Space Force Ranks in Order: Abbreviations and Pay Grades
The Space Force has nine enlisted pay grades (E-1 Specialist 1 up to E-9 Chief Master Sergeant), no warrant officer ranks and ten officer pay grades ending at O-10 General. Pay grade, not the rank name, sets basic pay: $2,407.20 to $18,999.90 a month in 2026.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Page reviewed against DFAS pay tables and defense.gov rank titles October 27, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Space Force enlisted ranks in order
Space Force enlisted ranks run E-1 Specialist 1 to E-9 Chief Master Sergeant: 9 pay grades and 9 rank titles.
| Rank | Abbreviation | Pay grade | 2026 monthly basic pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist 1 | Spc1 | E-1 | $2,407.20 |
| Specialist 2 | Spc2 | E-2 | $2,697.90 |
| Specialist 3 | Spc3 | E-3 | $2,836.80 – $3,198.00 |
| Specialist 4 | Spc4 | E-4 | $3,142.20 – $3,815.40 |
| Sergeant | Sgt | E-5 | $3,342.90 – $4,421.70 |
| Technical Sergeant | TSgt | E-6 | $3,401.10 – $5,267.70 |
| Master Sergeant | MSgt | E-7 | $3,932.10 – $7,067.40 |
| Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt | E-8 | $5,656.50 – $8,067.30 |
| Chief Master Sergeant | CMSgt | E-9 | $6,910.20 – $10,729.20 |
An E-1 with under four months of active duty is paid $2,225.70 a month; the E-1 row above is the rate after that.
The senior enlisted person of the Space Force is the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF), an E-9 position the defense.gov page lists apart from the other E-9 titles. The CMSSF is paid $11,166.90 a month in basic pay at any length of service.
Space Force commissioned officer ranks in order
Space Force commissioned officer ranks run O-1 Second Lieutenant to O-10 General, 10 pay grades.
| Rank | Abbreviation | Pay grade | 2026 monthly basic pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second Lieutenant | 2d Lt | O-1 | $4,150.20 – $5,222.40 |
| First Lieutenant | 1st Lt | O-2 | $4,782.00 – $6,617.70 |
| Captain | Capt | O-3 | $5,534.10 – $9,004.20 |
| Major | Maj | O-4 | $6,294.60 – $10,509.90 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Lt Col | O-5 | $7,295.40 – $12,394.80 |
| Colonel | Col | O-6 | $8,751.30 – $15,408.30* |
| Brigadier General | Brig Gen | O-7 | $11,540.10 – $17,242.20 |
| Major General | Maj Gen | O-8 | $13,888.50 – $18,999.90* |
| Lieutenant General | Lt Gen | O-9 | $18,999.90* |
| General | Gen | O-10 | $18,999.90* |
The defense.gov page lists no wartime-only five-star rank for the Space Force (N/A), so O-10 is the top of the table.
Basic pay at Executive Schedule Level V is capped at $15,408.30 a month in 2026; amounts held at that cap for O-6 are marked with an asterisk.
Basic pay at Executive Schedule Level II is capped at $18,999.90 a month in 2026; amounts held at that cap for O-8 to O-10 are marked with an asterisk.
Space Force warrant officers
The Space Force has no warrant officer ranks: the defense.gov page lists N/A for W-1 to W-5, so the pay grades go from E-9 straight to O-1.
How Space Force ranks differ from the other branches
The Space Force shares its titles at the most pay grades with the Army (11 of 19), the Air Force (11 of 19) and the Marine Corps (11 of 19). The table shows, branch by branch, where the same pay grade has a different title.
