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Money > Drill Pay: Army Reserve Soldiers

If you choose to serve in the Army Reserve, you will earn what's called Drill Pay. Drill Pay is money you earn while training on weekends and during full-time training events.

You are compensated hourly for work completed. Your wages will increase when you climb in rank and years of experience (many newly enlisted Soldiers enter the Army Reserve as a private). For training events longer than a weekend, you are given prorated Basic Pay.


Pay is based on two weeks of training each year and one weekend each month. Chart reflects Drill Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits.
Rank	Years of Army Experience
Rank	<2 Years	4 Years	6 Years
Private (E1)	$2,783**	$2,783	—
Private (E2)	$3,156	$3,156	—
Private First Class (E3)	$3,281	$3,698	$3,698
Specialist or Corporal (E4)	$3,635	$4,232	$4,412
Sergeant (E5)	$3,965	$4,644	$4,970
Staff Sergeant (E6)	$4,327	$5,175	$5,389

* Based on 2008 pay tables.

** Pay for Private (E1) will be slightly lower for first four months of service.


Pay is based on two weeks of training each year and one weekend each month. Chart reflects Drill Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits.
Rank	Years of Army Experience
Rank	<2 Years	4 Years	6 Years
Second Lieutenant (O1)	$5,281	$6,644	—
First Lieutenant (O2)	$6,084	$8,250	$8,420
Captain (O3)	$7,041	$9,394	$9,843
Major (O4)	$8,009	$10,028	$10,598

* Based on 2008 pay tables.

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