Career Sea Pay

Career Sea Pay

What is Career Sea Pay?

Sea pay is for sailors and includes some Marines and Coast Guard along with a few soldiers and is taxable unless it is earned in a designated combat zone. This pay is to offset the hardships of duty at sea and the amounts vary based on the length of time on sea duty and pay grade.  The service member is required to be assigned to a ship, ship based staff or a ship based aviation unit.  Officers must have a minimum of three years on shipboard assignments before they are eligible to receive Sea Pay and enlisted service members become eligible when the reach the E-4 pay grade.  Sea pay goes to all members of two crew missile subs and to personnel serving aboard subs and destroyer tenders.  Some of the amounts of Sea Pay are:

  • Enlisted Service Members
  • Warrant Officers
  • Commissioned Officers
  • Sailors Pay Grade E-4 & below receive premium
    sea pay after 3 years consecutive years of sea duty)
  • Officers receive premium sea pay after 3 consecutive years of sea duty
  • $50 to $646 monthly
  • $100 to $730 monthly
  • $100 to $535 monthly
  • $100 extra monthly
  • $100 extra monthly

Those serving on subs receive additional incentive pay that is subject to taxes unless earned in a designated combat zone in addition to sea pay and it is based on their length of service and rank. This compensation is as follows:

  • Enlisted Submariners
  • Warrant Officers
  • Officers
  • $75 to $425 monthly
  • $375 to $425 monthly
  • $425 to $835 monthly

Navy-Marine Corps Enlisted Sea Pay Rates

Rates in effect May 1, 2014.

Enlisted sea pay chart to over four years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
1 Year or Less Over 1 Over 2 Over 3 Over 4
E-9 135 135 160 381 400
E-8 135 135 160 381 400
E-7 135 135 160 381 400
E-6 135 135 160 350 375
E-5 70 80 160 350 375
E-4 70 80 160 350 363
E-3 50 60 100 125 125
E-2 50 60 75 94 94
E-1 50 50 50 63 63

 

Enlisted sea pay chart from over five to over nine years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
Over 5 Over 6 Over 7 Over 8 Over 9
E-9 438 438 469 688 700
E-8 438 438 469 688 700
E-7 438 438 469 688 700
E-6 394 406 438 638 656
E-5 394 406 438 638 638
E-4 363 363 363 488 488
E-3 125 125 125 125 125
E-2 94 94 94 94 94
E-1 63 63 63 63 63

 

Enlisted sea pay chart from over 10 to over 14 years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
Over 10 Over 11 Over 12 Over 13 Over 14
E-9 700 713 725 750 750
E-8 700 713 725 750 750
E-7 700 713 725 750 750
E-6 656 656 675 694 713
E-5 638 638 638 638 638
E-4 488 488 488 488 488

 

Enlisted sea pay chart from over 16 to over 20 years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
Over 16 Over 18 Over 20
E-9 750 750 750
E-8 750 750 750
E-7 750 750 750
E-6 731 750 750

Return to Top

Navy-Marine Corps Officer Sea Pay Rates

Officer sea pay chart to over four years of qualified sea time.
Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
1 or Less Over 1 Over 2 Over 3 Over 4
O-6 100 135 135 394 400
O-5 100 135 135 394 394
O-4 100 135 135 325 331
O-3 100 135 135 263 281
O-2 100 135 135 263 281
O-1 100 135 135 263 281
Warrant Officers
W-5 210 210 210 263 300
W-4 210 210 210 263 300
W-3 210 210 210 263 300
W-2 210 210 210 263 300
W-1 180 190 195 263 300

 

Officer sea pay chart from over five to over nine years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
Over 5 Over 6 Over 7 Over 8 Over 9
O-6 400 419 450 463 494
O-5 394 394 400 431 438
O-4 350 356 375 388 388
O-3 325 331 344 356 375
O-2 325 331 344 356 375
O-1 325 331 344 356 375
Warrant Officers
W-5 506 544 544 544 544
W-4 506 544 544 544 544
W-3 475 494 500 506 544
W-2 456 463 463 475 544
W-1 306 350 438 475 525

 

Officer sea pay chart from over 10 to over 14 years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
Over 10 Over 11 Over 12 Over 13 Over 14
O-6 506 525 544 544 569
O-5 456 463 463 463 500
O-4 394 394 419 419 475
O-3 394 394 419 419 456
O-2 394 394 419 419 438
O-1 394 394 419 419 438
Warrant Officers
W-5 613 656 700 700 750
W-4 613 656 700 700 750
W-3 613 656 700 700 744
W-2 594 594 656 656 700
W-1 569 569 594 594 631

 

Officer sea pay chart from over 16 to over 20 years of qualified sea time.

Pay Grade Cumulative Years of Sea Duty
Over 16 Over 18 Over 20
O-6 594 625 669
O-5 525 550 594
O-4 494 506 525
O-3 475 494 506
O-2 456 475 494
O-1 456 475 494
For specific career sea pay
eligibility and information
about career sea pay premium
payments read OPNAVINST 7220.14
for up to date details.
Warrant Officers
W-5 750 750 750
W-4 750 750 750
W-3 744 750 750
W-2 700 700 700
W-1 656 656 656

Return to Top

MILITARY PAY CHARTS

Basic Pay | Commissioned Officers | Warrant Officers | Enlisted Members

OTHER MILITARY PAY / BONUSES
Assignment Incentive Pay | Aviation Career Incentive Pay | Career Enlisted Flight Pay | Career Sea Pay | Career Status Military Pay Bonus | Command Responsibility Military Pay | Dislocation Pay | Drill Pay | Enlistment Bonus | Family Separation Pay | Flight Pay | Foreign Language Proficiency Pay | Hardship Duty Pay | Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay | Hostile Fire-Imminent Danger Pay | Lodging-Plus Pay | Medical Personnel Pay | Nuclear Duty Pay | Overseas Tour Extension | Selected Re-Enlistment Bonuses | Submarine Duty Pay

MILITARY ALLOWANCES
Clothing Allowances | Cost of Living Allowances | Dependent Allowances | Housing Allowances | Personal Money Allowances | Subsistence Allowance