What was the cadet stipend rate when you went through ROTC?

2d Lt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 19:47:13 -0400

The current rate is $450/mo for juniors and $500/mo for seniors. The rate was last updated sometime in the last 20 years and I'm trying to find when that was for a briefing I'm doing in class. Thank you!

Response by Lt Col Brett Meyer made Aug 28 at 2019 7:48 PM

Lt Col Brett Meyer — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 19:48:22 -0400

100 a month and I commissioned in 1981

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2019 7:58 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 19:58:05 -0400

That is accurate and I comissioned in 2018. I am also in the Army so I am unsure if that would make much of a difference

Response by MAJ Robert Schuerman made Aug 28 at 2019 8:00 PM

MAJ Robert Schuerman — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 20:00:15 -0400

I was commissioned in 1983 from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ROTC program where I was a SMP cadet. I believe the stipend was $140 per month.

Response by Lt Col Brett Meyer made Aug 28 at 2019 8:05 PM

Lt Col Brett Meyer — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 20:05:00 -0400

Oh and I was commissioned Army Infantry but switched to the Air Force Security Forces after 15 years. Good times

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Aug 28 at 2019 8:37 PM

CW4 Craig Urban — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 20:37:00 -0400

You get paid as a E5

Response by COL Gary Gresh made Aug 28 at 2019 8:49 PM

COL Gary Gresh — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 20:49:48 -0400

$100 a month. 1967-1968. And I thought I was rich.

Response by COL Gary Gresh made Aug 28 at 2019 8:52 PM

COL Gary Gresh — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 20:52:35 -0400

I was a scholarship cadet. My father was a coal miner - I was so poor that my PMS bought me 2 sweatshirts and two pair of jeans to wear to class. When I was a senior my PMS actually bought my senior ring out of his own pocket.

Response by COL Jason Woodford made Aug 28 at 2019 9:00 PM

COL Jason Woodford — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 21:00:15 -0400

$150/month. I was in ROTC from 1988-1992. Fairly sure the rate was uniform across Juniors and Seniors but I can't be sure. If you were an SMP Cadet you got the E5 BAH rate as well. I think, even when accounting for inflation over the years, the current rate is slightly more generous.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Aug 28 at 2019 9:07 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 21:07:13 -0400

1989-1994 $100

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2019 10:03 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 22:03:33 -0400

I believe it was $200 in 2003, but can't remember definitively.

Response by COL David Turk made Aug 28 at 2019 10:38 PM

COL David Turk — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 22:38:48 -0400

In 75-77 as a non scholarship junior and senior I received $100/month. Plus I was getting $220/month on the GI bill. Rest was part time temp jobs here and there.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Aug 28 at 2019 11:38 PM

COL Jon Thompson — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 23:38:49 -0400

I was an ROTC cadet from 1981-1985. My stipend was $100/month for the entire 4 years.

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made Aug 29 at 2019 12:39 AM

MAJ Matthew Arnold — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:39:45 -0400

From 1978 to 1980 it was $100 per month.

Response by LTC Leonard M. Manning, Sr made Aug 29 at 2019 2:04 AM

LTC Leonard M. Manning, Sr — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 02:04:37 -0400

I was a ROTC cadet in 1978. When I started college I signed up for ROTC and was placed in the Junior class as I was prior service. The stipend was $100 a month .

Response by LTC John Griscom made Aug 29 at 2019 8:32 AM

LTC John Griscom — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 08:32:50 -0400

Contract cadets, Juniors and Seniors, 1962-1964, got $27.00 a month.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2019 1:05 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 13:05:02 -0400

$75

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Aug 29 at 2019 1:16 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 13:16:00 -0400

In 1968-69 it was $110/month; only for scholarship students. That was a big deal then. Minimum wage was $0.90/hr. I was thrilled I made $1.25/hr at my part time job.

2d Lt Private RallyPoint Member, your current rate is more than my basic pay when I was commissioned in 1969!

