Pay grades
O-7: brigadier general and rear admiral (lower half)
The first general and flag officer grade, one star. Titles, insignia and the 2026 pay row with its cap.
O-7: rank in each service, insignia and 2026 pay
Army, O-7 · Commissioned officer
Brigadier General (BG)
General officer
| Marine Corps | Brigadier General (BGen) |
| Navy | Rear Admiral Lower Half (RDML) |
| Air Force | Brigadier General (Brig Gen) |
| Space Force | Brigadier General (Brig Gen) |
| Coast Guard | Rear Admiral Lower Half (RDML) |
| 2026 basic pay, over 26 years | $16,904.40 a month |
Same pay grade means the same basic pay in every service. Basic pay only: housing, food and special pays are not included.
Everything about O-7O-7 is the seventh commissioned officer pay grade and the first general or flag officer grade, marked by one star. It is brigadier general in the Army (BG), the Marine Corps (BGen), the Air Force and the Space Force (Brig Gen), and rear admiral lower half (RDML) in the Navy and the Coast Guard, written "Rear admiral (lower half)" in title 37 of the US Code. The Department of War chart notes that commissioned officers hold presidential commissions and are confirmed at their ranks by the Senate. The Army describes the brigadier general as deputy commander to the commanding general of a division. In 2026, O-7 basic pay starts at $11,540.10 a month and tops out at $17,242.20 over 30 years, under a cap set at level II of the Executive Schedule, $18,999.90, for O-7 to O-10.
What is a promotion worth in basic pay?
O-7 to O-8, over 26 years
+$2,095.50 / mo
| O-7 | $16,904.40 |
| O-8 | $18,999.90 |
| Over a year | +$25,146 |
Same years of service in both grades, 2026 DFAS table.
Ranks and pay tables read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Lower half, upper half
The naval services split their two-star rank in two: rear admiral lower half, one star at O-7, and rear admiral upper half, two stars at O-8. Both are called "rear admiral" in conversation. In the other services the titles are distinct: brigadier general, then major general.
What is a promotion worth in basic pay?
O-6 to O-7, over 26 years
+$1,715.70 / mo
| O-6 | $15,188.70 |
| O-7 | $16,904.40 |
| Over a year | +$20,588 |
Same years of service in both grades, 2026 DFAS table.
The general officer cap
DFAS note 4 limits O-7 to O-10 to the level II rate of the Executive Schedule, $18,999.90 a month in 2026. The O-7 row stays below it: its top, $17,242.20, is $1,757.70 under.
O-7 in the six services
| Service | Rank | Abbreviation | Insignia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Brigadier General | BG | |
| Marine Corps | Brigadier General | BGen |  |
| Navy | Rear Admiral Lower Half | RDML |  |
| Air Force | Brigadier General | Brig Gen |  |
| Space Force | Brigadier General | Brig Gen | |
| Coast Guard | Rear Admiral Lower Half | RDML |  |
O-7 basic pay in 2026, by years of service
| Years of service | Monthly basic pay | Over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $11,540.10 | $138,481 |
| Over 2 | $12,076.20 | $144,914 |
| Over 3 | $12,324.30 | $147,892 |
| Over 4 | $12,522.00 | $150,264 |
| Over 6 | $12,878.70 | $154,544 |
| Over 8 | $13,231.80 | $158,782 |
| Over 10 | $13,639.20 | $163,670 |
| Over 12 | $14,045.70 | $168,548 |
| Over 14 | $14,454.30 | $173,452 |
| Over 16 | $15,735.30 | $188,824 |
| Over 18 | $16,817.70 | $201,812 |
| Over 26 | $16,904.40 | $202,853 |
| Over 30 | $17,242.20 | $206,906 |