ADF Pay Scales 2026
Base salary for every Navy, Army and Air Force rank from 6 November 2025, by pay grade and increment, as the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal sets it in its Salaries Determination. A 3% rise follows on 5 November 2026.
The short answer
A Private, Seaman or Aircraftman on pay grade 1 is paid $79,096 a year, or $3,033.82 a fortnight. Other ranks run up to $158,815 for a Warrant Officer Class 2, Chief Petty Officer or Flight Sergeant on pay grade 10, and officers from $87,091 for a Second Lieutenant on pay grade 1 to $248,376 for a Colonel on pay grade 10. A recruit in basic training is paid $60,517 a year.
The three Services share one scale: a Corporal, a Leading Seaman and an Air Force Corporal on the same pay grade and increment are paid the same. These rates took effect on 6 November 2025 with a 3.4% rise, and stay in force until 5 November 2026.
The next rise: 3% from 5 November 2026.
On 24 September 2026 the Tribunal accepted the 2026 Workplace Remuneration Arrangement, a joint proposal from the ADF and the Commonwealth: a 3% increase to salary and salary-related allowances from 5 November 2026, for one year to 3 November 2027. The parties called it an interim arrangement while bargaining in the Australian Public Service finishes, and said they would return to the Tribunal in 2027 for 2027 and 2028.
The new salary tables are not published yet. The Tribunal said the determination giving effect to the arrangement would be published closer to November 2026, and when this page was checked on 27 September 2026 its matter page listed the decision only. The figures below are the ones in force today, and this page will be updated from the new determination rather than by applying 3% here.
How ADF pay is worked out.
Three things set a member’s salary: rank, pay grade and increment. Rank chooses the row block in the tables below. Pay grade, from 1 to 10, follows the member’s employment category, the ADF term for a job or trade, and chooses the column. The increment is the step within a rank, an advancement based on the passing of time, and chooses the row inside the block.
Defence’s salary sheet notes that increment 0 is the rate paid on promotion. A Corporal on pay grade 1 starts the rank on $86,966; a Corporal whose job sits in pay grade 10 starts it on $134,164. To find a pay grade, look up the employment category in PACMAN Schedule B.11 for other ranks or Schedule B.2 for officers.
Other ranks salaries.
Yearly salary for members of the Permanent Forces below Warrant Officer Class 1, from Schedule B.12, in force from 6 November 2025. Rank names are Navy, Army and Air Force in that order.
| Rank | Incr. | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | PG 6 | PG 7 | PG 8 | PG 9 | PG 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer Class 2, Flight SergeantCPO / WO2 / FSGT | 1 | $111,623 | $114,844 | $118,979 | $123,446 | $128,267 | $133,473 | $139,097 | $145,172 | $151,730 | $158,815 |
| Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer Class 2, Flight Sergeant | 0 | $109,733 | $112,956 | $117,094 | $121,557 | $126,379 | $131,586 | $137,211 | $143,286 | $149,842 | $156,929 |
| Staff SergeantSSGT | 0 | $106,734 | $109,956 | $114,087 | $118,553 | $123,376 | $128,584 | $134,206 | $140,278 | $146,838 | $153,925 |
| Petty Officer, SergeantPO / SGT | 2 | $100,898 | $104,120 | $108,257 | $112,718 | $117,543 | $122,747 | $128,371 | $134,445 | $141,006 | $148,091 |
| Petty Officer, Sergeant | 1 | $99,220 | $102,443 | $106,575 | $111,041 | $115,864 | $121,073 | $126,690 | $132,767 | $139,326 | $146,413 |
