How much do Marine recruits get paid?
Most enlisted Marines start out at a pay grade of E-1. At this rank, with less than four months in the Marines, you’ll make a base pay of $1,514 a month. As soon as you go over four months in service, pay goes up to $1,638 a month.
Why do Marines get paid so little?
For the US military, it is because the new Soldier/Sailor/Marine/Airman has everything provided for him/her — uniforms, food, housing, etc. So their living expenses are almost zero, hence the base pay starts out fairly low. E-1 pay is currently $1,599.84 per month.