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All US military pilots are commissioned officers, and their basic salary follows the same pay scale regardless of whether they are fighter jet pilots or transportation aircraft pilots. It also doesn’t matter if they serve the US Air Force, the US Navy, the US Coast Guard, or the US Army. Compared with commercial pilots, US military pilot salaries are quite low, but they are only the beginning, with bonuses, allowances, and various other benefits and incentives significantly increasing the pay.
The United States Air Force maintains a pool of around 13,000 pilots and trains around 1,400 annually. These are some of the most valuable servicemen and servicewomen in the force, and retaining them is a priority, especially given the enormous costs of training them, the long time it takes to train them, and the already existing pilot shortage. Here is what to know about the USAF’s pilot pay in 2026.
Base Salary For US Air Force Pilots
The monthly base salary for US Air Force pilots is published on its website, and it includes tables for full-time and part-time pilots. Pilots are commissioned officers who typically start as Second Lieutenant/Ensigns (O-1), with annual base pay amounting to $49,800, while total estimated compensation is up to $90,000. After two years of service, pilots are typically First Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade and can expect a base salary of $57,000 to $64,000. Total compensation ranges from $85,000 to $100,000.
Pilots with four to 10 years of service should have the rank of Captain or Lieutenant (O-3) and have base salaries of $66,600 to $88,600 or $100,000 to $130,000 with total compensation. Major/Lieutenant Commanders (O-4) with ten to 14 years of service see base salaries increase to $95,000 to $113,000 and total remuneration from $130,000 to $160,000. Finally, Lieutenant Colonels, Commanders, and above (O-5+) get base pay of $113,000 to $150,000 and over. Total pay will typically range from $150,000 to over $200,000.
The USAF states, “To be a pilot, you must become an officer first. You can do this through participating in ROTC in college, attending the Air Force Academy or going through Officer Training School.” All pilots are required to be commissioned officers, primarily due to the high level of responsibility, authority, and accountability. Officers are often required to make independent, time-critical tactical decisions that align with the leadership and command authority of an officer’s commission.
The Many Benefits Above Base Pay
Compensation for US Air Force pilots varies by experience, role, mission, and other factors, with pay including additional entitlements like Aviation Incentive Pay, which ranges from $150 to $1,000 per month. They get other benefits, like the tax-free Basic Allowance for Housing, which ranges from $20,000 to around $40,000 annually, depending on location. Another source of income is the Basic Allowance for Subsistance, which is around $5,500 a year.
Potential bonuses rise to around $50,000 a year for retaining high-demand pilots, like fighter pilots. Naturally, Air Force pilots can expect comprehensive, low-cost medical and dental coverage that extends to the pilot’s dependents. Pilots have access to the Thrift Savings Plan and get a pension after 20 years. They get GI Bill education benefits, 30 days of paid vacation, a stable job, the opportunity to earn post-graduate degrees, and more.
Pilots can get up to 100% tuition assistance through the Air Force Tuition Assistance Program, student loan repayment, and more. Besides active duty pilots, there are parallel pay structures and incentive systems for Air National Guard pilots and Air Force Reserve pilots. The Air Force says, “The Air Force Reserve offers many benefits similar to those of Active Duty but with the added opportunity to serve part time, meaning more time to pursue your civilian career, an education and other interests while you serve.“
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Cost Of Training US Air Force Pilots
Pilot pay is a relatively small part of the cost of training a pilot, especially a fighter pilot. This is why it makes sense for the Air Force to offer generous retention schemes to keep their limited pool of highly valuable trained pilots. In 2018, McKinsey & Company estimated the costs of training US pilots by aircraft. It estimates that it costs $6 million to train an A-10 Warthog pilot, $9.2 million for an F-15C pilot, $5.6 for an F-15E pilot, $5.6 for an F-16 pilot, $10.9 million for F-22 Raptor pilots, and $10.2 for F-35A pilots.
A few things are notable about these numbers: one is that modern 5th-generation fighter jet pilots are more expensive to train. Another is that the F-16 Fighting Falcon continues to show its overall affordability, even in pilot training. One odd detail of the data is the relatively low cost of F-15E pilots relative to F-15C pilots, perhaps due to their conversion training.
