How much does a naval aviator make on compensation?

Answer 1

That's a tough question to answer. In a nutshell, a naval aviator makes a decent living.

There are several factors to consider when figuring out exactly how much a military officer makes per month. Most of them vary by rank, so I'll break them down by O2 (guy fresh out of flight school), O4 (seasoned mid-career pilot), and O6 (pilot over 20 years and looking to retire:

basic pay $4000/6500/9500

basic allowance for housing: varies, but $1000/1500/2000

basic allowance for subsistence $223

aviation career pay (annual bonus for mid-grade) $0/18000/0

aviation career incentive pay $180/650/850

and when he's deployed:

imminent danger pay $225

combat per-diem $100

family separation pay $250

no federal tax liability approx $700 in unpaid taxes

and when he's in CONUS but away from home:

family separation pay $250

per diem allowance: varies, but typically $100 a day

Personally, I'm a USMC Osprey Pilot. With my time in service, time flying, and contract to keep flying till just shy of my retirement, my annual salary is $135,000. Not bad for an English Major in my low 30s.

That's my salary when I'm home with mama. When I deploy, add another $1300 a month (no, that part is not really worth it, fiscally).