Marine Corps Ranks in Order
Marine ranks follow the Army pattern with Marine-specific titles: Lance Corporal, Gunnery Sergeant and Master Gunnery Sergeant have no Army equivalent by name, and Corporal is where a Marine becomes a non-commissioned officer.
Enlisted ranks (E-1 to E-9)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Private | Pvt | no insignia |
| E-2 | Private First Class | PFC | |
| E-3 | Lance Corporal | LCpl | the most common Marine rank |
| E-4 | Corporal | Cpl | first NCO grade |
| E-5 | Sergeant | Sgt | |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt | first staff NCO grade |
| E-7 | Gunnery Sergeant | GySgt | "Gunny" |
| E-8 | Master Sergeant / First Sergeant | MSgt / 1stSgt | technical track / leadership track |
| E-9 | Master Gunnery Sergeant / Sergeant Major / Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | MGySgt / SgtMaj / SgtMajMC | SgtMajMC is the senior enlisted Marine |
Warrant officers (W-1 to W-5)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 | WO1 | |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CWO2 | |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CWO3 | |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CWO4 | |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CWO5 |
Commissioned officers (O-1 to O-10)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2ndLt | |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1stLt | |
| O-3 | Captain | Capt | company commander |
| O-4 | Major | Maj | |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | LtCol | battalion commander |
| O-6 | Colonel | Col | regiment commander |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | BGen | one star |
| O-8 | Major General | MajGen | two stars |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | LtGen | three stars |
| O-10 | General | Gen | four stars; the Commandant |
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. Marine officer ranks share names with the Army and Air Force but use different abbreviations (LtCol, BGen).
Compare with the other services: Army · Navy · Air Force · Marine Corps · Space Force.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Marine Corps ranks in order?
Enlisted: Private, Private First Class, Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, Master Sergeant or First Sergeant, Master Gunnery Sergeant or Sergeant Major, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. Officers: Second Lieutenant through General.
What is the difference between Master Sergeant and First Sergeant?
Both are E-8. A Master Sergeant stays in a technical specialty; a First Sergeant moves to the leadership track as the senior enlisted Marine of a company and later a Sergeant Major.
Is Lance Corporal an NCO?
No. Lance Corporal (E-3) is the last non-NCO grade; a Marine becomes a non-commissioned officer at Corporal (E-4).