But these numbers are also 2018 numbers, and inflation will have driven the costs higher. Now the costs of training A-10 pilots are likely $7.7 to $9.3 million, F-16 pilots likely cost $7.2 to $8.7 million, F-22 pilots likely cost $14.1 to $16.9 million, and F-35A pilots likely cost $13.1 to $15.7 million. The range is due to the type of inflation calculator used.
Number Of Pilots In The USAF
In 2006, the US Air Force reported, “There are 347,398 people on active duty, of which 72,167 are officers and 275,231 are enlisted. — The Air Force has 13,689 pilots, 4,501 navigators, 1,344 air battle managers, and 36,035 non-rated line officers in the grades of lieutenant colonel and below.” 20 years later, these numbers are now out of date, although most sources still claim the US Air Force has around 13,000 pilots.
US Air Force budget documents for fiscal 2026 show the US Air Force still has a total strength of 321,500 military personnel, very similar to its 2006 figure. The USAF has not provided a breakdown in numbers as it did in 2006. According to reporting by IDGA, the US Air Force produced around 1,350 pilots in 2023, coming in short of its goal of 1,470 new pilots.
|
Number of US military pilots by branch (per Task & Purpose, others) |
|
|---|---|
|
United States Air Force |
13,000 (widely reported) |
|
United States Navy |
Approx. 6,300 |
|
United States Marine Corps |
Approx. 3,500 |
|
United States Army |
7,300 active duty (14,000 total widely reported) |
|
United States Coast Guard |
800 |
Its pilot training goal for 2024 was 1,500, but the pilot shortage has continued. The Air Force has been short of around 2,000 pilots for years. Most air forces around the world are dealing with major pilot shortages. The Russian Air Force may boast a large number of airframes, but it is not believed to have a large strategic depth of trained pilots to operate them. This is why the attrition of perhaps around 100 highly trained fighter pilots early in the conflict was so damaging.
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The US’ Other Air Forces
The United States military operates more than just the US Air Force; it has the Marine Corps Aviation, the US Naval Aviation, the US Army Aviation Branch, and the Coast Guard Air Station. The US Space Force does not have pilots in the traditional sense. Pilot salaries across the US military are standardized under the same Department of Defense pay scales, with all aviation branches following a uniform basic pay table for officers.
Each of these aviation branches is huge, and even the Coast Guard is significant. The Coast Guard operates around 200 fixed and rotary wing aircraft, far more than many of the world’s smaller air forces. The US Coast Guard has around 800 qualified pilots, which is again more than many of the world’s smaller air forces. It should be noted that there are multiple ways to count pilots, with some only counting active duty pilots, while others count cadets, reservists, or navigators.
While the US Air Force has around 13,000 pilots, the US Navy has around 6,500 pilots, the Marines have around 3,500, the US Army has around 7,300 active duty pilots, and, as stated, the Coast Guard adds another 800. The total pilots between the Navy and Marines may be closer to 10,000. While the most common figure floated online is with the Army having 14,000 (mostly helicopter) pilots, Task and Purpose quoted US Army sources as saying it has around 7,300 active duty pilots. It is unclear how many more Army National Guard and Reserve pilots it has.
Pilot Training Has Bottlenecks
Compared with any other air force in the world, the US Air Force boasts an eye-watering number of trainer aircraft, mostly made up of T-6 Texan IIs, T-38 Talons, and T-1A Jayhawks. It also has a large number of fighter jets used for training, including the 32 Block 20 F-22 Raptors that the Air Force has been asking to retire for years.
The mainstay for the US Air Force’s next-generation advanced trainer to replace the T-38 is the upcoming T-7 Red Hawk. Around 351 examples are planned. There is another issue. It’s one thing to have enough trainer aircraft; it’s another to have enough pilot trainers. The Air Education and Training Command (AETC) may intend to produce 1,500 pilots annually, but this is difficult.
The Air Force is having a hard time hiring qualified pilot trainers. This is an issue vexing other air forces, including the Royal Air Force, which has recently announced it will get the Indian Air Force to assist in training in the coming years. Another issue for the USAF is that it only had 60% of the flight simulator coordinator positions filled in 2022.
