Army Ranks in Order
The U.S. Army has 29 ranks across three tracks. Enlisted soldiers start as Privates and can rise to Sergeant Major of the Army; warrant officers are technical specialists; commissioned officers lead from platoon to theatre level.
Enlisted ranks (E-1 to E-9)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Private | PV1 | entry level; no insignia |
| E-2 | Private | PV2 | one chevron |
| E-3 | Private First Class | PFC | |
| E-4 | Specialist / Corporal | SPC / CPL | Corporal is the first non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank; Specialist is not an NCO |
| E-5 | Sergeant | SGT | leads a team of 4 soldiers |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSG | leads a squad |
| E-7 | Sergeant First Class | SFC | platoon sergeant |
| E-8 | Master Sergeant / First Sergeant | MSG / 1SG | First Sergeant is the senior NCO of a company |
| E-9 | Sergeant Major / Command Sergeant Major / Sergeant Major of the Army | SGM / CSM / SMA | SMA is the single most senior enlisted soldier |
Warrant officers (W-1 to W-5)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 | WO1 | appointed by warrant of the Secretary of the Army |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CW2 | commissioned |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CW3 | |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CW4 | |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CW5 | master-level technical expert |
Commissioned officers (O-1 to O-10)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2LT | platoon leader |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1LT | |
| O-3 | Captain | CPT | company commander |
| O-4 | Major | MAJ | |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | LTC | battalion commander |
| O-6 | Colonel | COL | brigade commander |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | BG | one star |
| O-8 | Major General | MG | two stars; division commander |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | LTG | three stars; corps commander |
| O-10 | General | GEN | four stars |
| special | General of the Army | GA | five stars; wartime only, last awarded 1950 |
How pay grades work
Every U.S. service uses the same pay-grade ladder: E-1 to E-9 for enlisted, W-1 to W-5 for warrant officers and O-1 to O-10 for commissioned officers. Basic pay is set by grade and years of service in the annual tables published by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, so a Sergeant (E-5) in the Army and a Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) in the Navy earn the same basic pay at the same length of service. Officer ranks use the same names in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force; the Navy uses naval titles for the same grades.
Compare with the other services: Army · Navy · Air Force · Marine Corps · Space Force.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Army ranks in order?
Enlisted: Private (PV1), Private (PV2), Private First Class, Specialist or Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, Master Sergeant or First Sergeant, Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major, and Sergeant Major of the Army. Warrant: WO1 to CW5. Officers: Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, General.
What is the lowest and highest rank in the Army?
The lowest is Private (E-1); the highest active rank is General (O-10). General of the Army (five stars) exists only for wartime and has not been awarded since 1950.
What is the difference between Specialist and Corporal?
Both are pay grade E-4 and earn the same basic pay, but a Corporal is a non-commissioned officer with leadership responsibility, while a Specialist is a technical soldier without NCO authority.
How long does it take to make Sergeant?
Promotion to Sergeant (E-5) typically takes three to four years of service, depending on the soldier's military occupational specialty and promotion points.