| Petty Officer, Sergeant | 0 | $97,575 | $100,797 | $104,930 | $109,397 | $114,219 | $119,427 | $125,047 | $131,122 | $137,681 | $144,768 |
| Leading Seaman, CorporalLS / CPL | 2 | $89,857 | $93,081 | $97,212 | $101,677 | $106,503 | $111,706 | $117,327 | $123,404 | $129,959 | $137,047 |
| Leading Seaman, Corporal | 1 | $88,398 | $91,620 | $95,754 | $100,219 | $105,042 | $110,246 | $115,871 | $121,945 | $128,502 | $135,586 |
| Leading Seaman, Corporal | 0 | $86,966 | $90,189 | $94,324 | $98,787 | $103,607 | $108,817 | $114,442 | $120,514 | $127,074 | $134,164 |
| Lance CorporalLCPL | 0 | $81,612 | $84,833 | $88,963 | $93,433 | $98,255 | $103,459 | $109,081 | $115,158 | $121,713 | $128,802 |
| Able Seaman, Private Proficient, Leading AircraftmanAB / PTE(P) / LAC | 0 | $80,341 | $83,565 | $87,700 | $92,164 | $96,985 | $102,194 | $107,814 | $113,887 | $120,448 | $127,530 |
| Seaman, Private, AircraftmanSMN / PTE / AC | 0 | $79,096 | $82,322 | $86,453 | $90,919 | $95,741 | $100,947 | $106,572 | $112,644 | $119,203 | $126,292 |
Private Proficient is not a rank. It is a proficiency point that carries a higher salary than Private. Staff Sergeant and Lance Corporal are Army ranks with no Navy or Air Force equivalent in this schedule.
Warrant Officer Class 1 salaries.
A Warrant Officer Class 1 is paid by tier and pay grade under Schedule B.10, from $117,408 to $169,795. Tiers B and C start at higher pay grades only. The Service Warrant Officer rate is $169,795 a year.
| Tier | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | PG 6 | PG 7 | PG 8 | PG 9 | PG 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1 Tier C | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $156,144 | $162,712 | $169,795 |
| WO1 Tier B | n/a | n/a | n/a | $134,419 | $139,245 | $144,452 | $150,074 | $156,144 | $162,712 | $169,795 |
| WO1 Tier A2 | $119,455 | $122,679 | $126,815 | $131,275 | $136,098 | $141,304 | $146,930 | $153,002 | $159,562 | $166,648 |
| WO1 Tier A1 | $117,408 | $120,630 | $124,762 | $129,230 | $134,052 | $139,253 | $144,881 | $150,955 | $157,512 | $164,598 |
Officer salaries.
Yearly salary for officers from Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant and Pilot Officer to Captain (Navy), Colonel and Group Captain, from Schedule B.3. A Lieutenant (Navy), Captain (Army) or Flight Lieutenant on pay grade 1 starts on $106,257, and a Lieutenant Commander, Major or Squadron Leader on $130,007.
| Rank | Incr. | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | PG 6 | PG 7 | PG 8 | PG 9 | PG 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain, Colonel, Group CaptainCAPT / COL / GPCAPT | 1 | $192,318 | $197,710 | $203,932 | $209,323 | $215,338 | $222,075 | $228,844 | $236,158 | $243,480 | $248,376 |
| Captain, Colonel, Group Captain | 0 | $186,934 | $192,324 | $198,552 | $203,938 | $209,953 | $216,693 | $223,452 | $230,777 | $238,100 | $242,990 |
| Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Wing CommanderCMDR / LTCOL / WGCDR | 1 | $164,718 | $170,113 | $176,340 | $181,730 | $187,741 | $194,479 | $201,244 | $208,567 | $215,886 | $220,780 |
| Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Wing Commander | 0 | $159,440 | $164,832 | $171,058 | $176,450 | $182,462 | $189,202 | $195,963 | $203,286 | $210,608 | $215,502 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron LeaderLCDR / MAJ / SQNLDR | 2 | $137,420 | $142,811 | $149,037 | $154,428 | $160,440 | $167,178 | $173,943 | $181,265 | $188,583 | $193,476 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader | 1 | $133,718 | $139,113 | $145,336 | $150,726 | $156,738 | $163,481 | $170,243 | $177,565 | $184,887 | $189,775 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader | 0 | $130,007 | $135,402 | $141,624 | $147,014 | $153,028 | $159,769 | $166,532 | $173,855 | $181,175 | $186,067 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight LieutenantLEUT / CAPT / FLTLT | 5 | $123,850 | $129,247 | $135,472 | $140,861 | $146,875 | $153,614 | $160,378 | $167,702 | $175,024 | $179,912 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 4 | $120,330 | $125,724 | $131,950 | $137,344 | $143,354 | $150,093 | $156,855 | $164,176 | $171,501 | $176,389 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 3 | $116,802 | $122,193 | $128,418 | $133,807 | $139,823 | $146,563 | $153,327 | $160,647 | $167,970 | $172,856 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 2 | $113,290 | $118,688 | $124,909 | $130,298 | $136,314 | $143,052 | $149,813 | $157,140 | $164,463 | $169,351 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 1 | $109,781 | $115,172 | $121,395 | $126,787 | $132,802 | $139,539 | $146,302 | $153,622 | $160,944 | $165,839 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 0 | $106,257 | $111,646 | $117,869 | $123,260 | $129,275 | $136,012 | $142,778 | $150,100 | $157,417 | $162,312 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying OfficerSBLT / LT / FLGOFF | 3 | $100,259 | $105,647 | $111,872 | $117,264 | $123,270 | $130,010 | $136,778 | $144,101 | $151,421 | $156,316 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | 2 | $97,357 | $102,750 | $108,973 | $114,362 | $120,377 | $127,117 | $133,881 | $141,203 | $148,526 | $153,415 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | 1 | $94,508 | $99,899 | $106,126 | $111,517 | $117,527 | $124,265 | $131,030 | $138,356 | $145,675 | $150,567 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | 0 | $91,778 | $97,168 | $103,395 | $108,786 | $114,798 | $121,538 | $128,300 | $135,620 | $142,944 | $147,835 |
| Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Pilot OfficerASLT / 2LT / PLTOFF | 1 | $89,435 | $94,828 | $101,055 | $106,443 | $112,455 | $119,196 | $125,958 | $133,279 | $140,603 | $145,493 |
| Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Pilot Officer | 0 | $87,091 | $92,486 | $98,708 | $104,099 | $110,113 | $116,850 | $123,618 | $130,935 | $138,260 | $143,150 |
Senior officer salaries.
One-star and two-star officers are paid a single rate for each increment, with no pay grade. A three-star officer is paid a base salary of $478,781 plus a positional component set by pay point, up to $567,525 in total.
| Rank | Increment or pay point | A year |
|---|---|---|
| Rear Admiral, Major General, Air Vice Marshal | Increment 1 | $332,277 |
| Rear Admiral, Major General, Air Vice Marshal | Increment 0 | $316,619 |
| Commodore, Brigadier, Air Commodore | Increment 1 | $290,217 |
| Commodore, Brigadier, Air Commodore | Increment 0 | $282,677 |
| Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General, Air Marshal | Pay point 1: $478,781 base plus $0 positional | $478,781 |
| Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General, Air Marshal | Pay point 2: $478,781 base plus $46,025 positional | $524,806 |
| Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General, Air Marshal | Pay point 3: $478,781 base plus $88,744 positional | $567,525 |
Salary under this determination is not payable to a member who is paid under a determination of the Remuneration Tribunal (section A.1.4), so appointments paid that way are not in these tables.
Recruit and trainee pay.
Trainees are paid a flat yearly rate under Schedule B.13 until they finish training and take up a rank and pay grade. A recruit is paid $60,517 a year during basic training and $69,162 in the first six months of initial employment training.
