Military Academy & ROTC Pay: What Cadets and Midshipmen Earn
Yes — cadets and midshipmen get paid while they train to become officers, though not on the regular pay table. Service academy students earn a monthly stipend; ROTC scholarship students earn a smaller monthly allowance plus full tuition.
Service academy pay (West Point, Annapolis, Air Force Academy, etc.)
- Cadets/midshipmen receive a monthly stipend of roughly $1,200+ (a percentage of O-1 basic pay), with deductions for uniforms, books, and supplies in the early years.
- Tuition, room, and board are fully covered — the education itself is worth ~$300,000+.
- In exchange, graduates commission as O-1 officers with a service obligation (typically 5 years).
ROTC pay (Army, Navy, Air Force ROTC)
- Monthly subsistence allowance for contracted cadets, commonly $300–$500/month, rising by year in the program.
- Scholarships can cover full tuition plus a book stipend.
- Summer training is paid at a cadet rate.
- Graduates commission as O-1s — or, for prior-enlisted ROTC, the higher O-1E scale.
Enlisted-to-officer programs
Enlisted members selected for academy or ROTC programs may keep enlisted pay during training under certain programs — a big financial advantage over starting from scratch. The real payoff arrives at commissioning: see O-1 pay and the officer vs enlisted career comparison.
See what you'll earn the day you commission — look up O-1 pay.
Calculate my pay →Frequently asked questions
Do you get paid at West Point or the Naval Academy?
Yes — service academy cadets and midshipmen receive a monthly stipend of roughly $1,200+ (a percentage of O-1 pay), with tuition, room, and board fully covered.
How much do ROTC cadets get paid?
Contracted ROTC cadets receive a monthly subsistence allowance of about $300–$500, rising by year in the program, often plus a full-tuition scholarship and a book stipend.
What do you earn after a military academy or ROTC?
You commission as an O-1 officer; with prior enlisted service you may qualify for the higher O-1E pay scale.