Profession · 2026/27
Army Corporal Salary 2026/27: OR-4 Take-Home
Corporal is the first NCO rank above Lance Corporal. 2026/27 AFPRB pay: £37,107 (Level 1) to £42,073 (Level 4), plus 14.5% X-Factor allowance and AFPS 2015 non-contributory pension.
Typical pay & take-home
- Median gross
- £39,590
- Typical range
- £37,107–£42,073
- Take-home at median
- £32,024
England, no pension applied — use the salary calculator for your scheme.
At the median for this profession, you earn about 6% above the UK full-time median (£37,430), placing you in the top 46% of UK earners.
What influences army corporal pay
Corporal base pay £37k-£42k sits inside the 20% basic-rate band, but the X-Factor (14.5% of base) and operational allowances push gross above £42,500-£48,500 - still mostly basic rate but starts brushing the £50,270 higher-rate threshold for senior Corporals on operational tours.
X-Factor is a permanent flat allowance compensating for the unique conditions of military service (mobility, danger, etc.). It is fully taxable as ordinary employment income and is pensionable under AFPS 2015.
Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) 2015 is non-contributory CARE - the MoD funds the full cost on behalf of personnel. Accrual rate 1/47th of pensionable earnings each year, indexed CPI in service and CPI in retirement. Implicit employer cost ~30% of salary.
Career progression
- Private (OR-2) Level 1: £25,200 + X-Factor = ~£28,900 gross.
- Lance Corporal (OR-3) Level 1: £32,508 + X-Factor = ~£37,200.
- Corporal (OR-4) Level 1: £37,107 + X-Factor = ~£42,500.
- Corporal Level 4: £42,073 + X-Factor = ~£48,200.
- Sergeant (OR-6) next: £44,604+ base.
Frequently asked questions
- What is take-home for an Army Corporal?
- On £39,590 base + 14.5% X-Factor = £45,330 gross, take-home is approximately £35,500-£36,300 a year after Income Tax (20% basic) and NI. AFPS 2015 is non-contributory so there is no pension deduction from gross pay.
- Is X-Factor really 14.5%?
- Yes, the standard X-Factor is 14.5% of basic pay (5% for Reserve, 14.5% for Regular full-time). It compensates for the conditions of service and is paid monthly with basic pay. The Armed Forces Pay Review Body periodically reviews the rate (last raised from 14.5% in 2021).
- Is the AFPS 2015 pension worth it?
- Yes. Non-contributory CARE accruing 1/47th of pensionable earnings = a Corporal at £45k gross builds ~£960/year of indexed pension for every year served. The implicit MoD cost of providing this is approximately 30% of salary - one of the most generous public-sector pension schemes in the UK.