| Training | A year | A fortnight * |
|---|---|---|
| Recruit in basic training | $60,517 | $2,321.20 |
| Initial employment training, first 6 months | $69,162 | $2,652.79 |
| Initial employment training, 6 to 12 months | $72,621 | $2,785.46 |
| Initial employment training, 12 months or more | $76,079 | $2,918.10 |
| Degree and officer training, matriculation studies | $47,168 | $1,809.18 |
| Degree and officer training, 1st year | $54,567 | $2,092.98 |
| Degree and officer training, 2nd year | $61,966 | $2,376.78 |
| Degree and officer training, 3rd year | $69,365 | $2,660.58 |
| Degree and officer training, 4th year | $76,763 | $2,944.33 |
| Officer training, Army or Air Force, no degree, first 6 months | $69,365 | $2,660.58 |
| Officer training, Army or Air Force, no degree, 6 months or more | $76,763 | $2,944.33 |
| Officer training, Army or Air Force, with a degree | $76,763 | $2,944.33 |
| Officer training, Navy, no degree, 1st year | $69,365 | $2,660.58 |
| Officer training, Navy, no degree, 2nd year | $76,763 | $2,944.33 |
| Officer training, Navy, with a degree | $76,763 | $2,944.33 |
The degree and officer training rows cover a member studying for a degree while training as an officer. Schedule B.13 also sets rates for the undergraduate entry, officer tertiary recruitment and graduate medical schemes, which are not shown.
Fortnightly pay.
The Salaries Determination works out a fortnight’s pay as the yearly salary divided by 365, times 14. The table applies that rule to the pay grade 1 rate for each rank on promotion.
| Rank, pay grade 1, increment 0 | A year | A fortnight * |
|---|---|---|
| Seaman, Private, Aircraftman | $79,096 | $3,033.82 |
| Able Seaman, Private Proficient, Leading Aircraftman | $80,341 | $3,081.57 |
| Lance Corporal | $81,612 | $3,130.32 |
| Leading Seaman, Corporal | $86,966 | $3,335.68 |
| Petty Officer, Sergeant | $97,575 | $3,742.60 |
| Staff Sergeant | $106,734 | $4,093.91 |
| Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer Class 2, Flight Sergeant | $109,733 | $4,208.94 |
| Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Pilot Officer | $87,091 | $3,340.48 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | $91,778 | $3,520.25 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | $106,257 | $4,075.61 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader | $130,007 | $4,986.57 |
| Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Wing Commander | $159,440 | $6,115.51 |
| Captain, Colonel, Group Captain | $186,934 | $7,170.07 |
* Worked out here with the determination’s rule and rounded to the cent. The Tribunal prints yearly and daily rates, not fortnightly ones.
Reserve daily rates.
Reserve members are paid a daily rate for each day of Reserve service: $216.70 for a Private on pay grade 1 and $165.80 for a recruit in basic training. Every daily rate is the matching yearly salary divided by 365, rounded to the cent. Duty of three to six hours is paid half a day, and two to three hours a third.
Other ranks daily rates
| Rank | Incr. | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | PG 6 | PG 7 | PG 8 | PG 9 | PG 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer Class 2, Flight SergeantCPO / WO2 / FSGT | 1 | $305.82 | $314.64 | $325.97 | $338.21 | $351.42 | $365.68 | $381.09 | $397.73 | $415.70 | $435.11 |
| Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer Class 2, Flight Sergeant | 0 | $300.64 | $309.47 | $320.81 | $333.03 | $346.24 | $360.51 | $375.92 | $392.56 | $410.53 | $429.94 |
| Staff SergeantSSGT | 0 | $292.42 | $301.25 | $312.57 | $324.80 | $338.02 | $352.28 | $367.69 | $384.32 | $402.30 | $421.71 |
