Great Lakes is where nearly every Navy recruit starts, and its BAH jumped 6.7% from 2025: an E-5 with dependents now gets ,427/month. Instructors and staff PCSing to the Chicago area should see a real difference this year. Full table below.
2026 BAH rates: Great Lakes Navtracen, IL
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | $2,202 | $1,653 |
| E2 | $2,202 | $1,653 |
| E3 | $2,202 | $1,653 |
| E4 | $2,202 | $1,653 |
| E5 | $2,427 | $1,854 |
| E6 | $2,760 | $2,067 |
| E7 | $2,853 | $2,211 |
| E8 | $2,955 | $2,499 |
| E9 | $3,120 | $2,592 |
| W1 | $2,778 | $2,133 |
| W2 | $2,895 | $2,496 |
| W3 | $3,021 | $2,604 |
| W4 | $3,156 | $2,778 |
| W5 | $3,327 | $2,874 |
| O1E | $2,871 | $2,424 |
| O2E | $3,000 | $2,571 |
| O3E | $3,183 | $2,751 |
| O1 | $2,475 | $1,977 |
| O2 | $2,757 | $2,355 |
| O3 | $3,018 | $2,637 |
| O4 | $3,381 | $2,853 |
| O5 | $3,645 | $2,907 |
| O6 | $3,675 | $3,000 |
| O7 | $3,702 | $3,051 |
| O8 | $3,702 | $3,051 |
| O9 | $3,702 | $3,051 |
| O10 | $3,702 | $3,051 |
Notes
- O-8, O-9 and O-10 are paid at the O-7 rate, per DTMO tables.
- BAH is tax-free and rate-protected: your rate cannot drop while you stay in the same area.
- Use the BAH Calculator 2027 for an exact figure by ZIP code, or try the duty-station comparison before a PCS.