bonuses is based on performance in specific tests, relevant skills, and various other considerations. We strongly recommend discussing your interests, skills, and Army aspirations with a recruiter, as they can pinpoint bonus opportunities tailored to your profile.
 

Prior Service Enlistment Bonus


Individuals with prior Armed Forces experience, within a designated job skill, may qualify for additional bonuses of up to $15,000 by committing to a minimum three-year service contract in the Army Reserve.
 

Student Loan Repayment Program

Army Reserve Soldiers can combine their cash accession bonus with a Student Loan repayment agreement. In-demand jobs can qualify for up to $50,000 to repay current outstanding student loan debt, and up to $30,000 is available for all other jobs. Requirements for this program may vary.
 

Civilian Skills Bonus

Qualified Army Reserve applicants who already have civilian skills that the Army needs and enlist for six years in a critical skill specialty may be eligible for a bonus of up to $20,000. This bonus is available for 44 military specialty occupations! Civilians with experience in jobs that range from musicians to human intelligence collectors, and orthopedic specialists to vehicle mechanics can take advantage of the program. 
 

Quick Ship Bonus

With the Quick Ship Bonus, you could earn up to $7,000 just for reporting to Basic Training within 7 weeks of signing your contract. You can also combine this with other incentives. The bonus is for those with no prior military service.
Financial Stability
An Army Reservist's job and pay are guaranteed and include regular opportunities for advancement.  A guaranteed job means guaranteed income, with no chance of strikes or layoffs.

Reserve duty is also a viable path to the many benefits of retiring from the military. Members who accumulate 20 or more years of qualifying service are eligible for reserve retirement when they reach age 60 or, in some cases, a lesser qualifying age.
This chart shows the trend in unemployment rates for persons 25 years and older by educational attainment to show you a comparison of what your current unemployment risk is in the civilian job market compared to the security of an Army Reserve career. You indicated your current education level is .