| Branch | Same titles | Where the title differs |
|---|---|---|
| Army | 11 of 19 pay grades | E-1 Specialist 1 in the Space Force; Private in the Army E-2 Specialist 2 in the Space Force; Private in the Army E-3 Specialist 3 in the Space Force; Private First Class in the Army E-4 Specialist 4 in the Space Force; Specialist or Corporal in the Army E-6 Technical Sergeant in the Space Force; Staff Sergeant in the Army E-7 Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Sergeant First Class in the Army E-8 Senior Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Master Sergeant (position at this grade: First Sergeant) in the Army E-9 Chief Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Sergeant Major (position at this grade: Command Sergeant Major) in the Army |
| Navy | 0 of 19 pay grades | E-4 Specialist 4 in the Space Force; Petty Officer Third Class in the Navy O-3 Captain in the Space Force; Lieutenant in the Navy O-6 Colonel in the Space Force; Captain in the Navy 3 of 19 shown |
| Air Force | 11 of 19 pay grades | E-1 Specialist 1 in the Space Force; Airman Basic in the Air Force E-2 Specialist 2 in the Space Force; Airman in the Air Force E-3 Specialist 3 in the Space Force; Airman First Class in the Air Force E-4 Specialist 4 in the Space Force; Senior Airman in the Air Force E-5 Sergeant in the Space Force; Staff Sergeant in the Air Force E-7 Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Master Sergeant (position at this grade: First Sergeant) in the Air Force E-8 Senior Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Senior Master Sergeant (position at this grade: First Sergeant) in the Air Force E-9 Chief Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Chief Master Sergeant (positions at this grade: First Sergeant, Command Chief Master Sergeant) in the Air Force |
| Marine Corps | 11 of 19 pay grades | E-1 Specialist 1 in the Space Force; Private in the Marine Corps E-2 Specialist 2 in the Space Force; Private First Class in the Marine Corps E-3 Specialist 3 in the Space Force; Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps E-4 Specialist 4 in the Space Force; Corporal in the Marine Corps E-6 Technical Sergeant in the Space Force; Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps E-7 Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps E-8 Senior Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Master Sergeant (position at this grade: First Sergeant) in the Marine Corps E-9 Chief Master Sergeant in the Space Force; Master Gunnery Sergeant or Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps |
| Coast Guard | 0 of 19 pay grades | E-4 Specialist 4 in the Space Force; Petty Officer Third Class in the Coast Guard O-3 Captain in the Space Force; Lieutenant in the Coast Guard O-6 Colonel in the Space Force; Captain in the Coast Guard 3 of 19 shown |
These are 2026 rates. A 2027 raise is not final: the proposals would take effect on January 1, 2027, and none is enacted yet. The military pay raise 2027 page tracks where each stands.
Space Force ranks FAQ
- What are the Space Force ranks in order?
- Enlisted: E-1 Specialist 1; E-2 Specialist 2; E-3 Specialist 3; E-4 Specialist 4; E-5 Sergeant; E-6 Technical Sergeant; E-7 Master Sergeant; E-8 Senior Master Sergeant; E-9 Chief Master Sergeant. Commissioned officer: O-1 Second Lieutenant; O-2 First Lieutenant; O-3 Captain; O-4 Major; O-5 Lieutenant Colonel; O-6 Colonel; O-7 Brigadier General; O-8 Major General; O-9 Lieutenant General; O-10 General.
- What is the lowest rank in the Space Force?
- The lowest Space Force rank is Specialist 1 (Spc1), pay grade E-1, paid $2,407.20 a month in basic pay in 2026.
- What is the highest rank in the Space Force?
- The highest Space Force rank in the pay table is General (Gen), pay grade O-10, paid $18,999.90 a month, the Executive Schedule Level II cap.
- What rank is E-5 in the Space Force?
- E-5 in the Space Force is Sergeant (Sgt). E-5 basic pay is $3,342.90 to $4,421.70 a month in 2026, depending on years of service.
- How much does a Sergeant make in 2026?
- Sergeant is pay grade E-5 in the Space Force. Monthly basic pay is $3,342.90 to $4,421.70 depending on years of service, or $40,114.80 to $53,060.40 a year (monthly times 12). That is basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are extra.
- How much does a Captain make in 2026?
- Captain is pay grade O-3 in the Space Force. Monthly basic pay is $5,534.10 to $9,004.20 depending on years of service, or $66,409.20 to $108,050.40 a year (monthly times 12). That is basic pay only; BAH, BAS and special pays are extra.
- Does the Space Force have warrant officers?
- No. The Space Force has no warrant officer ranks; enlisted ranks end at E-9 and commissioned officers start at O-1.
- Who is the senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force?
- The Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF), an E-9 position paid $11,166.90 a month at any length of service.