The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces. Like other branches of the military, the Marine Corps ranks its soldiers and officers by Enlisted status, Warrant Officer, or Commissioned Officer. Each of these ranks is assigned an abbreviation as well as a pay grade that standardizes a soldier’s compensation. Keep reading to find out more about the Marine Corps ranks.
Enlisted Marines
Soldiers who enlist in the Marine Corps begin as Privates and move up the ranks by proving their valor to their commanding officers. Enlisted Marines who have pay grades of E-4 and E-5 are considered NCOs (non-commissioned officers) to whom lower-ranking Marines report. Here are the USMC rank abbreviations and pay grades for enlisted Marines.
USMC Abbreviation | Rank | Pay Grade |
PVT | Private | E-1 |
PFC | Private First Class | E-2 |
LCpl | Lance Corporal | E-3 |
Cpl | Corporal | E-4 |
Sgt | Sergeant | E-5 |
SSgt | Staff Sergeant | E-6 |
GySgt | Gunnery Sergeant | E-7 |
MSgt | Master Sergeant | E-8 |
1st Sgt | First Sergeant | E-8 |
MGySgt | Mastery Gunnery Sergeant | E-9 |
SgtMaj | Sergeant Major | E-9 |
SgtMajMC or SMMC | Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | E-9 |
Warrant Officers
A warrant officer is a specialist in their field. When they reach the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2, warrant officers become commissioned officers. Here are the abbreviations and pay grades for warrant officers in the United States Marine Corps.
USMC Abbreviation | Rank | Pay Grade |
WO | Warrant Officer | W-1 |
CWO2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | W-2 |
CWO3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | W-3 |
CWO4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | W-4 |
CWO5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | W-5 |
Commissioned Officers
Officers who have moved up through the ranks and who have a college degree can accept a commissioned appointment in the USMC. The lowest-ranked commissioned officers are Second Lieutenants, while the highest-ranked commissioned officers are Generals. Read a list of commissioned officers, their abbreviations, and their pay grades below.
USMC Abbreviation | Rank | Pay Grade |
2ndLt | Second Lieutenant | O-1 |
1stLt | First Lieutenant | O-2 |
Capt | Captain | O-3 |
Maj | Major | O-4 |
LtCol | Lieutenant Colonel | O-5 |
Col | Colonel | O-6 |
BGen | Brigadier General | O-7 |
MajGen | Major General | O-8 |
LtGen | Lieutenant General | O-9 |
Gen | General | O-10 |
Other USMC Rank Abbreviations
Marines can have other designations and duties. From cooks to musicians to stewards, the job of a Marine is to serve their fellow Marine so they can both serve their country. Here is a list of other ranks and abbreviations within the USMC, including the Commandant of the Marine Corps – the highest rank in the Marine Corps.
Abbreviation | Rank |
ACk | Assistant Cook |
Att1 | Mess Attendant First Class |
Att2 | Mess Attendant Second Class |
Avn Cdt | Aviation Cadet |
Cck | Chief Cook |
Ck1 | Cook First Class |
Ck2 | Cook Second Class |
Ck3 | Cook Third Class |
CMC | Commandant of the Marine Corps |
CMG | Chief Marine Gunner |
CPC | Chief Pay Clerk |
CQMC | Chief Quartermaster Clerk |
Drm Maj | Drum Major |
Fld Ck | Field Cook |
FM | Field Musician |
FM Cpl | Field Musician Corporal |
GM Sgt | Field Musician Sergeant |
FM1 | Field Musician First Class |
M CK | Master Cook |
M Std | Master Steward |
MARCAD | Marine Aviation Cadet |
Mess Cpl | Mess Corporal |
Mess Sgt | Mess Sergeant |
MG | Marine Gunner |
Mus 1 | Musician First Class |
Mus 2 | Musician Second Class |
Mus 3 | Musician Third Class |
P Sgt | Platoon Sergeant |
PC | Pay Clerk |
PM Sgt | Paymaster Sergeant |
Prin Mus | Principal Musician |
QM Sgt | Quartermaster Sergeant |
QMC | Quartermaster Clerk |
Std1 | Steward First Class |
Std2 | Steward Second Class |
Std3 | Steward Third Class |
StdA1 | Steward’s Assistant First Class |
StdA2 | Steward’s Assistant Second Class |
StdA3 | Steward’s Assistant Third Class |
StdT | Steward Technician |
SupSgt | Supply Sergeant |
TGySgt | Technical Gunnery Sergeant |
TSgt | Technical Sergeant |
More Military Resources
If you’re interested in learning more about the military, we’ve got more articles for you to read. Check out an informational list of common military vocabulary that you might hear from a commanding officer. Or, if you’re reaching someone stationed overseas, read an article that includes encouraging phrases and tips for communicating with a soldier.