Israeli Treasury Reports 17.5% Salary Increase for Young IDF Career Soldiers in Two Years

The Israeli Ministry of Finance released its 2023-2024 defense sector salary report on August 26, highlighting significant wage increases and workforce changes amid ongoing security challenges. The average salary for young career soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rose by 17.5% over two years, reaching 13,845 shekels in 2024. Secretive agencies such as Mossad and the Shin Bet reported an average salary of 32,225 shekels, while the Atomic Energy Committee units topped the defense sector with an average of 34,315 shekels.

The report also noted a rise in civilian employees within the IDF, growing from approximately 6,600 in 2021 to about 8,000 in 2024. This increase was mainly in intelligence, cyber, and technology fields, which contributed to lowering the average age of civilian workers from 50 to 44 years. Their average salary increased from 21,800 to 25,700 shekels, driven by a higher share of tech roles, a 2024 wage agreement, and additional work hours during wartime.

Regarding pensions, the average budgetary pension value for IDF officers stands at nine million shekels, with an average retirement age of 45. Monthly pension payments average 20,019 shekels. The report expressed concerns about meeting the fixed-term service pension targets by 2025. Female representation in the defense sector has risen, now constituting about one-third of IDF career soldiers and 41.2% of employees at the Biological Research Institute. However, wage gaps slightly widened in 2024 due to combat and field duty pay supplements, which predominantly benefit male roles.

The report also provided average salaries for other security bodies: the Israel Police at 20,562 shekels, the Prison Service at 18,889 shekels, and the IDF overall at 18,756 shekels. Notably, significant salary increases granted mid-2024 to police and prison service personnel are expected to appear in next year’s report.