Last Updated: October 23, 2026 Reading Time: 7 min

This 2027 drill pay chart shows what one drill and one standard four-drill weekend would pay Guard and Reserve members from E-1 to O-6 if the projected 2027 raise takes effect. Every figure comes from the official 2026 DFAS basic pay table, raised by the 7%, 6% and 5% tiers in the President's August 26 pay plan. Congress can still change those tiers, so treat every 2027 number here as projected.

How Drill Pay Works: One-Thirtieth of a Month

Drill pay comes from 37 U.S.C. 206. For each paid drill period, a Guard or Reserve member earns one-thirtieth of the monthly basic pay that an active-duty member of the same grade and years of service earns.

So the math has two steps:

  1. Find your monthly basic pay on the active-duty table for your grade and years of service.
  2. Divide by 30 for one drill. Multiply that by 4 for a standard drill weekend.

A standard drill weekend is four drill periods. Each period also earns one retirement point, which our Guard and Reserve retirement points guide covers.

Since drill pay is pegged to the active-duty table, the January 2027 basic pay raise moves every drill rate with it.

2027 Drill Pay Chart: One Drill Weekend (4 Drills), Projected

This is the main chart. Each cell is the projected 2027 monthly basic pay ÷ 30 × 4, by grade and years of service. "n/a" means the grade isn't reachable at that point in a career (DFAS leaves those cells blank).

Grade 2 or less Over 4 Over 8 Over 12 Over 16 Over 20
E-1 $343.44 $343.44 $343.44 $343.44 $343.44 $343.44
E-2 $384.92 $384.92 $384.92 $384.92 $384.92 $384.92
E-3 $404.72 $456.24 $456.24 $456.24 $456.24 $456.24
E-4 $448.28 $521.96 $544.32 $544.32 $544.32 $544.32
E-5 $476.92 $563.08 $613.44 $630.84 $630.84 $630.84
E-6 $480.68 $575.08 $651.96 $712.80 $734.04 $744.52
E-7 $555.72 $660.48 $725.84 $790.28 $848.12 $882.72
E-8 n/a n/a $799.44 $856.72 $911.36 $988.68
E-9 n/a n/a n/a $998.72 $1,059.44 $1,145.52
O-1 $586.56 $738.08 $738.08 $738.08 $738.08 $738.08
O-2 $675.84 $916.48 $935.32 $935.32 $935.32 $935.32
O-3 $782.16 $1,043.44 $1,148.40 $1,242.08 $1,272.60 $1,272.60
O-4 $881.24 $1,103.32 $1,234.28 $1,384.36 $1,456.24 $1,471.40
O-5 $1,021.36 $1,245.16 $1,324.60 $1,438.04 $1,594.80 $1,684.56
O-6 $1,225.20 $1,434.32 $1,501.52 $1,509.68 $1,747.16 $1,925.16

Method: 2026 DFAS monthly basic pay × 1.07 (E-1 to E-5), × 1.06 (E-6 to O-3) or × 1.05 (O-4 to O-6), rounded to the cent, then ÷ 30 per drill (rounded to the cent) and × 4. E-1 uses the over-4-months rate. Basic pay only. DFAS may round a weekend figure a penny differently on its own drill chart.

To estimate a year of weekends, multiply your cell by the number of drill weekends your unit actually holds. Annual training is paid separately and isn't in this chart.

Projected 2027 Pay for a Single Drill

If your month isn't a standard four-period weekend, use the value of one drill period and multiply by your own count.

Grade 2 or less Over 4 Over 8 Over 12 Over 16 Over 20
E-1 $85.86 $85.86 $85.86 $85.86 $85.86 $85.86
E-2 $96.23 $96.23 $96.23 $96.23 $96.23 $96.23
E-3 $101.18 $114.06 $114.06 $114.06 $114.06 $114.06
E-4 $112.07 $130.49 $136.08 $136.08 $136.08 $136.08
E-5 $119.23 $140.77 $153.36 $157.71 $157.71 $157.71
E-6 $120.17 $143.77 $162.99 $178.20 $183.51 $186.13
E-7 $138.93 $165.12 $181.46 $197.57 $212.03 $220.68
E-8 n/a n/a $199.86 $214.18 $227.84 $247.17
E-9 n/a n/a n/a $249.68 $264.86 $286.38
O-1 $146.64 $184.52 $184.52 $184.52 $184.52 $184.52
O-2 $168.96 $229.12 $233.83 $233.83 $233.83 $233.83
O-3 $195.54 $260.86 $287.10 $310.52 $318.15 $318.15
O-4 $220.31 $275.83 $308.57 $346.09 $364.06 $367.85
O-5 $255.34 $311.29 $331.15 $359.51 $398.70 $421.14
O-6 $306.30 $358.58 $375.38 $377.42 $436.79 $481.29

2026 Drill Pay Chart (Official DFAS Basic Pay) for Comparison

These are the current-year weekend figures, built the same way from the 2026 DFAS basic pay table that took effect January 1, 2026.

