Forum:Enlisted Starfleet - Salary?

I've always wondered how much Starfleet officers were paid. I assumed they were paid a established sum of federation credits.

The senior staff of Deep Space 9 often frequent Quark's. They all appear to order food and drink, yet payment is never directly talked about.

How does the economics of Starfleet function?


 * I do not think they get paid because I remember O'Brien playing tongo with Quark and Having very only a small amount of latinum. --Starwars96 08:53, January 17, 2011 (UTC)


 * Based on what was said in canon with the seemingly contradictory statements on the matter, it would seem that people in Starfleet are paid, but no one really joins for the money. Picard didn't say he wasn't paid in when asked, he just went started a speech on how no one really wants money in the 24th century. -  09:01, January 17, 2011 (UTC)


 * I always figured that they weren't paid by Starfleet and they only joined for the general pursuit of science and knowledge, and that the latinum/money they aquired in Deep Space Nine was simply through trading or selling items for it so they could engage in the local recreation which required latinum. That's just my take on it. -- TrekFan Talk 12:02, January 17, 2011 (UTC)
 * In one of Ronald D. Moore's Q&A chats, he addresses this. As I recall, he (and the other DS9 staff writers) could make no sense of the whole "money-less" official UFP/SF policy/economy. It rather irked him, for it was hard to have non-salaried SF members spending money, eg, at Quark's. But they stuck with it to respect Roddenberry's wishes/vision and instead did their best to avoid bringing it to attention. IMO, it works like the UT – i.e., "automagically". (And given the conflicts in canon, I'd say just imagine it works however you like!) 18:46, March 4, 2011 (UTC)
 * Uhura also offered to purchase a tribble and asked how much it cost, so they must get some sort of salary. I always interpreted it as one can have money, but not need money to have a decent existence in the Federation.  This would not preclude people getting paid.--31dot 18:53, March 4, 2011 (UTC)
 * Stupid Question but do you remember what Q&A that was, Cepstrum? That's something that has puzzled me for a while. I'd like to read all of it. thanks.Chaos32 20:55, October 31, 2011 (UTC)
 * Cepstrum hasn't been on in a long time, so I don't know if he will see this.--31dot 20:58, October 31, 2011 (UTC)


 * I seem to remember running across this question somewhere before. I always assumed that as cannon states, money is not needed for daily life.  However, a per diem was issued (as used in modern military applications) when what the military provided wasn't enough.  That would explain why its usually only used in reference to alien civilizations. UFP does not use money but per diem can be issued for 'overseas' locations where money is required.


 * I do recall that in "The Trouble With Tribbles" that a form of money called "credits" was mentioned several times. Later on of course Picard in that episode about the 21st century cryonically frozen people, gave a similar speech about no money being required. I've always wished for someone to clarify how this could be really accomplished using Star Trek syntax or parameters.