U.S. Marine Corps Rank Abbreviations List

Updated January 11, 2022
Marine eagle, globe and anchor with American flag
  • DESCRIPTION
    Marine eagle, globe and anchor with American flag
  • SOURCE
    mj0007 / iStock / Getty Images Plus

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

Advertisement

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

Advertisement

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.