Midshipman Pay

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KuriAndre

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Feb 24, 2021
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About how much does a Midshipman get paid at the academy? I know that some, if not most of it goes to paying for stuff like tailoring; about how much a month is it after all the take aways?

Thank You!
 
Don’t know the gross monthly, but typically the net monthly goes from $100 as a plebe to $200 as a youngster to $300 as a 2/C to $400 as a firstie. The big deductions early on are mainly for all the goodies they get initially, e.g. uniforms. Other deductions are ongoing expenses, e.g. haircuts, shoe repair, tailor. Of course, YMMV.
 
Base pay is about $1100, but after deductions for uniforms, school supplies, laundry, barbershop, tailorshop, cobbler, and athletic association fees and optional but usual SGLI (life insurance) and Alumni Association membership, it comes out to about $600 a month. Then there’s a payscale for what you actually get deposited which is 125, 225, 325, 500 for each class year as mentioned above. Anything extra is placed in an account called your Held Pay, which is required to have $1500. Anything over $1500 is released 3x a year in Feb, Jul, and Nov for upperclass. You get the last $1500 when graduating. Slightly complicated system but basically in your later years at the Academy if you budget smartly you will likely have enough to go out on the weekends and save up a small rainy day fund, unless you’ve got some sort of personal obligations outside of the Academy.
 
Here is what you will actually see deposited into your account:

4/C: $125 month
3/C : $225 for 9 months, Approximately $975 for 3 months.
2/C: $325 for 9 months, Approximately $1075 for 3 months.
1/C :$500 for 9 months, Approximately $1175 for 3 months.

The irregular held pay releases, 3 times a year after plebe year, will vary based upon on how much spend on textbooks and uniforms.
 
Capt MJ said:
Pore through this.
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Whelp, I read the whole thing and my god it's confusing. Thanks!
Kierkegaard said:
Base pay is about $1100, but after deductions for uniforms, school supplies, laundry, barbershop, tailorshop, cobbler, and athletic association fees and optional but usual SGLI (life insurance) and Alumni Association membership, it comes out to about $600 a month. Then there’s a payscale for what you actually get deposited which is 125, 225, 325, 500 for each class year as mentioned above. Anything extra is placed in an account called your Held Pay, which is required to have $1500. Anything over $1500 is released 3x a year in Feb, Jul, and Nov for upperclass. You get the last $1500 when graduating. Slightly complicated system but basically in your later years at the Academy if you budget smartly you will likely have enough to go out on the weekends and save up a small rainy day fund, unless you’ve got some sort of personal obligations outside of the Academy.
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Temple17 said:
Here is what you will actually see deposited into your account:

4/C: $125 month
3/C : $225 for 9 months, Approximately $975 for 3 months.
2/C: $325 for 9 months, Approximately $1075 for 3 months.
1/C :$500 for 9 months, Approximately $1175 for 3 months.

The irregular held pay releases, 3 times a year after plebe year, will vary based upon on how much spend on textbooks and uniforms.
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Thank y'all for the clarifications!
 
I have to say, I have never quite grasped the intricacies of mid pay. You are getting deck plate insights from current and former mids.
 
Capt MJ said:
I have to say, I have never quite grasped the intricacies of mid pay. You are getting deck plate insights from current and former mids.
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Yes, it's all quite interesting! This forum is soo helpful, thank you all.
 
Thanks for all the info...At NAPS is the net pay the same as a 4/C at USNA? Does a Napster receive higher pay when they get to USNA since they have 1 more year enlisted than the plebes that come in direct?
 
No, at NAPS, you are an enlisted seaman. Generally E-1 (unless a prior, Eagle Scout, or have some college credits). So you are paid on the usual DoD pay scale. However, when you get your appointment and report on I-Day, you will be a cadet, which has a federally mandated pay rate for all classes.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
No, at NAPS, you are an enlisted seaman. Generally E-1 (unless a prior, Eagle Scout, or have some college credits). So you are paid on the usual DoD pay scale. However, when you get your appointment and report on I-Day, you will be a cadet, which has a federally mandated pay rate for all classes.
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Thanks so much...not coming from a military family there is alot to learn! 😬
 
The benefits of NAPS in the long run also translate to another year of active duty to count toward retirement. My understanding is that the time at USNA will also count once you get to 20 years, but not before. Someone who actually graduated the Academy and served a full career would be better suited to answer that one.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
My understanding is that the time at USNA will also count once you get to 20 years, but not before. Someone who actually graduated the Academy and served a full career would be better suited to answer that one.
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NO
NO
NO
NO

This old wives tale has been around since I was an applicant, I heard it from my father and his friends and many others over the years.
It is not TRUE.
Time at the academy does not count toward Military retirement.

It can count toward FEDERAL (Civil Service) retirement and that is fairly well documented.
 
Thanks for the clarification OldRetSWO.

I understand now about civil servants. That may have been the context that my friend/co-worker was referring to with his Academy time (we are both current civil servants), but it sounded as if it was toward the military as well. I appreciate the insight, and was why I threw that out there for actual experience with it!
 
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