Young Israeli Career Soldiers' Salaries Rise 10% to Nearly 14,000 Shekels in Two Years

The average monthly salary for young career soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) increased by approximately 10% over two years, reaching 13,845 shekels in 2024 compared to 11,786 shekels in 2022. This data comes from the 2023-2024 Defense Sector Salary Report published by the Wage and Labor Agreements Division of the Ministry of Finance.

Among defense bodies, the highest average monthly salary in 2024 was recorded in the Defense Establishment's support units, including the Atomic Energy Commission, at 34,315 shekels. Secretive agencies such as Mossad and the Shin Bet averaged 32,225 shekels, while the Biological Research Institute averaged 31,932 shekels. Civilian employees working for the IDF earned an average of 22,926 shekels, compared to 18,756 shekels for IDF personnel, 20,562 shekels in the police, and 18,889 shekels in the Prison Service.

The Ministry of Finance noted that significant salary increases were implemented in mid-2024 for police and Prison Service employees, with full effects expected in the 2025 salary report. The ongoing war has also influenced the number of civilian IDF employees, which grew from about 6,600 in 2021 to 8,000 in 2024, mainly due to increased staffing in intelligence, cyber, and technology sectors. The average age of these civilians dropped from 50 to 44, attributed to hiring more technological workers, a 2024 wage agreement, and increased workload during the war.

The report also highlights the high cost of the IDF’s budgetary pension system. The average pension value for an IDF officer is estimated at around 9 million shekels, with an average retirement age of 45 and a monthly pension of 20,019 shekels. This marks an increase from 2022 figures, which estimated the pension value at 8.7 million shekels and a monthly pension of about 18,500 shekels. The Ministry of Finance expressed concern about meeting the pension targets set by the 2025 Career Service Law due to these rising costs.

Additionally, the proportion of women in defense bodies continues to rise, now constituting about one-third of career soldiers in the IDF and 41.2% of employees at the Biological Research Institute. However, the report notes a slight widening of the gender pay gap in 2024, mainly due to combat and activity-related pay supplements that are more common in field roles predominantly held by men.