Recently, I started researching how much a commander in the Mexican army actually earns, and I was quite surprised. It turns out that many military ranks exceed one million pesos annually, something not many people know.

To get into this, you need to study in the Military Education System, whether at the Heroic Military College or specialized schools. Enlisted soldiers earn around 18,840 pesos per month, but as you move up in rank, the situation changes quite a bit.

Looking at the 2026 salary table, the numbers are interesting. A Second Lieutenant earns approximately 25,977 pesos a month, a First Captain around 42,979, and a Colonel reaches 91,027 pesos monthly. But if you really want to see where the money is, a Lieutenant Colonel earns 62,354 pesos, a Major 49,769, and when you reach Brigadier General, we're talking about 122,372 pesos per month. A Division General, the highest rank, receives 133,503 pesos a month.

What’s interesting is that, in addition to the base salary, military personnel receive quite generous benefits: a 40-day Christmas bonus, a 20-day vacation premium, a food allowance of up to 1,640 pesos, transportation allowance of 985 pesos, and a technical allowance that adds 40%. Overall, from the rank of Colonel upward, they definitely surpass one million annually.

If you're interested in knowing how much a military commander or any other rank earns, it basically depends on your advancement in the hierarchy. A military career in Mexico offers stability and good income if you manage to move up. It’s worth considering if that’s your thing.