Drill Pay Calculator 2026: How Much You Earn Per Weekend (Rank by Rank)
Published on 2026-07-01
Drill Pay Calculator 2026: How Much You Earn Per Weekend (Rank by Rank)
If you are in the National Guard or Reserve, you have probably asked the same question before every drill weekend: how much am I actually getting paid for this? The answer depends on your rank, your years of service, and how many drill periods you are completing. Our drill pay calculator gives you the exact number in seconds — but in this guide, we break down exactly how drill pay works in 2026, rank by rank, so you know what to expect before you even open the calculator.
What Is Drill Pay and How Is It Calculated?
Drill pay is the compensation National Guard and Reserve members receive for inactive duty training (IDT) periods — commonly called drill weekends. Each drill period is a four-hour block of training, and a typical drill weekend consists of four drill periods (two on Saturday, two on Sunday). That means one drill weekend equals four drill pay periods.
The Department of Defense publishes drill pay tables each year alongside the active-duty military pay charts. Drill pay is calculated as 1/30th of the monthly basic pay rate for your rank and years of service, multiplied by the number of drill periods you complete. For a standard two-day weekend with four drill periods, the formula is:
Drill Weekend Pay = (Monthly Basic Pay / 30) x 4
This means a standard drill weekend pays roughly 13.3% of your monthly basic pay. If you do a MUTA 6 (six drill periods over three days), you earn 20% of your monthly basic pay. If you attend annual training (AT) for 14 days, you earn active-duty pay for those days — which is calculated differently and at a higher rate.
2026 Drill Pay by Rank: Enlisted (E-1 to E-9)
Here is what each enlisted rank earns per standard drill weekend (4 periods) in 2026, based on the official DoD pay tables. These numbers reflect gross pay before taxes — your actual take-home amount will be lower after federal and state withholding, though some states exempt military drill pay from state income tax entirely.
E-1 to E-4 Drill Pay (2026)
| Rank | Under 2 Years | 4 Years | 6 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $255.47 | $255.47 | $255.47 |
| E-2 | $286.40 | $286.40 | $286.40 |
| E-3 | $301.20 | $339.47 | $339.47 |
| E-4 | $333.60 | $389.33 | $405.87 |
E-5 to E-6 Drill Pay (2026)
| Rank | Under 2 Years | 6 Years | 10 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $363.87 | $456.00 | $480.00 |
| E-6 | $397.20 | $494.67 | $538.67 |
E-7 to E-9 Drill Pay (2026)
| Rank | Under 2 Years | 10 Years | 18 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-7 | $459.20 | $573.33 | $629.33 |
| E-8 | N/A | $660.00 | $689.33 |
| E-9 | N/A | $806.67 | $838.67 |
2026 Drill Pay by Rank: Officers (O-1 to O-5)
Officer drill pay follows the same 1/30th formula but starts from higher base pay rates. Here is what officers earn per standard drill weekend in 2026:
| Rank | Under 2 Years | 6 Years | 12 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | $508.00 | $639.20 | $639.20 |
| O-2 | $585.33 | $746.67 | $786.67 |
| O-3 | $677.33 | $862.67 | $968.00 |
| O-4 | $770.67 | $965.33 | $1,082.67 |
| O-5 | $893.33 | $1,113.33 | $1,253.33 |
What About BAH and BAS During Drill?
This is one of the most common questions about drill pay — and the answer surprises many service members. BAH and BAS are NOT paid during standard drill weekends. The Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for Subsistence are active-duty benefits. When you are on inactive duty training status, you receive only the drill pay calculated from your basic pay rate.
However, there are important exceptions:
- Annual Training (AT) — When you attend your two-week annual training, you are on active-duty orders and DO receive full BAH (Type I) and BAS for those days.
- Active Duty for Training (ADT) — Any active-duty orders beyond AT, including schools and mobilizations, include BAH and BAS.
- BAH Type II (RC/T) — Reserve Component/Transient BAH is a reduced BAH rate paid during periods of active duty shorter than 30 days. It is significantly lower than full BAH Type I but still adds to your take-home pay during AT and ADT.
For a full breakdown of BAH rates by location and rank, use our military pay calculator which includes BAH estimates for every duty station in the country.
Drill Pay vs Active Duty Pay: The Real Comparison
A common misconception is that drill pay is simply "part-time military pay" at a lower rate. The reality is more nuanced. Here is how a typical E-5 with 6 years of service compares across different duty statuses in 2026:
| Duty Status | Monthly Gross Pay | Includes BAH/BAS? |
|---|---|---|
| Drill Only (1 weekend/mo) | $456.00 | No |
| Active Duty (full month) | $3,420.00 | Yes |
| AT (14 days) | $1,596.00 | BAH Type II + BAS |
| Deployment (30 days) | $3,420.00+ | Full BAH + BAS + tax-free |
As you can see, drill pay alone is a supplement — not a replacement for civilian income. Most Guard and Reserve members maintain full-time civilian careers and treat drill pay as additional income. The drill pay calculator on our site helps you budget by showing exactly what each weekend is worth.
