The United States Army, the largest branch of the U.S. military, boasts close to 500,000 active personnel. To institute a chain of command, as well as to provide motivation for promotion, it divides its soldiers by rank. Army ranks fall into three categories: enlisted soldiers, warrant officers, and commissioned officers.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed every rank and insignia from the official U.S. Army website. We also broke out how much pay each rank is entitled to, as well as how much pay they are entitled to, by reviewing the latest basic pay tables from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the Department of Defense.
Among enlisted members, there are 13 ranks, categorized into three groups: junior enlisted (E-1 through E-4), non-commissioned officers (E-4 through E-6), and senior non-commissioned officers (E-7 through E-9). Junior enlisted members receive automatic promotions based on time in service and within their pay-grade. New recruits begin as privates and eventually ascend to the rank of private first class. Subsequently, they may become specialists (E-4) after at least two years of service and specific field training, and later, corporals (E-4) following completion of the Army’s Basic Leadership Course.
Progressing to the ranks of sergeant (E-5) or staff sergeant (E-6) necessitates leadership training and high performance in a graded Army-wide competition that assesses physical fitness, education, firing range scores, awards, and other attributes. Sergeants oversee daily activities and serve as primary leaders with the most direct influence on soldiers. Sergeant major (E-9) represents the highest position attainable for enlisted personnel, with only one sergeant major in the army, overseeing all non-commissioned officers and acting as an advisor to the four-star general.
To achieve the rank of warrant officer 1 (WO1), the highest non-commissioned officer rank, enlisted officers must accumulate several years of expertise, garner recommendations from commanding officers, and gain approval from a selection board. There exist five warrant officer ranks, responsible for combat leadership, expertise, training, and operations management.
Commissioned officers are tasked with mission planning, issuing orders, and serving as key problem solvers in the Army. There are eleven commissioned officer ranks, encompassing lieutenants, captains, majors, colonels, and generals. The highest rank is four-star general, the senior commissioned officer, except during wartime, when a five-star general of the Army may be appointed. The last five-star generals of the Army served during and after World War II and included figures such as General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General Douglas MacArthur. Explore the profiles of 50 of America’s most distinguished war heroes here. Here are 50 of the most decorated war heroes in American history.
Click here to see every rank in the U.S. Army.
1. Private
E1:
Pay with <4 months of service: $1,773 per month>
Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $23,011 to 23,011
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $23,011
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $23,011
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $23,011
E2:
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $25,790 to 25,790
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $25,790
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $25,790
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $25,790
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2. Private First Class
> Rank example, by military branch: Army, Marine Corps: Private First Class; Navy: Seaman; Air Force: Airman First Class
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $27,119 to 30,571
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $30,571
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $30,571
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $30,571
3. Specialist
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $30,042 to 36,472
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $34,978
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $36,472
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $36,472
4. Corporal
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $30,042 to 36,472
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $34,978
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $36,472
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $36,472
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5. Sergeant
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $32,764 to 46,498
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $38,390
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $46,220
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $46,498
6. Staff Sergeant
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $35,766 to 55,397
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $42,786
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $50,051
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $55,397
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7. Sergeant First Class
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $41,350 to 74,322
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $49,144
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $55,739
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $65,678
8. Master Sergeant
> Annual pay with 8 and at 40 yrs of service: $59,486 to 84,838
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $62,118
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $73,562
9. First Sergeant
> Annual pay with 8 and at 40 yrs of service: $59,486 to 84,838
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $62,118
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $73,562
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10. Sergeant Major
> Annual pay with 10 and at 40 yrs of service: $72,666 to 112,828
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $72,666
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $85,234
11. Command Sergeant Major
> Annual pay with 10 and at 40 yrs of service: $72,666 to 112,828
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $72,666
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $85,234
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12. Sergeant Major of the Army
> Annual pay with 10 and at 40 yrs of service: $72,666 to 112,828
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $72,666
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $85,234
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13. Warrant Officer 1
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $42,660 to 73,721
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $51,098
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $60,847
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $73,721
14. Chief Warrant Officer 2
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $48,604 to 81,122
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $55,588
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $66,067
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $78,206
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15. Chief Warrant Officer 3
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $54,932 to 96,354
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $60,332
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $72,670
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $89,140
16. Chief Warrant Officer 4
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $60,149 to 112,036
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $68,378
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $77,796
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $97,052
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17. Chief Warrant Officer 5
> Annual pay with 20 and at 40 yrs of service: $106,945 to 139,950
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $106,945
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18. Second Lieutenant
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $43,646 to 54,922
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $54,922
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $54,922
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $54,922
19. First Lieutenant
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $50,288 to 69,592
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $68,191
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $69,592
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $69,592
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20. Captain
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $58,198 to 94,687
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $77,638
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $88,081
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $94,687
21. Major
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $66,197 to 110,524
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $82,876
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $99,058
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $110,524
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22. Lieutenant Colonel
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $76,720 to 130,342
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $93,532
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $104,407
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $126,536
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23. Colonel
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $92,030 to 162,918
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $107,737
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $113,400
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $144,605
24. Brigadier General
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $121,356 to 181,321
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $131,681
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $143,431
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $176,854
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25. Major General
> Annual pay with <2 and at 40 yrs of service: $146,048 to 210,550
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: $154,897
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: $167,018
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $195,577
26. Lieutenant General
> Annual pay with 20 and at 40 yrs of service: $206,417 to 212,101
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $206,417
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27. General
> Annual pay with 20 and at 40 yrs of service: $212,101 to 212,101
> Annual pay with over 4 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 10 yrs of service: N/A
> Annual pay with over 20 yrs of service: $212,101
28. General of the Army
Not currently a paid position in the Army.
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