Pay and allowances Navy only

Career Sea Pay Calculator

Estimate total monthly compensation including Career Sea Pay (CSP) and Sea Pay Premium based on your paygrade and cumulative years of sea duty.

Best used by Navy and Marine Corps members planning sea duty tours or comparing sea vs. shore compensation.

Current military paygrade.

Completed years in service used for the base-pay row.

Select whether this scenario is with dependents or without dependents.

Primary duty-station ZIP used for BAH.

Advanced assumptions (optional)
Special pay (monthly)

Optional monthly special/incentive pay to add to compensation.

Estimated deduction rate

Estimated share of gross pay withheld for taxes and deductions.

Cost-of-living factor

Local cost proxy where 1.00 is baseline; higher values mean higher costs.

Complete required fields, then select Calculate.

Sea pay rates for E5 by years of sea duty

CSP rates per DoD FMR Vol. 7A Ch. 18. Your current year band is highlighted. E-5 through E-9 at 8+ years have CSP Premium already included in the listed rate.

Years of sea duty Monthly CSP
0–0 $70
1–1 $80
2–2 $160
3–3 $350
4–4 $375
5–5 $394
6–6 $406
7–7 $438
8–8 $638
9–9 $638
10–10 $638
11–11 $638
12–12 $638
13–13 $638
14–15 $638
16–17 $638
18–19 $638
20+ $638

Estimate confidence: PENDING INPUT

Data as of 2026-01-01

Included in estimate

  • Base pay (paygrade + years of service)
  • BAS
  • BAH (ZIP + dependent status)
  • Special pay entered in this scenario
  • Cost-of-living factor used by this tool
  • Deduction rate assumption shown in this tool

Not included

  • Service-specific incentive pays not entered (for example sea pay or flight pay)
  • Future pay-table or allowance updates after the data date
  • Personal tax credits/deductions beyond the selected deduction assumption

What this tool is for

Use this page to estimate total monthly pay during sea duty. Career Sea Pay is a special pay that increases with cumulative sea duty experience. The $200/month Career Sea Pay Premium is included in the base rate for E5-E9 members with 8 or more cumulative years of sea duty. It is added separately for all others.

Worked example

Example: a Navy E-6 with 4 years of service and 3 cumulative years of sea duty can see total monthly gross and adjusted pay including the CSP rate for their grade and experience.

When to use it

Use it when evaluating sea duty orders, comparing sea vs. shore income, or planning a budget around a sea tour.

When not to use it

Do not use it for submarine pay, diving pay, or other special duty pays. Those are separate incentive pays not modeled here.

What the result means

Gross monthly includes base pay, BAS, BAH, and Career Sea Pay (with Premium where applicable). Adjusted monthly applies the deduction rate. The CSP table covers grades E1 through E9, W1 through W5, and O1 through O6.

Official sources used

Direct links to the official pages this tool relies on.

Site assumptions

  • Career Sea Pay rates are drawn from the DFAS CMA18 table effective May 1, 2014 (updated January 25, 2024).
  • The $200/month Career Sea Pay Premium is included in the published rate for E5–E9 members with 8 or more cumulative years of sea duty. For all other grades and experience levels, the Premium is added separately.
  • Both Navy and Marine Corps use the same CSP table. Branch does not affect the rate.
  • The deductionRate is a planning estimate. Actual withholding depends on your total annual income and filing status.

What is included

  • Base pay by paygrade and years of service
  • BAS and BAH by ZIP and dependent status
  • Career Sea Pay by paygrade and cumulative sea duty years
  • Career Sea Pay Premium ($200/mo) where applicable
  • Gross and adjusted monthly estimates

What is not included

  • Submarine pay or other special duty assignment incentive pays
  • Diving pay or aviation career incentive pay
  • Hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay
  • Any guarantee of what you will actually receive. Verify orders with finance.

Verify with

  • Your current LES
  • The linked DFAS CMA18 Career Sea Pay table
  • Your ship's or unit's disbursing officer

Frequently asked questions

Is this an official government site?

No. This is an independent planning utility, not an official U.S. Government website. Do not submit CUI, ITAR, classified, or sensitive personal information. Always verify estimates with official sources before making financial decisions.

How accurate are these estimates?

These are planning estimates based on official DFAS, DoD, and service-specific sources. Actual pay may vary based on your specific situation, special pays, tax withholdings, and other factors. Use these tools for planning purposes and verify with your finance office.

When was this data last updated?

Check the source and assumptions sections on this page for the current effective date used by the site. If the linked official pages have changed since then, use the official pages first.

What's the difference between gross and adjusted monthly?

Gross monthly is your total compensation before deductions (base pay + BAS + BAH + special pays). Adjusted monthly is an estimate of your take-home pay after accounting for federal tax, state tax, and FICA deductions.

This estimate uses simplified planning assumptions. Review the linked methodology and official source pages before making financial decisions. Spotted an error or have a suggestion? Send a note.