VA Disability Rating Tiers

Your VA disability rating is the single number that determines your monthly compensation, which dependent benefits you unlock, whether your spouse and children qualify for CHAMPVA and Chapter 35 education benefits, and whether you can apply for TDIU. The rating ladder runs in 10-percent increments from 0% (a recognized service connection with no monthly pay) to 100% (the highest schedular rating, currently $3,938.58/month for a single veteran in 2026). Each step on the ladder unlocks additional benefits — and the gap between tiers is often larger than veterans expect.

The VA does not simply add your individual condition ratings together. Instead, it uses the whole-person method in 38 CFR § 4.25: each new condition is applied to the remaining "non-disabled" portion of you, so a veteran with three 30% conditions ends up at 66% combined (rounded to 70%), not 90%. This is why understanding what each tier actually requires — and what conditions realistically combine to reach it — matters more than memorizing dollar amounts. The combined rating calculator will show you exactly how your specific conditions stack.

A few thresholds are worth flagging. The 30% tier is where dependent compensation begins — below 30% you receive a flat amount regardless of family size. At 50%, the VA can no longer pyramid certain benefits and your healthcare copays are eliminated for service-connected conditions. The 70% tier is the most common landing point for combat veterans with PTSD and is the minimum combined rating to apply for TDIU (Total Disability Individual Unemployability), which pays at the 100% rate even if your schedular rating is lower. 100% Permanent & Total unlocks CHAMPVA for dependents, full Dependents' Educational Assistance, and protection from future re-evaluations. For the full pay table at every rating, see 2026 VA disability pay rates.