Response by CPT Brad Wilson made Aug 29 at 2019 3:05 PM

CPT Brad Wilson — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:05:08 -0400

I graduated in 1992 and it was $100/month for MS III and MS IV

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2019 8:05 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 08:05:47 -0400

I was just hearing there was an update with the pay system, so now MSIV gets $420 instead of the $500. I was in the old cycle back when I contracted so I still get the $500. Not too sure if this making any effects and changes yet but it should be soon according to my HRA at my school.

I just always check my DFAS MyPay a week in advance before the payment process so if there is problems, I can bring it up so my unit or ROTC can fix it ASAP through pay branch.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Aug 30 at 2019 10:43 AM

LCDR Joshua Gillespie — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 10:43:19 -0400

It's been a while, but I think we got $75 (before taxes) at USNA...ended up being just enough to buy a burger, shake, and a movie each Saturday for a month. Not to complain of course; we had three square a day, room and board, and hella-uniforms (ok, we did end up having to cough up some dough for those later). The big "scam" they ran on us was the "Midstore Card" and the "Career Start Loan"... that snagged more a few of us over four years.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2019 3:52 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:52:15 -0400

in 2011 it was $400/mo for seniors. At least for the Navy, anyway. I think it was $250/mo for juniors, $200/mo for sophomores, and $100/mo for freshmen? Something like that. It wasn't much.

Response by LTC Reginald Brown made Aug 31 at 2019 5:43 PM

LTC Reginald Brown — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 17:43:44 -0400

1980 to 1984, $100. For history, check references in AR 145-1, Senior ROTC Program. There might also be a Joint Federal Financial/Compensation Regulation (JFCR) or a reference on the Department of Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) or the Cadet Command Finance Office.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2019 9:46 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 09:46:39 -0400

They just recently updated the stipend to a flat rate for all cadets, regardless of year. It's $420 flat now

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2019 1:20 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 01:20:31 -0400

I contracted in 2000. I want to say it was $300 for AS300's and $400 for AS400's and anyone in a STEM program allowed to be in the 700 club.

Response by CPT Jerry Lucas made Oct 1 at 2019 10:01 PM

CPT Jerry Lucas — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 22:01:30 -0400

I was commissioned in 1981. The stipend was $100 per month.

Response by SGT Franklin Mays made Oct 23 at 2019 7:53 PM

SGT Franklin Mays — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 19:53:08 -0400

In 1994, I believe it was $100.00. I’m not sure anymore.

Response by LTC Marvin Gibson made Nov 3 at 2019 5:07 PM

LTC Marvin Gibson — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 17:07:41 -0500

If I recall rite, 1979-1982, $35/month. I hope they're not complaining about it now!!...

Response by PO1 Steven Lipe made Nov 9 at 2019 10:04 PM

PO1 Steven Lipe — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 22:04:44 -0500

1981 $100/mo

Response by Maj Wayne Crist made Nov 12 at 2019 2:36 PM

Maj Wayne Crist — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 14:36:05 -0500

1971-1974 $100 for all scholarship students and non scholarship Jr- Sr students.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Nov 16 at 2019 7:21 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 19:21:33 -0500

$100 per month- 70-73

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made Nov 17 at 2019 5:08 PM

MAJ Matthew Arnold — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 17:08:06 -0500

We received $100 when I was a cadet, 1978-1980.

Response by Maj William Dozier made Nov 17 at 2020 9:14 PM

Maj William Dozier — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 21:14:39 -0500

In 69 it was $50, when I graduated in Dec 71, it was $100.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Mar 14 at 2024 10:04 AM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 10:04:15 -0400

Late 60s, early 70s my remembrance was ROTC $0 and GI Bill $175.00

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Jan 16 at 2025 9:59 AM

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:59:37 -0500

From 1989 to 1991 it was $100 a month

Response by COL John McClellan made Jan 16 at 2025 12:40 PM

COL John McClellan — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 12:40:01 -0500

$100.00 (1983-86) It was $100.00 for quite a long time, and then finally went to $150.00 I think when I was an APMS in the mid-1990s. Then, sometime after that when I was back as a PMS, it changed to the "graduated scale" like you are on now.