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Army Private First Class Pay

E-3 Enlisted Soldier, U.S. Army
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Salary of a Private First Class How much does an E-3 Private First Class in the Army get paid?

A Private First Class is a enlisted soldier in the United States Army at DoD paygrade E-3. A Private First Class receives a monthly basic pay salary starting at $2,378 per month, with raises up to $2,680 per month once they have served for over 3 years.

In addition to basic pay, Private First Classs may receive additional pay allowances for housing and food, as well as special incentive pay for hostile fire and dangerous duties.


Including the most common pay allowances, the average total compensation for a Private First Class may range from $51,642.05 to $55,274.45 per year as of 2024.

Army Private First Class 2024 Salary Army Private First Class Basic Pay Table for 2024
Years Experience Monthly Basic Pay Yearly Basic Pay Drill Pay Hazard Pay
Starting Pay$2,377.50 / mo$28,530.00 / yr$79.25 / drill$150.00
Over 2 years$2,526.90 / mo$30,322.80 / yr$84.23 / drill$150.00
Over 3 years$2,680.20 / mo$32,162.40 / yr$89.34 / drill$150.00

Additional Pay & Allowances for an E-3

In addition to Basic Pay, a Private First Class may be eligible to receive several types of allowances and incentive pay.

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)

Basic Allowance for Housing is a monthly payment meant to subsidize a servicemember's housing while deployed. The amount of BAH received each month depends on the location in which they live.

The average Basic Housing Allowance for a Private First Class with dependants is $1,883.31, or $1,465.75 with no dependants.

Basic Allowance for Subsistance (BAS)

All enlisted members of the Army receive a monthly allowance for food and drink of $460.25.

Enlisted members' BAS is higher than officers' BAS, as enlisted members are generally responsible for buying their own food.

Hazard Pay / Hostile Fire Pay

A Private First Class may receive hazard pay of $150.00 / mo while serving in an active combat zone or subject to hostile fire or other hazards.


Military Discounts & Benefits for Soldiers:

In addition to basic pay and allowances, active-duty soldiers, veterans, and even their families are eligible for hundreds of discounts and additional benefits offered by organizations and private companies like JetBlue , United Airlines , Verizon , and hundreds more.

Learn more about Military Discounts

Salary of a Private First Class Private First Class Pay Calculator for 2024

As this page shows, the total compensation paid to an Army Private First Class is significantly more than just basic pay. This simple pay calculator can estimate the total compensation for a Private First Class by adding basic pay to housing allowance (BAH) and subsistance allowance (BAS), the two largest payments received by most soldiers.

Army Private First Class Pay Calculator Army Private First Class Salary Calculator
E-3 Basic Pay with years service $28,530.00 per year
Average BAH allowance (no dependants) $17,589.05 per year
Average BAS allowance (enlisted) $5,523.00 per year
Total Estimated Compensation $51,642.05 per year

The Government civilian employee equivalent of a Private First Class is paid under the General Schedule paygrade. To learn more, see this Army ranks to civilian General Schedule grades conversion table .