Grade 2 or less Over 4 Over 8 Over 12 Over 16 Over 20
E-1 $320.96 $320.96 $320.96 $320.96 $320.96 $320.96
E-2 $359.72 $359.72 $359.72 $359.72 $359.72 $359.72
E-3 $378.24 $426.40 $426.40 $426.40 $426.40 $426.40
E-4 $418.96 $487.80 $508.72 $508.72 $508.72 $508.72
E-5 $445.72 $526.24 $573.32 $589.56 $589.56 $589.56
E-6 $453.48 $542.52 $615.04 $672.44 $692.48 $702.36
E-7 $524.28 $623.08 $684.76 $745.56 $800.12 $832.76
E-8 n/a n/a $754.20 $808.24 $859.76 $932.72
E-9 n/a n/a n/a $942.20 $999.48 $1,080.68
O-1 $553.36 $696.32 $696.32 $696.32 $696.32 $696.32
O-2 $637.60 $864.60 $882.36 $882.36 $882.36 $882.36
O-3 $737.88 $984.36 $1,083.40 $1,171.76 $1,200.56 $1,200.56
O-4 $839.28 $1,050.80 $1,175.52 $1,318.44 $1,386.88 $1,401.32
O-5 $972.72 $1,185.88 $1,261.52 $1,369.56 $1,518.84 $1,604.36
O-6 $1,166.84 $1,366.00 $1,430.00 $1,437.80 $1,663.96 $1,833.48

What the 2027 Raise Adds to a Drill Weekend

Here are six common Guard and Reserve profiles, 2026 against projected 2027, per four-drill weekend:

Profile 2026 weekend 2027 weekend (projected) Change
E-4, over 4 $487.80 $521.96 +$34.16
E-5, over 4 $526.24 $563.08 +$36.84
E-6, over 8 $615.04 $651.96 +$36.92
E-7, over 16 $800.12 $848.12 +$48.00
O-3, over 4 $984.36 $1,043.44 +$59.08
O-4, over 12 $1,318.44 $1,384.36 +$65.92

The E-5 gets the bigger percentage (7%), but the O-4's 5% adds more dollars because it applies to a larger base.

Why These 2027 Numbers Are Projected, Not Final

Three things could still move them.

  • Congress. The President's August 26, 2026 plan (House Document 119-189) sets 7% for E-1 to E-5, 6% for E-6 to O-3 and 5% for O-4 and above, effective January 1, 2027. The House NDAA (H.R. 8800) carries the same tiers. The Senate bill (S. 4784) carries a flat 3.6%. An enacted NDAA pay provision would control. Our House vs Senate pay raise breakdown tracks where that stands.
  • The DFAS table. DFAS publishes the official 2027 basic pay table, and its cents are what payroll uses. Until it posts, these are projections.
  • Pay caps. Basic pay for O-6 and below is capped at Executive Schedule Level V. In 2026 that cap is $15,408.30 a month, and the 2027 rate isn't set yet. None of the O-6 cells in these charts reach it, but projected 2027 O-6 cells at over 26 years and beyond would exceed the 2026 cap, so they are held at it.

Warrant officers (W-1 to W-5) and general and flag officers (O-7 to O-10) aren't in the 2027 charts. The President's plan names enlisted and officer tiers without a separate warrant tier, and O-7 and up are capped at a Level II rate that isn't set for 2027 either.

Calculate Your Military Basic Pay

Our Military Pay Calculator takes your grade and years of service and returns your 2026 annual basic pay. Divide that by 12 for the monthly figure, then by 30 for one 2026 drill (the result can differ from the chart by a few cents). For 2027, use the projected row on your rank page. For a full table by years of service, each rank page shows the 2026 rates and the projected 2027 row, for example E-4, E-5, E-6 and O-3.

If you're working toward a reserve retirement, the Reserve Retirement Points Calculator shows how your drill points add up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is drill pay calculated?

Each paid drill period is worth one-thirtieth of the monthly basic pay for your grade and years of service, under 37 U.S.C. 206. A standard drill weekend is four drill periods, so a weekend pays four-thirtieths of one month of basic pay.

How much is a drill weekend for an E-5 in 2027?

For an E-5 with over 4 years of service, a four-drill weekend is projected at about $563.08 in 2027, up from $526.24 in 2026. That assumes the 7% tier for E-1 to E-5 in the President's August 2026 plan. An enacted NDAA pay provision would change it.

When does 2027 drill pay take effect?

The projected raise takes effect January 1, 2027, the same date as the active-duty basic pay raise. Drills on or after that date would be paid from the 2027 table.

Does drill pay include BAH or BAS?

These charts show basic pay only. Allowances and special pays have their own rules and aren't included here, so check your LES for anything paid on top of basic pay.

Is the 2027 drill pay chart official?

No. It's a projection built from the official 2026 DFAS table and the 2027 tiers in the President's August 26, 2026 plan. DFAS hasn't published the 2027 table yet, and Congress could still enact different rates.

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