Taxes on Drill Pay: What You Actually Take Home
Drill pay is taxable income — it appears on your W-2 at the end of the year just like any other military pay. Federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%) are all withheld. However, there are state-level differences that can significantly affect your take-home pay:
- States with no income tax — Texas, Florida, Washington, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, and Tennessee do not tax military pay at all.
- States that exempt military drill pay — Several states, including Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, exempt National Guard and Reserve drill pay from state income tax entirely.
- Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) — If your drill or AT occurs in a designated combat zone, all pay is tax-free for enlisted members and tax-free up to the senior enlisted cap for officers.
For a rough estimate of your take-home pay, multiply the drill pay numbers above by 0.75 to 0.80 — that accounts for federal taxes and FICA. If your state exempts military pay, you may keep closer to 80-85%.
How Many Drill Periods Can You Complete Per Year?
The standard National Guard and Reserve commitment is 48 drill periods (12 weekends) plus 14 days of annual training per fiscal year. That works out to:
- 48 IDT periods (inactive duty training — drill weekends)
- 14 AT days (annual training — active duty pay)
- Total: 62 paid days per year for a standard drilling reservist
Many units offer additional drill periods (MUTA 6s, MUTA 8s, or extra AT days) depending on mission requirements and funding availability. Some high-demand MOS positions can exceed 100 paid days per year when you combine drills, AT, schools, and additional active-duty orders.
Using the Drill Pay Calculator: Step by Step
Our drill pay calculator makes it simple to see your exact pay for any combination of drill periods. Here is how to use it:
- Select your rank — Choose from E-1 through O-10, plus warrant officer ranks W-1 through W-5.
- Enter your years of service — This determines which pay grade step you fall into on the 2026 military pay chart.
- Enter the number of drill periods — A standard weekend is 4 periods. A MUTA 6 is 6 periods. Enter whatever your unit has scheduled.
- See your gross pay instantly — The calculator multiplies 1/30th of your monthly basic pay by the number of periods.
- Optional: Add BAH/BAS for AT — If you are calculating annual training pay, toggle on BAH Type II and BAS to see your full compensation.
The calculator updates in real time as you adjust inputs, so you can compare different scenarios — what if you pick up an extra MUTA 4? What if you get promoted to E-6? Every change recalculates instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drill Pay
Do I get paid for travel to drill?
Generally, no. Travel to and from your drill location is at your own expense. However, if your unit is outside the reasonable commuting distance (typically 50-100 miles depending on the service branch), you may be eligible for IDT Travel Reimbursement, which can cover lodging and some travel costs. Check with your unit administrator for the current policy.
What happens if drill is cancelled?
If a drill weekend is cancelled by the unit, you do not receive drill pay for those periods. However, most units reschedule cancelled drills rather than simply cancelling them, because members need those periods for a "good year" toward retirement. A good year requires at least 50 retirement points, and each drill period counts as one point.
Does drill pay count toward my military retirement?
Yes. Every drill period you complete earns one retirement point. You need at least 50 points per year for a "good year" that counts toward the 20 qualifying years required for a Reserve retirement. Drill pay itself does not directly fund your retirement — that comes from the points system — but the two are linked because each paid drill period equals one point.
Can I use the GI Bill and still get drill pay?
Yes. The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR, Chapter 1606) and the Post-9/11 GI Bill are completely separate from drill pay. You can attend drill weekends and collect drill pay while simultaneously using your GI Bill benefits for college. These are independent entitlements and do not offset each other.
How does drill pay compare to active duty pay for the same rank?
For a standard drilling year (48 periods + 14 AT days), a reservist earns roughly 25-30% of what an active-duty member of the same rank and time in service earns — and that is before accounting for BAH and BAS, which active-duty members receive year-round. The tradeoff is that reservists can maintain civilian careers and earn civilian salaries alongside their military pay. For a full comparison, see our military pay vs civilian pay guide.
2026 Military Pay Increase: What Changed for Drill Pay
The 2026 military pay increase of 4.5% — authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act — applies to drill pay just as it does to active-duty pay. Every number in the tables above reflects the 2026 rates. Compared to 2025, an E-5 with 6 years of service saw their drill weekend pay increase from approximately $436 to $456 — an extra $20 per weekend, or about $240 more per year for a standard drilling schedule.
For the full breakdown of the 2026 pay raise across all ranks, see our 2026 military pay raise guide and the 2026 military pay chart.
Bottom Line: Know What You Are Owed
Drill pay is not a mystery — it is a straightforward calculation based on published DoD pay tables. But too many Guard and Reserve members show up to drill without knowing what their weekend is worth. Whether you are an E-3 in your first year or an O-5 with 18 years of service, the numbers are public and the math is simple.
Use our drill pay calculator before your next drill weekend. Know your number. And if your LES does not match what the calculator shows, take it to your unit administrator — pay errors happen, and you are the only one who will catch them.