Army Ranger Pay Scale

Military service of any kind is appreciated in America because it is a volunteer service. Enlisting in the Army and qualifying to be an Army Ranger is no exception. Although the pay received for military service is often seen as small compared to the civilian sector, the paychecks are steady and predictable.

History

Modern Army Ranger history dates back to the Korean War, when they were first officially designated as a company. Although Ranger units existed during the French and Indian Wars, the first Ranger school was created in 1950, where members were trained to serve as special attachments with larger units. Today's Rangers attend several specialized schools that teach airborne operations, and leadership, mounting and survival training.

Function

The military basic pay scale is determined by Congress each fiscal year. The pay raise percentage typically has one across-the-board minimum with certain career fields, ranks and experiences receiving bonuses as an incentive to stay in the field of work. This usually happens if the career field is experiencing a shortage of qualified members or if the particular job is inherently dangerous. In addition to basic pay, Congress also determines the base allowance for housing, sustenance, retiree pay increases and a number of other pay incentives.

Features

The Army Ranger enlisted member basic pay is the same as any other enlisted Army member's pay. As of January 2008, an E-4 Ranger with no more than four years of service receives $2,047.30 per month, while an E-7 with 16 years' experience makes $3,694.50 per month. Enlisted Base Allowance for Sustenance is $294.43 per month. Base Allowance for Housing depends on the duty location. An E-5 with dependents living at Ft. Benning, Georgia (home of the Army Ranger Airborne Training School) makes $1,102 a month living off-base.

Considerations

Although the base pay rate is the same as other Army troops, Army Rangers have more opportunities to earn other incentive pays. The Army Ranger's mission is inherently a dangerous one; Rangers are trained to fight behind enemy lines. Since Army Rangers must train and jump out of airplanes on a regular basis, they can qualify for Jump Pay, which is $150 per month. Those who qualify for a HALO Jump (High Altitude, Low Opening) receive $225 per month. E-3s and below can receive $150 per month in Hazardous Duty Pay if deployed to a declared hazardous location, such as the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. Some hazardous places also qualify for tax exemption status, where your paycheck is not federally taxed during a qualifying month. If an Army Ranger engages in hostile fire, he can receive $225 for the qualifying month.

Considerations

The Army Ranger may be able to qualify for many special pay incentives, but these don't come easy. Army Rangers can be deployed for up to a year in dangerous locations. Since they are trained to infiltrate behind enemy lines by any means necessary, a Ranger takes considerable risk jumping out of airplanes. They aren't always going to do it in the middle of the day with a well-lit target and low winds. Deployed Rangers can face many situations where they are shot at. After all, they are trying to engage with the enemy, not just patrol and defend against him.

Resources

• Military Pay Charts
• Army Ranger Qualifications