U.S. uniformed services pay grades

Pay grades are used by the uniformed services of the United States to determine wages and benefits based on the corresponding military rank of a member of the services. While different titles or ranks may be used among the seven uniformed services, pay grades are uniform and equivalent between the services and can used to quickly determine seniority among a group of members from different services. They are also essential when determining a member's entitlements such as basic pay and allowances.
Pay grades are divided into three groups: Enlisted (E), Warrant Officer (W), and Officer (O). Enlisted pay grades begin at E-1 and finish at E-9; Warrant Officer pay grades begin at W-1 and finish at W-5; and Officer pay grades begin at O-1 and finish at O-10. Not all of the uniformed services use all of the grades; for example, the Navy does not use the grade W-1, the Air Force discontinued use of the warrant grades in the 1960s, and both the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration do not use any of the enlisted or warrant grades in their entirety.
Members in pay grades O-1, O-2, and O-3 with more than four years prior cumulative service in an enlisted and/or warrant grade are paid increased wages using the special pay grades of O-1E, O-2E, and O-3E respectively. This benefit does not affect their rank and used simply for reward and incentive purposes in recognition of their prior enlisted experience.
For pay tables and information on specific pay grade wages and entitlements for members of the uniformed services, see United States Military Pay.


Equivalent grades in NATO Armed Forces


The enlisted grades correspond with the NATO rank codes, with E-1 being equivalent to OR-1, E-2 equivalent to OR-2 and so on. The officer grades are all one higher than their NATO equivalent (except O-1) as the O-1 and O-2 grades are both equivalent to the NATO code of OF-1. Hence O-3 is equivalent to OF-2, O-4 is equivalent to OF-3 and so on. The NATO system does not have an equivalent of the US Warrant Officer grades.




Enlisted pay grades


Pay Grade Rank by Branch of Service
Marine Corps Army Air Force Navy Coast Guard
E-1 Private Private Airman Basic Seaman Recruit Seaman Recruit
E-2 Private First Class Private Airman Seaman Apprentice Seaman Apprentice
E-3 Lance Corporal Private First Class Airman First Class Seaman Seaman
E-4 Corporal
Specialist
Corporal
Senior Airman Petty Officer Third Class Petty Officer Third Class
E-5 Sergeant Sergeant Staff Sergeant Petty Officer Second Class Petty Officer Second Class
E-6 Staff Sergeant Staff Sergeant Technical Sergeant Petty Officer First Class Petty Officer First Class
E-7 Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant First Class Master Sergeant Chief Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer
E-8
Master Sergeant
First Sergeant
Master Sergeant
First Sergeant
Senior Master Sergeant Senior Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer
E-9
Master Gunnery Sergeant
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Sergeant Major
Command Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major of the Army
Chief Master Sergeant
Command Chief Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Master Chief Petty Officer
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Force Master Chief Petty Officer
Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Master Chief Petty Officer
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard




Warrant officer pay grades


Pay Grade Rank by Branch of Service
Army Marine Corps Navy Coast Guard
W-1 Warrant Officer 1 Warrant Officer 1
W-2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 Chief Warrant Officer 2
W-3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chief Warrant Officer 3
W-4 Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chief Warrant Officer 4
W-5 Chief Warrant Officer 5 Chief Warrant Officer 5 Chief Warrant Officer 5




Officer pay grades


Pay Grade Rank by Branch of Service
Army Marine Corps Navy Air Force Coast Guard Public Health Service Commissioned Corps National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps
O-1/O-1E Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Ensign Second Lieutenant Ensign Ensign Ensign
O-2/O-2E First Lieutenant First Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) First Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant (junior grade)
O-3/O-3E Captain Captain Lieutenant Captain Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant
O-4 Major Major Lieutenant Commander Major Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Commander
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Commander Lieutenant Colonel Commander Commander Commander
O-6 Colonel Colonel Captain Colonel Captain Captain Captain
O-7 Brigadier General Brigadier General Rear Admiral (lower half) Brigadier General Rear Admiral (lower half) Rear Admiral (lower half) Rear Admiral (lower half)
O-8 Major General Major General Rear Admiral Major General Rear Admiral Rear Admiral Rear Admiral
O-9 Lieutenant General Lieutenant General Vice Admiral Lieutenant General Vice Admiral Vice Admiral Vice Admiral (inactive)
O-10 General General Admiral General Admiral Admiral Admiral (no appointments)


All about: United States military pay