Military Ranks and Pay Grades: Every Branch, with 2026 Pay
Every enlisted, warrant officer and officer pay grade with its rank title in each of the six branches, the 2026 basic pay range for each grade, the Army officer and enlisted pay scales, and E-5 and E-7 in detail.
A pay grade (E-1 to E-9 enlisted, W-1 to W-5 warrant officer, O-1 to O-10 officer) sets military pay; each branch gives the grade its own rank title. An E-5 is a Sergeant in the Army, Marine Corps and Space Force, a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force and a Petty Officer Second Class in the Navy and Coast Guard, paid $3,342.90 to $4,421.70 a month in 2026. An E-7 (Army Sergeant First Class) earns $3,932.10 to $7,067.40. Base pay runs from $2,407.20 (E-1) to $18,999.90 (O-10). Sources: rank titles, 2026 pay (EO 14368).
Official Rank titles are the Department of War’s U.S. Military Rank Insignia page; pay is Schedule 8 of Executive Order 14368, effective January 1, 2026, the table DFAS publishes.
- Enlisted ranks (E-1 to E-9)
- Warrant officers (W-1 to W-5)
- Officers (O-1 to O-10)
- Army officer pay scale
- Army enlisted pay grades
- E-5 rank and pay
- E-7 rank and pay
Enlisted ranks and pay grades (E-1 to E-9)
The pay grade sets the pay; each branch gives the grade its own title. Some grades carry two titles: an Army E-4 is a Corporal or a Specialist, and a Marine E-9 a Master Gunnery Sergeant or a Sergeant Major, on the same pay (U.S. Military Rank Insignia).
| Grade | Army | Marine Corps | Navy | Air Force | Space Force | Coast Guard | 2026 monthly basic pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Private | Private | Seaman Recruit (SR) | Airman Basic | Specialist 1 (Spc1) | Seaman Recruit (SR) | $2,407.20 |
| E-2 | Private (PV2) | Private First Class (PFC) | Seaman Apprentice (SA) | Airman (Amn) | Specialist 2 (Spc2) | Seaman Apprentice (SA) | $2,697.90 |
| E-3 | Private First Class (PFC) | Lance Corporal (LCpl) | Seaman (SN) | Airman First Class (A1C) | Specialist 3 (Spc3) | Seaman (SN) | $2,836.80 – $3,198.00 |
| E-4 | Corporal (CPL) / Specialist (SPC) | Corporal (Cpl) | Petty Officer Third Class (PO3) | Senior Airman (SrA) | Specialist 4 (Spc4) | Petty Officer Third Class (PO3) | $3,142.20 – $3,815.40 |
| E-5 | Sergeant (SGT) | Sergeant (Sgt) | Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) | Staff Sergeant (SSgt) | Sergeant (Sgt) | Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) | $3,342.90 – $4,421.70 |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant (SSG) | Staff Sergeant (SSgt) | Petty Officer First Class (PO1) | Technical Sergeant (TSgt) | Technical Sergeant (TSgt) | Petty Officer First Class (PO1) | $3,401.10 – $5,267.70 |
| E-7 | Sergeant First Class (SFC) | Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) | Chief Petty Officer (CPO) | Master Sergeant (MSgt) / First Sergeant | Master Sergeant (MSgt) | Chief Petty Officer (CPO) | $3,932.10 – $7,067.40 |
| E-8 | Master Sergeant (MSG) / First Sergeant (1SG) | Master Sergeant (MSgt) / First Sergeant | Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) | Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) / First Sergeant | Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) | Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) | $5,656.50 – $8,067.30 |
| E-9 | Sergeant Major (SGM) / Command Sergeant Major (CSM) | Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) / Sergeant Major (SgtMaj) | Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) | Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) | Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) | Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) | $6,910.20 – $10,729.20 |
E-1 with under 4 months of service: $2,225.70. The senior enlisted advisor of each service (Sergeant Major of the Army, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and of the Coast Guard, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and of the Space Force) is an E-9 with a separate rate (Schedule 8).
Warrant officer ranks (W-1 to W-5)
| Grade | Army | Marine Corps | Navy | Air Force | Space Force | Coast Guard | 2026 monthly basic pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) | Warrant Officer 1 (WO) | Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) | † | — | — | $4,056.60 – $7,010.10 |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) | † | — | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) | $4,621.80 – $7,714.20 |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3) | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3) | † | — | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3) | $5,223.30 – $9,162.60 |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4) | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4) | † | — | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4) | $5,719.80 – $10,653.60 |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) | Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CWO5) | Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CWO5) | † | — | — | $10,169.70 – $13,308.30 |
— the branch has no warrant officers in that grade (rank insignia page). † The insignia page lists no Air Force warrant officers, but the Air Force reintroduced them in 2024 for information technology and cyber; its first 30 graduated on December 6, 2024 (U.S. Air Force).
