By the Numbers: 18 August 2025

By the Numbers: 18 August 2025

$47,838 and $85,872
The "average annual pay" for "a single mid-grade enlisted servicemember (E-5)" in 2025, and his or her average "regular military compensation" (RMC). RMC is "a statutorily defined measure of the cash or in-kind compensation elements which all servicemembers receive every payday. It is widely used as a basic measure of military cash compensation levels and for comparisons with civilian salary levels," according to a recently updated Defense Primer from the Congressional Research Service on Regular Military Compensation.

RMC, as defined in law, is "the total of the following elements that a member of the uniformed services accrues or receives, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind every payday: basic pay, basic allowance for housing, basic allowance for subsistence, and Federal tax advantage accruing to the aforementioned allowances because they are not subject to Federal income tax."