Armed Forces Comparative Pay Grades and Ranks

This table provides a listing of military ranks by pay grade and branch of Military Service: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy. While pay grades are administrative classifications used primarily to standardize compensation across the military services, ranks indicate a level of responsibility (for personnel, equipment, and mission) which grows with each increase in rank.

See 2025 military pay rates and charts here.

Pay Grade & Ranks By Branch of Service

	Pay Grade	Army	Navy	Marine Corps	Air Force*	Coast Guard
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	Special	General of the Army	Fleet Admiral (FADM)	General of the Army	General of the Army	Fleet Admiral (FADM)
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O10	General	Admiral	General	General	Admiral
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O9	Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Lieutenant General	Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O8	Major General	Rear Admiral (Upper)	Major General	Major General	Rear Admiral (Upper)
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O7	Brigadier General	Rear Admiral (Lower)	Brigadier General	Brigadier General	Rear Admiral (Lower)
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O6	Colonel	Captain	Colonel	Colonel	Captain
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O5	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Lieutenant Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O4	Major	Lieutenant Commander	Major	Major	Lieutenant Commander
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O3	Captain	Lieutenant	Captain	Captain	Lieutenant
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O2	First Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade	First Lieutenant	First Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS	O1	Second Lieutenant	Ensign	Second Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant	Ensign
WARRANT OFFICERS	W5	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	--	Chief Warrant Officer
WARRANT OFFICERS	W4	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	--	Chief Warrant Officer
WARRANT OFFICERS	W3	Chief Warrant	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant	--	Chief Warrant Officer
WARRANT OFFICERS	W2	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	--	Chief Warrant Officer
WARRANT OFFICERS	W1	Warrant Officer	Warrant Officer	Warrant Officer	--	Warrant Officer
ENLISTED MEMBERS	Senior Enlisted Advisors	Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA)	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)	Sergeant Major (SgtMaj) of the Marine Corps (SgtMajMC)	Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF)	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPO-CG)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E9	Command Sergeant Major (CSM) - or - Sergeant Major (SGM)	Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) - or - Force Command Master Chief Petty Officer (FORMC)	Sergeant Major - or - Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) - or - Fleet Command Master Chief Petty Officer (FLTMC)	Command Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) - or - Chief Master Sergeant (CCM) - or - First Sergeant (E-9)	Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) - or - Command Master Chief (CMC)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E8	First Sergeant (1SG) - or - Master Sergeant (MSG)	Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO)	First Sergeant (1stSgt) - or - Master Sergeant (MSgt)	Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) - or - First Sergeant (E-8)	Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E7	Sergeant First Class (SFC)	Chief Petty Officer (CPO)	Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt)	Master Sergeant (MSgt) - or - First Sergeant (E-7)	Chief Petty Officer (CPO)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E6	Staff Sergeant (SSG)	Petty Officer First Class (PO1)	Staff Sergeant (SSgt)	Technical Sergeant(TSgt)	Petty Officer First Class (PO1)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E5	Sergeant (SGT)	Petty Officer Second Class (PO2)	Sergeant (Sgt)	StaffSergeant(SSgt)	Petty Officer Second Class (PO2)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E4	Corporal (CPL) - or - Specialist (SPC)	Petty Officer Third Class (PO3)	Corporal (Cpl)	Senior Airman(SrA)	Petty Officer Third Class (PO3)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E3	Private First Class (PFC)	Seaman (SN)	Lance Corporal (LCpl)	Airman First Class(A1C)	Seaman (SN)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E2	Private (PV2)	Seaman Apprentice (SA)	Private First Class (PFC)	Airman (Amn)	Seaman Apprentice (SA)
ENLISTED MEMBERS	E1	Private (PV1)	Seaman Recruit (SR)	Private (PVT)	Airman Basic(AB	Seaman Recruit (SR)

*The Air Force does not have warrant officers.

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