Officer ranks (O-1 to O-10)
| Grade | Army | Marine Corps | Navy | Air Force | Space Force | Coast Guard | 2026 monthly basic pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant (2LT) | Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) | Ensign (ENS) | Second Lieutenant (2d Lt) | Second Lieutenant (2d Lt) | Ensign (ENS) | $4,150.20 – $5,222.40 |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant (1LT) | First Lieutenant (1stLt) | Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) | First Lieutenant (1st Lt) | First Lieutenant (1st Lt) | Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) | $4,782.00 – $6,617.70 |
| O-3 | Captain (CPT) | Captain (Capt) | Lieutenant (LT) | Captain (Capt) | Captain (Capt) | Lieutenant (LT) | $5,534.10 – $9,004.20 |
| O-4 | Major (MAJ) | Major (Maj) | Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) | Major (Maj) | Major (Maj) | Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) | $6,294.60 – $10,509.90 |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) | Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) | Commander (CDR) | Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) | Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) | Commander (CDR) | $7,295.40 – $12,394.80 |
| O-6 | Colonel (COL) | Colonel (Col) | Captain (CAPT) | Colonel (Col) | Colonel (Col) | Captain (CAPT) | $8,751.30 – $15,408.30 |
| O-7 | Brigadier General (BG) | Brigadier General (BGen) | Rear Admiral Lower Half (RDML) | Brigadier General (Brig Gen) | Brigadier General (Brig Gen) | Rear Admiral Lower Half (RDML) | $11,540.10 – $17,242.20 |
| O-8 | Major General (MG) | Major General (MajGen) | Rear Admiral Upper Half (RADM) | Major General (Maj Gen) | Major General (Maj Gen) | Rear Admiral Upper Half (RADM) | $13,888.50 – $18,999.90 |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General (LTG) | Lieutenant General (LtGen) | Vice Admiral (VADM) | Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) | Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) | Vice Admiral (VADM) | $18,999.90 |
| O-10 | General (GEN) | General (Gen) | Admiral (ADM) | General (Gen) | General (Gen) | Admiral (ADM) | $18,999.90 |
Officers’ basic pay is capped: O-7 to O-10 at $18,999.90 and O-6 and below at $15,408.30 a month in 2026 (Schedule 8 notes; 37 U.S.C. 203). O-9 and O-10 rates begin at “Over 20” in the table.
Army officer pay scale 2026
Monthly basic pay for each Army officer rank at selected years of service. The same amounts apply to the matching grade in every branch.
| Rank | 2 or less | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 20 | Over 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 Second Lieutenant | $4,150.20 | $5,222.40 | $5,222.40 | $5,222.40 | $5,222.40 | $5,222.40 |
| O-2 First Lieutenant | $4,782.00 | $6,484.50 | $6,617.70 | $6,617.70 | $6,617.70 | $6,617.70 |
| O-3 Captain | $5,534.10 | $7,382.70 | $8,125.50 | $8,788.20 | $9,004.20 | $9,004.20 |
| O-4 Major | $6,294.60 | $7,881.00 | $8,816.40 | $9,888.30 | $10,509.90 | $10,509.90 |
| O-5 Lieutenant Colonel | $7,295.40 | $8,894.10 | $9,461.40 | $10,271.70 | $12,032.70 | $12,394.80 |
| O-6 Colonel | $8,751.30 | $10,245.00 | $10,725.00 | $10,783.50 | $13,751.10 | $15,188.70 |
| O-7 Brigadier General | $11,540.10 | $12,522.00 | $13,231.80 | $14,045.70 | $16,817.70 | $16,904.40 |
| O-8 Major General | $13,888.50 | $14,729.40 | $15,735.30 | $16,479.60 | $18,598.20 | $18,999.90 |
| O-9 Lieutenant General | — | — | — | — | $18,999.90 | $18,999.90 |
| O-10 General | — | — | — | — | $18,999.90 | $18,999.90 |
Army enlisted pay grades 2026
| Grade and Army rank | 2 or less | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 20 | Over 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 Private | $2,407.20 | $2,407.20 | $2,407.20 | $2,407.20 | $2,407.20 | $2,407.20 |
| E-2 Private | $2,697.90 | $2,697.90 | $2,697.90 | $2,697.90 | $2,697.90 | $2,697.90 |
| E-3 Private First Class | $2,836.80 | $3,198.00 | $3,198.00 | $3,198.00 | $3,198.00 | $3,198.00 |
| E-4 Corporal / Specialist | $3,142.20 | $3,658.50 | $3,815.40 | $3,815.40 | $3,815.40 | $3,815.40 |
| E-5 Sergeant | $3,342.90 | $3,946.80 | $4,299.90 | $4,421.70 | $4,421.70 | $4,421.70 |
| E-6 Staff Sergeant | $3,401.10 | $4,068.90 | $4,612.80 | $5,043.30 | $5,267.70 | $5,267.70 |
| E-7 Sergeant First Class | $3,932.10 | $4,673.10 | $5,135.70 | $5,591.70 | $6,245.70 | $7,067.40 |
| E-8 Master Sergeant / First Sergeant | — | — | $5,656.50 | $6,061.80 | $6,995.40 | $7,908.90 |
| E-9 Sergeant Major / Command Sergeant Major | — | — | — | $7,066.50 | $8,105.10 | $9,267.90 |
E-5 rank and pay 2026
E-5 is Sergeant (SGT) in the Army, Sergeant (Sgt) in the Marine Corps, Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) in the Navy, Staff Sergeant (SSgt) in the Air Force, Sergeant (Sgt) in the Space Force and Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) in the Coast Guard (U.S. Military Rank Insignia). Basic pay is the same in every branch: $3,342.90 – $4,421.70 a month in 2026, $40,114.80 to $53,060.40 a year before allowances, and it stops rising at “Over 12” years of service (EO 14368). A typical step for an E-5 is $3,946.80 a month with over 4 years.
