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The Complete List of U.S. Military Ranks (in Order)

Before you get to basic training, most people don’t have a very thorough understanding of military ranks, let alone the ability to put them in...

Before you get to basic training, most people don’t have a very thorough understanding of military ranks, let alone the ability to put them in order. Everybody recognizes the ones that commonly show up in movies like sergeant, captain, or admiral, but where they fall on the pecking order of different branches isn’t all that clear. And as those of us that have spent time in uniform can attest, having a good understanding of military ranks in the order of authority for our own branch doesn’t necessarily mean you know how the rank structure looks in the sister branches.

Confusion about the order of military ranks can be made even worse from branch to branch by the common use of some easily-recognizable rank names (like sergeant or captain) for entirely different pay grades. A captain in the Marine Corps’s pay grade is O-3, whereas a captain in the Navy is an O-6, as one shining example.

So whether you don’t know any of the military ranks, or you’re just confused about how to put them in order, here’s a breakdown of the rank structure in each branch, starting at the most junior enlisted pay grade, and ascending up to the senior most commissioned officer. This list includes the military ranks in order for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. Currently, the Space Force is largely made up of Air Force personnel utilizing the Air Force rank structure.

ARMY RANKS IN ORDER

PAY GRADERANK
Enlisted Personnel 
E-1Private (Recruit)
E-2Private
E-3Private First Class
E-4Specialist
Non-Commissioned Officers 
E-4Corporal
E-5Sergeant
E-6Staff Sergeant
E-7Sergeant First Class
E-8First Sergeant
Master Sergeant
E-9Command Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
E-9Sergeant Major of the Army
Warrant Officers 
W-1Warrant Officer 1
W-2Warrant Officer 2
W-3Warrant Officer 3
W-4Warrant Officer 4
W-5Master Warrant Officer 5
Commissioned Officers 
O-12nd Lieutenant
O-21st Lieutenant
O-3Captain
O-4Major
O-5Lieutenant Colonel
O-6Colonel
O-7Brigadier General
O-8Major General
O-9Lieutenant General
O-10Army Chief of Staff
General

AIR FORCE RANKS IN ORDER

PAY GRADERANK
Enlisted Personnel 
E-1Airman Basic
E-2Airman
E-3Airman First Class
E-4Senior Airman
Non-Commissioned Officers 
  
E-5Staff Sergeant
E-6Technical Sergeant
E-7First Sergeant (Master Sergeant)
Master Sergeant
E-8First Sergeant (Senior Master Sergeant)
Senior Master Sergeant
E-9First Sergeant (Chief Master Sergeant)
Chief Master Sergeant
SpecialChief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Warrant Officers 
W-1N/A
W-2N/A
W-3N/A
W-4N/A
W-5N/A
Commissioned Officers 
O-12nd Lieutenant
O-21st Lieutenant
O-3Captain
O-4Major
O-5Lieutenant Colonel
O-6Colonel
O-7Brigadier General
O-8Major General
O-9Lieutenant General
O-10Air Force Chief of Staff General
**General of the Air Force

MARINE CORPS RANKS IN ORDER

PAY GRADERANK
Enlisted Personnel 
E-1Private
E-2Private First Class
E-3Lance Corporal
  
Non-Commissioned Officers 
E-4Corporal
E-5Sergeant
E-6Staff Sergeant
E-7Gunnery Sergeant
E-8First Sergeant
Master Sergeant
E-9Sergeant Major
Master Gunnery Sergeant
SpecialSergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Warrant Officers 
W-1Warrant Officer
W-2Chief Warrant Officer 2
W-3Chief Warrant Officer 3
W-4Chief Warrant Officer 4
W-5Chief Warrant Officer 5
Commissioned Officers 
O-12nd Lieutenant
O-21st Lieutenant
O-3Captain
O-4Major
O-5Lieutenant Colonel
O-6Colonel
O-7Brigadier General
O-8Major General
O-9Lieutenant General
O-10Commandant of the Marine Corps
General

NAVY RANKS IN ORDER

PAY GRADERANK
Enlisted Personnel 
E-1Seaman Recruit
E-2Seaman Apprentice
E-3Seaman
Non-Commissioned Officers 
E-4Petty Officer Third Class
E-5Petty Officer Second Class
E-6Petty Officer First Class
E-7Chief Petty Officer
E-8Senior Chief Petty Officer
E-9Master Chief Petty Officer
SpecialMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Warrant Officers 
W-1Warrant Officer 1
W-2Warrant Officer 2
W-3Warrant Officer 3
W-4Warrant Officer 4
W-5Master Warrant Officer
Commissioned Officers 
O-1Ensign
O-2Lieutenant, Junior Grade
O-3Lieutenant
O-4Lieutenant Commander
O-5Commander
O-6Captain
O-7Rear Admiral (Commodore)
O-8Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
O-9Vice Admiral
O-10Chief of Naval Operations
Commandant of the Coast Guard
Admiral
**Fleet Admiral

COAST GUARD RANKS IN ORDER

PAY GRADERANK
Enlisted Personnel 
E-1Seaman Recruit
E-2Seaman Apprentice
E-3Seaman
Non-Commissioned Officers 
E-4Petty Officer Third Class
E-5Petty Officer Second Class
E-6Petty Officer First Class
E-7Chief Petty Officer
E-8Senior Chief Petty Officer
E-9Master Chief Petty Officer
SpecialMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Warrant Officers 
W-1Warrant Officer 1
W-2Warrant Officer 2
W-3Warrant Officer 3
W-4Warrant Officer 4
W-5Master Warrant Officer
Commissioned Officers 
O-1Ensign
O-2Lieutenant, Junior Grade
O-3Lieutenant
O-4Lieutenant Commander
O-5Commander
O-6Captain
O-7Rear Admiral (Commodore)
O-8Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
O-9Vice Admiral
O-10Chief of Naval Operations
Commandant of the Coast Guard
Admiral
**Fleet Admiral
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