Reviewed by Jonathan Teplitsky · Updated July 2026
Air Force ranks in order (lowest to highest)
The Air Force has 19 ranks: 9 enlisted (E-1–E-9) and 10 officer (O-1–O-10). Unlike the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, the Air Force has not actively commissioned warrant officers since 1959 — enlisted and officer are the only two active career tracks.
Enlisted ranks (E-1–E-9)
| Grade | Rank | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Airman Basic | AB |
| E-2 | Airman | Amn |
| E-3 | Airman First Class | A1C |
| E-4 | Senior Airman | SrA |
| E-5 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt |
| E-6 | Technical Sergeant | TSgt |
| E-7 | Master Sergeant | MSgt |
| E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt |
| E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant | CMSgt |
E-9 has additional senior leadership tiers beyond the base Chief Master Sergeant title, including First Sergeant and Command Chief Master Sergeant duty positions, capped by the single service-wide Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF), the senior enlisted advisor to the Chief of Staff.
Officer ranks (O-1–O-10)
| Grade | Rank | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2Lt |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1Lt |
| O-3 | Captain | Capt |
| O-4 | Major | Maj |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | Lt Col |
| O-6 | Colonel | Col |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | Brig Gen |
| O-8 | Major General | Maj Gen |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | Lt Gen |
| O-10 | General | Gen |
Four-star General (O-10) is the highest rank normally held. The five-star wartime rank General of the Air Force exists in law but has never actually been awarded to anyone.
Air Force vs Space Force ranks
Officer ranks are identical between the two services. Enlisted ranks diverged in February 2021, when the Space Force introduced its own E-1–E-4 titles (Specialist 1 through Specialist 4) instead of Airman Basic, Airman, Airman First Class, and Senior Airman. From E-5 up, both services still use the same NCO titles. See the Space Force ranks page for the full side-by-side comparison.
How rank ties to pay
Pay grade and years of service — not the rank title itself — set your monthly base pay. See the Air Force pay chart for exact base pay by grade and time in service.
Other branch rank charts
See how the Air Force's rank structure compares to the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Sources
Airforce.com — Ranks and Insignia.
Frequently asked questions about Air Force ranks
What are the Air Force ranks in order? Airman Basic through Chief Master Sergeant (enlisted), then Second Lieutenant through General (officer) — see the tables above.
What is the highest Air Force rank? General (O-10), four stars. The 5-star General of the Air Force has never been awarded.
Does the Air Force have warrant officers? Not actively since 1959 — only enlisted and commissioned officer tracks are open today.
How do Air Force and Space Force ranks compare? Officer ranks match exactly; enlisted E-1–E-4 titles diverged in 2021.