| Years of service | Monthly | Yearly | One drill (1/30) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $3,342.90 | $40,114.80 | $111.43 |
| Over 2 | $3,598.20 | $43,178.40 | $119.94 |
| Over 3 | $3,775.80 | $45,309.60 | $125.86 |
| Over 4 | $3,946.80 | $47,361.60 | $131.56 |
| Over 6 | $4,110.00 | $49,320.00 | $137.00 |
| Over 8 | $4,299.90 | $51,598.80 | $143.33 |
| Over 10 | $4,395.30 | $52,743.60 | $146.51 |
| Over 12 | $4,421.70 | $53,060.40 | $147.39 |
E-7 rank and pay 2026
E-7 is Sergeant First Class (SFC) in the Army, Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) in the Marine Corps, Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the Navy, Master Sergeant (MSgt) in the Air Force, Master Sergeant (MSgt) in the Space Force and Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the Coast Guard (U.S. Military Rank Insignia). Basic pay is the same in every branch: $3,932.10 – $7,067.40 a month in 2026, $47,185.20 to $84,808.80 a year before allowances, and it stops rising at “Over 26” years of service (EO 14368). With 20 years exactly (the “Over 18” column) it pays $6,177.30 a month, the base of a 20-year High-3 pension estimate.
| Years of service | Monthly | Yearly | One drill (1/30) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $3,932.10 | $47,185.20 | $131.07 |
| Over 2 | $4,291.50 | $51,498.00 | $143.05 |
| Over 3 | $4,456.20 | $53,474.40 | $148.54 |
| Over 4 | $4,673.10 | $56,077.20 | $155.77 |
| Over 6 | $4,843.80 | $58,125.60 | $161.46 |
| Over 8 | $5,135.70 | $61,628.40 | $171.19 |
| Over 10 | $5,300.40 | $63,604.80 | $176.68 |
| Over 12 | $5,591.70 | $67,100.40 | $186.39 |
| Over 14 | $5,835.00 | $70,020.00 | $194.50 |
| Over 16 | $6,000.90 | $72,010.80 | $200.03 |
| Over 18 | $6,177.30 | $74,127.60 | $205.91 |
| Over 20 | $6,245.70 | $74,948.40 | $208.19 |
| Over 22 | $6,475.20 | $77,702.40 | $215.84 |
| Over 24 | $6,598.20 | $79,178.40 | $219.94 |
| Over 26 | $7,067.40 | $84,808.80 | $235.58 |
Promotion timing differs by branch, specialty and year, so this page does not quote a typical time in service for each grade; the pay table shows from which service a grade is paid (E-8 from over 8 years, E-9 from over 10). The insignia page notes that E-8s and E-9s “have 15 to 30 years on the job” (U.S. Military Rank Insignia). Every grade at every year of service →
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What rank is an E-5?
A Sergeant in the Army, Marine Corps and Space Force, a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force, and a Petty Officer Second Class in the Navy and Coast Guard (U.S. Military Rank Insignia).
What is E-5 base pay in 2026?
$3,342.90 a month with 2 years or less, rising to $4,421.70 with over 12 years of service: $40,114.80 to $53,060.40 a year (EO 14368).
What rank is an E-7 in the Army?
Sergeant First Class (SFC). E-7 is a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps, a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy and Coast Guard, and a Master Sergeant in the Air Force and Space Force (U.S. Military Rank Insignia).
How much does an E-7 make in 2026?
$3,932.10 to $7,067.40 a month in basic pay, depending on years of service (EO 14368), plus housing and food allowances.
What is the lowest and highest military base pay in 2026?
$2,407.20 a month for an E-1 with 4 months or more, up to $18,999.90 for an O-10, the Executive Schedule cap (EO 14368; 37 U.S.C. 203).
Is military pay the same in every branch?
Yes. Basic pay depends only on pay grade and years of service; the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard use one table (DFAS).
Sources
- U.S. Department of War: U.S. Military Rank Insignia
- U.S. Air Force: First Air Force warrant officers graduate (Dec. 6, 2024)
- Executive Order 14368, Schedule 8 (2026 basic pay)
- Federal Register: Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay (EO 14368)
- DFAS: Military pay tables
- 37 U.S.C. 203 (pay caps)
Every rate: JSON. QuantCalc is calculation software, not legal, tax or benefits advice. Last updated November 4, 2026.
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