How much do US Air Force fighter pilots get paid?

Perhaps as a result of the current economy, the pay scale of US military members (and pilots, in particular) has become an increasingly frequent question.

Unlike some private corporations, who may keep such information confidential, US government pay packages are public information.  With very little detail, you can actually get a pretty good idea of how much any given Sailor, Soldier, Airmen, or Marine makes on a monthly basis.

The pay charts come out every January 1st, though they are the product of the Defense Authorization/Appropriation bills that are passed by Congress each new fiscal year, which theoretically begins in September.  Occasionally, politics results in their approval being pushed back.

The 2009 US military pay scales, as well as a short description on how to read them, can be seen in the FAQ.

For those that aren’t familiar with government pay methods, a government employee receives half of his monthly pay in each of two deposits, one on the first and the second on the fifteenth of the month.  Should either of those days be on a holiday or weekend, the deposit occurs on the last banking day prior to the holiday.

As can be seen on the pay tables, even the youngest officer earns a fairly substantial sum.  By contrast, enlisted troops generally earn far less.

The military pay scales are a frequent point of political contention, depending on the state of the economy and the availability of higher-paying civilian jobs.  In addition, a recent report indicated that some servicemen and women, which may include both officers and enlisted, continue to rely on food stamps.