| Petty Officer, SergeantPO / SGT | 2 | $276.43 | $285.26 | $296.59 | $308.82 | $322.04 | $336.29 | $351.70 | $368.34 | $386.32 | $405.73 |
| Petty Officer, Sergeant | 1 | $271.84 | $280.67 | $291.99 | $304.22 | $317.44 | $331.71 | $347.10 | $363.75 | $381.72 | $401.13 |
| Petty Officer, Sergeant | 0 | $267.33 | $276.16 | $287.48 | $299.72 | $312.93 | $327.20 | $342.59 | $359.24 | $377.21 | $396.62 |
| Leading Seaman, CorporalLS / CPL | 2 | $246.18 | $255.02 | $266.33 | $278.57 | $291.79 | $306.04 | $321.44 | $338.09 | $356.05 | $375.47 |
| Leading Seaman, Corporal | 1 | $242.19 | $251.01 | $262.34 | $274.57 | $287.79 | $302.04 | $317.45 | $334.10 | $352.06 | $371.47 |
| Leading Seaman, Corporal | 0 | $238.26 | $247.09 | $258.42 | $270.65 | $283.85 | $298.13 | $313.54 | $330.18 | $348.15 | $367.57 |
| Lance CorporalLCPL | 0 | $223.59 | $232.42 | $243.73 | $255.98 | $269.19 | $283.45 | $298.85 | $315.50 | $333.46 | $352.88 |
| Able Seaman, Private Proficient, Leading AircraftmanAB / PTE(P) / LAC | 0 | $220.11 | $228.95 | $240.27 | $252.50 | $265.71 | $279.98 | $295.38 | $312.02 | $329.99 | $349.40 |
| Seaman, Private, AircraftmanSMN / PTE / AC | 0 | $216.70 | $225.54 | $236.86 | $249.09 | $262.30 | $276.57 | $291.98 | $308.61 | $326.58 | $346.01 |
Warrant Officer Class 1 daily rates
| Tier | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | PG 6 | PG 7 | PG 8 | PG 9 | PG 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1 Tier C | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $427.79 | $445.79 | $465.19 |
| WO1 Tier B | n/a | n/a | n/a | $368.27 | $381.49 | $395.76 | $411.16 | $427.79 | $445.79 | $465.19 |
| WO1 Tier A2 | $327.27 | $336.11 | $347.44 | $359.66 | $372.87 | $387.13 | $402.55 | $419.18 | $437.16 | $456.57 |
| WO1 Tier A1 | $321.67 | $330.49 | $341.81 | $354.05 | $367.27 | $381.52 | $396.93 | $413.58 | $431.54 | $450.95 |
Service Warrant Officer: $465.19 a day.
Officer daily rates
| Rank | Incr. | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | PG 6 | PG 7 | PG 8 | PG 9 | PG 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain, Colonel, Group CaptainCAPT / COL / GPCAPT | 1 | $526.90 | $541.67 | $558.72 | $573.49 | $589.97 | $608.42 | $626.97 | $647.01 | $667.07 | $680.48 |
| Captain, Colonel, Group Captain | 0 | $512.15 | $526.92 | $543.98 | $558.73 | $575.21 | $593.68 | $612.20 | $632.27 | $652.33 | $665.73 |
| Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Wing CommanderCMDR / LTCOL / WGCDR | 1 | $451.28 | $466.06 | $483.12 | $497.89 | $514.36 | $532.82 | $551.35 | $571.42 | $591.47 | $604.88 |
| Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Wing Commander | 0 | $436.82 | $451.59 | $468.65 | $483.42 | $499.90 | $518.36 | $536.88 | $556.95 | $577.01 | $590.42 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron LeaderLCDR / MAJ / SQNLDR | 2 | $376.49 | $391.26 | $408.32 | $423.09 | $439.56 | $458.02 | $476.56 | $496.62 | $516.67 | $530.07 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader | 1 | $366.35 | $381.13 | $398.18 | $412.95 | $429.42 | $447.89 | $466.42 | $486.48 | $506.54 | $519.93 |
| Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader | 0 | $356.18 | $370.96 | $388.01 | $402.78 | $419.25 | $437.72 | $456.25 | $476.32 | $496.37 | $509.77 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight LieutenantLEUT / CAPT / FLTLT | 5 | $339.32 | $354.10 | $371.16 | $385.92 | $402.40 | $420.86 | $439.39 | $459.46 | $479.52 | $492.91 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 4 | $329.67 | $344.45 | $361.51 | $376.28 | $392.75 | $411.21 | $429.74 | $449.80 | $469.87 | $483.26 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 3 | $320.01 | $334.78 | $351.83 | $366.59 | $383.08 | $401.54 | $420.07 | $440.13 | $460.19 | $473.58 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 2 | $310.38 | $325.17 | $342.22 | $356.98 | $373.46 | $391.92 | $410.45 | $430.52 | $450.58 | $463.98 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 1 | $300.77 | $315.54 | $332.59 | $347.36 | $363.84 | $382.30 | $400.83 | $420.88 | $440.94 | $454.35 |
