Air Force Pay Rates and Take-Home Pay Calculator
Choose your Air Force rank and where you sit in its pay range to see your fortnightly take-home pay, Defence super and what the 3% rise from 5 November 2026 adds.
Your Air Force take-home pay
Corporal: take-home pay a fortnight
$2,717.55
$70,656.20 a year on a salary of $86,966 (rates from 6 November 2025)
- Salary
- $86,966.00
- Income tax
- $16,309.80
- Medicare levy
- Not payable
- Take-home pay a year
- $70,656.20
- Defence super (16.4% of salary)
- $14,262.42
- Salary plus super
- $101,228.42
- After the 3% rise on 5 November 2026
- +$70.24 a fortnight
Australian resident, Permanent Forces, 2026–27 tax rates. Members are paid fortnightly and generally don’t pay the Medicare levy. Super assumes you joined on or after 1 July 2016.
Rates checked 12 October 2026 against the ATO · How we calculate · Calculated in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Where your fortnightly pay goes
Your salary and allowances each fortnight, split into take-home pay, tax and HECS-HELP, with Defence super paid on top.
- Take-home pay $2,717.55 a fortnight
- Income tax $627.30 a fortnight
- Defence super (on top) $548.55 a fortnight
Where your salary sits among Air Force ranks
Each bar runs from the lowest to the highest salary for the rank. The line is your salary. Hover or tab to a bar for its range.
- Your salary, $86,966
- Group Captain$186,934 – $248,376
- Wing Commander$159,440 – $220,780
- Squadron Leader$130,007 – $193,476
- Flight Lieutenant$106,257 – $179,912
- Flying Officer$91,778 – $156,316
- Pilot Officer$87,091 – $145,493
- Service Warrant Officer$169,795
- Warrant Officer Class 1 equivalent$117,408 – $169,795
- Flight Sergeant$109,733 – $158,815
- Sergeant$97,575 – $148,091
- Corporal$86,966 – $137,047
- Leading Aircraftman$80,341 – $127,530
- Aircraftman$79,096 – $126,292
Take-home pay a fortnight at each Air Force rank
Every rank at the same point in its pay range as you, so you can see what a promotion is worth after tax.
- Group Captain$5,271.86
- Wing Commander$4,605.66
- Squadron Leader$3,876.34
- Flight Lieutenant$3,236.92
- Flying Officer$2,847.10
- Pilot Officer$2,720.91
- Service Warrant Officer$4,856.57
- Warrant Officer Class 1 equivalent$3,537.14
- Flight Sergeant$3,330.50
- Sergeant$3,003.17
- Corporal$2,717.55
- Leading Aircraftman$2,539.18
- Aircraftman$2,505.66
How Air Force pay is set
Air Force members start as an Aircraftman and progress to Leading Aircraftman, Corporal, Sergeant and Flight Sergeant, then the Warrant Officer ranks. Officers run from Pilot Officer to Group Captain on this scale; air commodores and above have their own arrangements. Like the Navy, the Air Force has no Lance Corporal or Staff Sergeant rank.
Pay depends on rank, pay grade and increment. Your pay grade (1 to 10) follows your mustering and skill grade, so two members at the same rank can be paid differently, and you move up an increment for each year at the rank until you reach the top of its range.
Air Force pay by rank
| Rank | From 6 November 2025 | From 5 November 2026 | Take-home a fortnight (new rates) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Officers | |||
| Group Captain | $186,934 – $248,376 | $192,542 – $255,827 | $5,403.00 – $6,741.73 |
| Wing Commander | $159,440 – $220,780 | $164,223 – $227,403 | $4,721.56 – $6,140.45 |
| Squadron Leader | $130,007 – $193,476 | $133,907 – $199,280 | $3,981.34 – $5,545.54 |
| Flight Lieutenant | $106,257 – $179,912 | $109,445 – $185,309 | $3,322.75 – $5,232.49 |
| Flying Officer | $91,778 – $156,316 | $94,531 – $161,005 | $2,921.22 – $4,643.58 |
| Pilot Officer | $87,091 – $145,493 | $89,704 – $149,858 | $2,791.26 – $4,373.48 |
| Warrant officers | |||
| Service Warrant Officer | $169,795 | $174,889 | $4,980.00 |
| Warrant Officer Class 1 equivalent | $117,408 – $169,795 | $120,930 – $174,889 | $3,631.96 – $4,980.00 |
| Other ranks | |||
| Flight Sergeant | $109,733 – $158,815 | $113,025 – $163,579 | $3,419.13 – $4,705.95 |
| Sergeant | $97,575 – $148,091 | $100,502 – $152,534 | $3,081.98 – $4,438.32 |
| Corporal | $86,966 – $137,047 | $89,575 – $141,158 | $2,787.79 – $4,162.67 |
| Leading Aircraftman | $80,341 – $127,530 | $82,751 – $131,356 | $2,604.07 – $3,912.66 |
| Aircraftman | $79,096 – $126,292 | $81,469 – $130,081 | $2,569.55 – $3,878.33 |
Take-home pay is salary after 2026–27 income tax for an Australian resident, without the Medicare levy, over 26 fortnights. Sources: Defence Pay and Conditions Manual Schedule B.3, Schedule B.10 and Schedule B.12, rates as at 6 November 2025, and Defence’s pay rates starting November 2026, checked 13 October 2026.
Air Force ranks and their equivalents
| Air Force | Army | Navy |
|---|---|---|
| Group Captain | Colonel | Captain |
| Wing Commander | Lieutenant Colonel | Commander |
| Squadron Leader | Major | Lieutenant Commander |
| Flight Lieutenant | Captain | Lieutenant |
| Flying Officer | Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant |
| Pilot Officer | Second Lieutenant | Acting Sub-Lieutenant |
| Service Warrant Officer | Service Warrant Officer | Service Warrant Officer |
| Warrant Officer Class 1 equivalent | Warrant Officer Class 1 | Warrant Officer Class 1 equivalent |
| Flight Sergeant | Warrant Officer Class 2 | Chief Petty Officer |
| Sergeant | Sergeant | Petty Officer |
| Corporal | Corporal | Leading Seaman |
| Leading Aircraftman | Private Proficient | Able Seaman |
| Aircraftman | Private | Seaman |
On top of salary
- Super: 16.4% of salary for members who joined on or after 1 July 2016. Members who joined earlier may be in an older scheme with different contributions.
- Leave: 25 days of recreation leave a year.
- Health: free medical and dental care, which is why the Medicare levy generally isn’t payable.
- Allowances: depending on posting, duties and family circumstances; enter yours in the calculator if they are taxable.
Source: Pay and financial benefits in the Permanent Forces, Department of Defence, checked 13 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Aircraftman earn in the Air Force?
$79,096 – $126,292 a year at the rates from 6 November 2025, rising to $81,469 – $130,081 from 5 November 2026. At the bottom of the new range that is about $2,569.55 a fortnight after tax. Recruits in training are paid from a separate trainee scale.
What does a Flying Officer earn in the Air Force?
$94,531 – $161,005 a year from 5 November 2026, depending on pay grade and increment. That is $2,921.22 to $4,643.58 a fortnight after income tax, with no Medicare levy.
How much is a Sergeant paid?
$100,502 – $152,534 a year from 5 November 2026. Defence adds 16.4% of salary in super for members who joined on or after 1 July 2016.
Is Air Force pay the same as the other services?
Yes. Equivalent ranks in the Army, Navy and Air Force are on the same salary scale, so an Air Force Sergeant is paid the same as the Army Sergeant and the Navy Petty Officer. Allowances differ with posting and role.