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Air Force Colonel PayO-6 Field Officer, U.S. Air Force |
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Air Force Ranks » Colonel Rank • Col Pay • Col Rank History
How much does an O-6 Colonel in the Air Force get paid?
A Colonel is a field officer in the United States Air Force at DoD paygrade O-6. A Colonel receives a monthly basic pay salary starting at $7,332 per month, with raises up to $12,980 per month once they have served for over 30 years.
In addition to basic pay, Colonels may receive additional pay allowances for housing and food, as well as special incentive pay for hostile fire and dangerous duties.
Including the most common pay allowances, the average total compensation for a Colonel may range from $116,953.99 to $184,723.99 per year as of 2024.
Air Force Colonel Basic Pay Table for 2024
| Years Experience | Monthly Basic Pay | Yearly Basic Pay | Drill Pay |
Hazard Pay
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Pay | $7,332.00 / mo | $87,984.00 / yr | $244.40 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 2 years | $8,054.70 / mo | $96,656.40 / yr | $268.49 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 3 years | $8,583.30 / mo | $102,999.60 / yr | $286.11 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 4 years | $8,583.30 / mo | $102,999.60 / yr | $286.11 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 6 years | $8,616.30 / mo | $103,395.60 / yr | $287.21 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 8 years | $8,985.30 / mo | $107,823.60 / yr | $299.51 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 10 years | $9,034.50 / mo | $108,414.00 / yr | $301.15 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 12 years | $9,034.50 / mo | $108,414.00 / yr | $301.15 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 14 years | $9,547.80 / mo | $114,573.60 / yr | $318.26 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 16 years | $10,455.30 / mo | $125,463.60 / yr | $348.51 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 18 years | $10,988.10 / mo | $131,857.20 / yr | $366.27 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 20 years | $11,520.60 / mo | $138,247.20 / yr | $384.02 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 22 years | $11,823.60 / mo | $141,883.20 / yr | $394.12 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 24 years | $12,130.80 / mo | $145,569.60 / yr | $404.36 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 26 years | $12,725.40 / mo | $152,704.80 / yr | $424.18 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 28 years | $12,725.40 / mo | $152,704.80 / yr | $424.18 / drill | $250.00 |
| Over 30 years | $12,979.50 / mo | $155,754.00 / yr | $432.65 / drill | $250.00 |
Additional Pay & Allowances for an O-6
In addition to Basic Pay, a Colonel may be eligible to receive several types of allowances and incentive pay.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
Basic Allowance for Housing is a monthly payment meant to subsidize a servicemember's housing while deployed. The amount of BAH received each month depends on the location in which they live.
The average Basic Housing Allowance for a Colonel with dependants is $2,580.58, or $2,133.88 with no dependants.
Basic Allowance for Subsistance (BAS)
All Air Force officers receive a monthly allowance for food and drink of $280.29.
Officers' BAS is lower than the enlisted BAS rate, as officers generally have access to subsidized meals in the Officers' Mess.
Hazard Pay / Hostile Fire Pay
A Colonel may receive hazard pay of $250.00 / mo while serving in an active combat zone or subject to hostile fire or other hazards.
Military Discounts & Benefits for Airmen:
In addition to basic pay and allowances, active-duty airmen, veterans, and even their families are eligible for hundreds of discounts and additional benefits offered by organizations and private companies like JetBlue 
, United Airlines , Verizon , and hundreds more.
Colonel Pay Calculator for 2024
As this page shows, the total compensation paid to an Air Force Colonel is significantly more than just basic pay. This simple pay calculator can estimate the total compensation for a Colonel by adding basic pay to housing allowance (BAH) and subsistance allowance (BAS), the two largest payments received by most airmen.
Air Force Colonel Salary Calculator
| O-6 Basic Pay with years service | $87,984.00 per year |
| Average BAH allowance (no dependants) | $25,606.51 per year |
| Average BAS allowance (officer) | $3,363.48 per year |
| Total Estimated Compensation | $116,953.99 per year |
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The Government civilian employee equivalent of a Colonel is paid under the General Schedule paygrade. To learn more, see this Air Force ranks to civilian General Schedule grades conversion table .