| Lieutenant, Captain, Flight Lieutenant | 0 | $291.12 | $305.88 | $322.93 | $337.70 | $354.18 | $372.64 | $391.17 | $411.23 | $431.28 | $444.69 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying OfficerSBLT / LT / FLGOFF | 3 | $274.68 | $289.44 | $306.50 | $321.27 | $337.73 | $356.19 | $374.73 | $394.80 | $414.85 | $428.26 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | 2 | $266.73 | $281.51 | $298.56 | $313.32 | $329.80 | $348.27 | $366.80 | $386.86 | $406.92 | $420.32 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | 1 | $258.93 | $273.70 | $290.76 | $305.53 | $321.99 | $340.45 | $358.99 | $379.06 | $399.11 | $412.51 |
| Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Flying Officer | 0 | $251.45 | $266.21 | $283.27 | $298.04 | $314.52 | $332.98 | $351.51 | $371.56 | $391.63 | $405.03 |
| Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Pilot OfficerASLT / 2LT / PLTOFF | 1 | $245.03 | $259.80 | $276.86 | $291.62 | $308.10 | $326.56 | $345.09 | $365.15 | $385.21 | $398.61 |
| Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Pilot Officer | 0 | $238.61 | $253.39 | $270.43 | $285.20 | $301.68 | $320.14 | $338.68 | $358.73 | $378.79 | $392.19 |
Senior officers: Rear Admiral, Major General, Air Vice Marshal increment 1, $910.35; Rear Admiral, Major General, Air Vice Marshal increment 0, $867.45; Commodore, Brigadier, Air Commodore increment 1, $795.12; Commodore, Brigadier, Air Commodore increment 0, $774.46; Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General, Air Marshal, $1,311.73; Admiral, General or Air Chief Marshal, $1,997.00 a day.
Trainee daily rates
- Recruit in basic training$165.80
- Initial employment training$189.48
- Officer Training Unit, no degree$190.04
- Officer Training Unit, with a degree$210.31
Where these figures come from.
Provenance
Verified- Instrument
- Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal Determination No. 2 of 2017, Salaries
- Compilation date
- 30 July 2026
- Salary tables set by
- DFRT Determination No. 11 of 2025, ADF Workplace Remuneration Arrangement 2023-2026
- In force from
- 6 November 2025
- Retrieved
- 27 September 2026
- Daily rates against yearly
- 350 checked
- Against the Defence salary sheet
- 739 figures
- Against PACMAN Schedule B.12
- 240 figures
Every salary was read from the compilation of DFRT Determination No. 2 of 2017, Salaries dated 30 July 2026, on the Tribunal’s consolidated determinations page. Its tables were last replaced by DFRT Determination No. 11 of 2025, ADF Workplace Remuneration Arrangement 2023-2026, signed on 18 July 2025, from 6 November 2025. Each figure was then checked against Defence’s ADF Military Salary sheet for 6 November 2025, printed 10 November 2025, and the other ranks tables against PACMAN Schedule B.12, with no difference of a cent. Every Reserve daily rate equals its yearly salary divided by 365. The next rise comes from the Tribunal’s decision of 24 September 2026 in Matter 15 of 2026. All were read on 27 September 2026. Nothing here is copied from another pay site.
What is not cross-checked
The fortnightly figures, which this page works out with the determination’s own rule because no instrument prints them. The 3% rise from 5 November 2026 has no figures yet.
What this page does not cover.
