Army Ranks and Pay Grades

Every Army rank from Private to General with its pay grade, abbreviation and 2026 starting basic pay.

Last reviewed on October 1, 2026

The Army has 24 pay grades: nine enlisted (E-1 to E-9), five warrant officer (W-1 to W-5) and ten commissioned officer (O-1 to O-10). Some grades carry more than one rank title — E-4 can be a Specialist or a Corporal, and E-8 a Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. The tables below give each rank's title, official abbreviation and the first monthly basic pay rate listed for that grade in 2026. Actual pay depends on years of service — see the full enlisted, warrant officer and officer pay charts.

Army Enlisted Ranks (E-1 to E-9)

E-4 through E-9 are noncommissioned officers (NCOs), except Specialist. Starting pay for E-8 and E-9 is the first rate listed in the table (over 8 and over 10 years).

Grade	Rank	Abbreviation	Starting monthly pay (2026)
E-1	Private	PV1	$2,407.20
E-2	Private	PV2	$2,697.90
E-3	Private First Class	PFC	$2,836.80
E-4	Specialist / Corporal	SPC / CPL	$3,142.20
E-5	Sergeant	SGT	$3,342.90
E-6	Staff Sergeant	SSG	$3,401.10
E-7	Sergeant First Class	SFC	$3,932.10
E-8	Master Sergeant / First Sergeant	MSG / 1SG	$5,656.50
E-9	Sergeant Major / Command Sergeant Major	SGM / CSM	$6,910.20

Army Warrant Officer Ranks (W-1 to W-5)

Grade	Rank	Abbreviation	Starting monthly pay (2026)
W-1	Warrant Officer 1	WO1	$4,056.60
W-2	Chief Warrant Officer 2	CW2	$4,621.80
W-3	Chief Warrant Officer 3	CW3	$5,223.30
W-4	Chief Warrant Officer 4	CW4	$5,719.80
W-5	Chief Warrant Officer 5	CW5	$10,169.70

Army Commissioned Officer Ranks (O-1 to O-10)

O-9 and O-10 rates begin at over 20 years of service.

Grade	Rank	Abbreviation	Starting monthly pay (2026)
O-1	Second Lieutenant	2LT	$4,150.20
O-2	First Lieutenant	1LT	$4,782.00
O-3	Captain	CPT	$5,534.10
O-4	Major	MAJ	$6,294.60
O-5	Lieutenant Colonel	LTC	$7,295.40
O-6	Colonel	COL	$8,751.30
O-7	Brigadier General	BG	$11,540.10
O-8	Major General	MG	$13,888.50
O-9	Lieutenant General	LTG	$18,999.90
O-10	General	GEN	$18,999.90

Enlisted Rank Equivalents by Branch

Same pay grade, same basic pay — only the title changes.

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

Army Rank FAQ

What is the difference between rank and pay grade?

Pay grade (E-4, O-3, W-2) is the standardized level used across all services to set pay. Rank is the title a branch uses for that grade. The Army calls an E-4 a Specialist or Corporal; the Air Force calls the same grade a Senior Airman.

Is a Specialist paid the same as a Corporal?

Yes. Both are E-4 and are paid from the same row of the pay chart. A Corporal is a junior noncommissioned officer with leadership responsibility; a Specialist is not, but basic pay is identical.

What is the highest enlisted rank in the Army?

The Sergeant Major of the Army is the senior enlisted position. The SMA holds grade E-9 and is paid a special rate of $11,166.90 per month in 2026 regardless of years of service.