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Pay in the U.S. Navy in 1898


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Rear Admirals  $6,000 per year ($500 per month)
Commodores $5,000 per year ($416.66 per month)
Captains $4,500 per year ($375 per month)
Commanders $3,500 per year (291.66 per month)
Lt. Commanders  $2,800-$3,000 per year ($233.33-$250 per month)
Lieutenants $2,400-$2,600 per year ($200-$216.66 per month)
Lieutenants, j.g.  $1,800-$2,000 per year ($150-$166.66 per month)
Ensigns $1,200-$1,400 per year ($100-$116.66 per month)
Naval Cadets  $950 (at sea) per year ($79.16 per month), $500 (at Academy) per year ($41.66 per month)
Mates $1,200 per year ($100 per month)
Medical Directors, Inspectors 
Pay Directors, Inspectors 
Chief Engineers (at sea)
$4,400 per year ($366.66 per month)
Fleet Surgeons, 
Fleet Paymasters, 
Fleet Engineers 
$4,400 per year ($366.66 per month)
Surgeons, 
Paymasters, 
Chief Engineers 
$2,800-$4,200 per year ($233.33-$350.00 per month)
Naval Constructors $3,200 - $4,200 per year (266.66 to 350 per month)
Professors of Mathematics
Civil Engineers
$2,400 - $3,500 per year ($200 to $291.66 per month)
Chaplains $2,500 - $2,800 per year ($208.33 to $233.33 per month)
Assistant Naval Constructors $2,000 - $2,600 per year ($166.66 to $216.66 per year)
Passed Assistant Surgeons
 Paymasters 
$2,000-$2,200 per year ($166.66 - $183.33 per month)
Passed Assistant Engineers  $2,000 per year ($166.66 per month)
Assistant Surgeons, 
Paymasters
Engineers 
$1,700-$1,900 per year ($141.66 - $158.33 per month) 
Clerks $1,200 - $1,800 per year ($100 to $150 per month)
Boatswains, 
Gunners, 
Carpenters, 
Sailmakers 
$1,200 per year ($100 per month)
Chief Machinists $840 per year ($70 per month)
Chief Master-at-Arms  $780 per year ($65 per month)
Chief Yeoman, 
Apothecaries, 
1st Class Boilermakers
$720 per year ($60 per month)
1st Classs Machinists $660 per year ($55 per month)
Band Master $624 per year ($52 per month)
Chief Boatswain's Mates, 
Chief Gunners Mates, 
Chief Gun Captains, 
Chief Carpenters Mates,
Chief Quartermasters, 
1st Class Coppersmiths, 
1st Classs Blacksmiths
$600 per year ($50 per month)
Plumbers and Fitters
Stewards to Commander-in-chief
Stewards to Commandants
$540 per year ($45 per month)
1st Class Boatswains Mates, 
1st Class Gunner Mates, 
1st Class Quartermasters, 
1st Class Carpenters, 
1st Class Gun Captains, 
1st Class Sailmakers' Mates, 
1st Class Yeomen
1st Class Water Tenders, 
Masters-at-arms
Schoolmasters,
2nd Class Machinists 
Cooks to Commander-in-chief
Cooks to Commandants
$480 per year ($40 per month)
Oilers
Cabin Stewards
Wardroom Stewards
$444  per year ($37 per month)
First Musicians $432 per year ($36 per month)
2nd Class Boatswains Mates
2nd Class Gunner Mates, 
2nd Class Quartermasters, 
2nd Class Gun Captains
2nd Class Carpenters Mates
2nd Class Yeomen
1st Class Firemen
1st Class Ships Cooks
Printers
$420 per year ($35 per month)
1st Class Musicians
Cabin Cooks
Wardroom Cooks
$384  per year ($32 per month)
3rd Class Master-at-Arms
3rd Class Gunner Mates, 
3rd Class Quartermasters, 
3rd Class Carpenters Mates
3rd Class Yeomen
2nd Class Musicians
2nd Class Firemen
2nd Class Ships Cooks
Buglers
Painters
Coxswains
$360 per year ($30 per month)
Seamen Gunners  $312 per year ($26 per month)
Shipwrights
Sailmakers
Steerage Stewards
3rd Class Ships Cooks
$300 per year ($25 per month)
Seamen
Warrant Officers' Stewards
$288 per year ($24 per month)
Coal Passers
Steerage Cooks
$264 per year ($22 per month)
Apprentices, 1st Class $252 per year ($21 per month)
Warrant Officers' Cooks
4th Class Ships Cooks
$240 per year ($20 per month)
Baymen $216 per year ($18 per month)
Landsmen
Mess Attendants
$192 per year ($16 per month)
Apprentices, 2nd Class $180 per year ($15 per month)
Apprentices, 3rd Class $108 per year ($9 per month)

Notes:

1. Where a range of pay is given, it is dependent on length of service.

2. Twenty cents was deducted from everyone's monthly pay and donated to the naval hospital system.



Bibliography:

Crabtree, J.B., The Passing of Spain and the Ascendency of America (Springfield, MA: The King-Richardson Publishing Co., 1898) 360.

Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps to January 1, 1898. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1898)


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