Specialist officers
Medical, dental and legal officers, chaplains, aviation officers, cyber warfare members and nuclear qualified submariners are paid on their own schedules. None is published here.
Allowances
The Military Factor framework and other allowances are paid on top of salary. They are set outside the tables on this page.
Pay grade by job
Which pay grade a job sits in is listed by Service and employment category in Schedules B.2, B.9 and B.11, which run to more than 80 pages. Find yours in PACMAN.
Transitional officer rates
An other rank member appointed as an officer before the scheme closed may be paid the transitional rates in Schedule B.4, which is closed to new entrants and not shown.
Superannuation
ADF superannuation is not part of these tables and is not published here.
Take-home pay
Tax on ADF pay depends on allowances, tax offsets and the member’s own circumstances, so no take-home figure is given.
Civilian Defence staff are Australian Public Service employees, paid under an enterprise agreement rather than these tables. The APS-wide salary floors are on APS Pay Scales. How each scale is set, and when each next changes, is compared on Public Sector Pay Scales.
ADF pay questions, answered.
How much does a Private in the Australian Army earn?
A Private on pay grade 1 is paid $79,096 a year from 6 November 2025, which is $3,033.82 a fortnight. The same salary applies to a Seaman in the Navy and an Aircraftman in the Air Force, because the three Services share one pay scale. Pay grade depends on the job, so a Private in a higher pay grade job earns more, up to $126,292 at pay grade 10. A Private Proficient, a proficiency point rather than a rank, is paid more again. A recruit in basic training is on $60,517 until training ends.
What is an ADF pay grade?
A number from 1 to 10 that the Salaries Determination attaches to each employment category, the ADF term for a job or trade. A member is placed in the pay grade Schedule B.11 lists for their Service and employment category (Schedule B.2 for officers), and if more than one applies, the higher one. The pay grade then sets which column of the salary table applies. Two members of the same rank and increment are paid differently if their jobs sit in different pay grades.
What is an increment in ADF pay?
The Salaries Determination defines an increment as an advancement through the salary band for a rank, based on the passing of time. The number of increments varies by rank, from one for a Private to six for a Lieutenant, Captain or Flight Lieutenant. Defence's salary sheet notes that increment 0 is the rate paid on promotion. A Corporal on pay grade 1, for example, moves from $86,966 at increment 0 to $89,857 at increment 2.
When is the next ADF pay rise?
On 5 November 2026. The Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal accepted the 2026 Workplace Remuneration Arrangement on 24 September 2026: a 3% increase to salary and salary-related allowances for one year, to 3 November 2027. The Tribunal said the determination setting the new salary tables would be published closer to November 2026, and it had not been published when this page was checked on 27 September 2026. The parties told the Tribunal they intend to return in 2027 for the salary outcomes for 2027 and 2028.
How are ADF Reserve members paid?
By the day. The Salaries Determination sets a daily rate for each rank, increment and pay grade, equal to the yearly Permanent Forces salary divided by 365, so a Private on pay grade 1 is paid $216.70 a day and a recruit in basic training $165.80 a day. A member who attends for at least three hours but less than six is paid half the daily rate, and at least two hours but less than three, a third of it.
How is ADF fortnightly pay worked out?
Section A.1.3 of the Salaries Determination divides the yearly salary by 365 and multiplies the result by 14. On $79,096 that is $3,033.82 a fortnight, and on a Sergeant's pay grade 1 salary of $97,575 it is $3,742.60. Twenty-six fortnights are 364 days, so 26 payments come to 364/365 of the yearly salary.
Do ADF salaries include allowances?
No. The tables on this page are base salary. Allowances are paid on top of it and are set separately, including the Military Factor framework, which Defence describes as a 12-tier allowance for service in environments such as sea, flying and field duty. None of those allowances is published here. Tax offsets sit outside salary too: service in a specified overseas locality can earn the overseas forces tax offset, unless the pay for it is exempt foreign employment income, and the Zone Tax Offset Calculator works it out.
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