Space Force Ranks in Order
The Space Force, created in December 2019, adopted its own enlisted titles in 2021: the junior grades are Specialists rather than Airmen, while sergeant titles and all officer ranks match the Air Force. Members are called Guardians.
Enlisted ranks (E-1 to E-9)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Specialist 1 | Spc1 | |
| E-2 | Specialist 2 | Spc2 | |
| E-3 | Specialist 3 | Spc3 | |
| E-4 | Specialist 4 | Spc4 | not an NCO |
| E-5 | Sergeant | Sgt | first NCO grade |
| E-6 | Technical Sergeant | TSgt | |
| E-7 | Master Sergeant | MSgt | |
| E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt | |
| E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant / Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force | CMSgt / CMSSF | CMSSF is the senior enlisted Guardian |
Commissioned officers (O-1 to O-10)
| Pay grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2d Lt | |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1st Lt | |
| O-3 | Captain | Capt | |
| O-4 | Major | Maj | |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | Lt Col | |
| O-6 | Colonel | Col | |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | Brig Gen | one star |
| O-8 | Major General | Maj Gen | two stars |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | Lt Gen | three stars |
| O-10 | General | Gen | four stars; the Chief of Space Operations |
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 are identical to the Air Force because the Space Force sits within the Department of the Air Force.
Compare with the other services: Army · Navy · Air Force · Marine Corps · Space Force.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Space Force enlisted ranks?
Specialist 1, Specialist 2, Specialist 3, Specialist 4, Sergeant, Technical Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, Chief Master Sergeant and Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force.
Does the Space Force have warrant officers?
Not as of 2026. The Space Force has enlisted Guardians and commissioned officers only.
What are Space Force members called?
Guardians. The name was announced in December 2020, a year after the service was created.