Space Force Ranks and Insignia
USSF has 19 ranks: 9 enlisted (E-1 to E-9) and 10 officer (O-1 to O-10), with no warrant officer corps. Enlisted start at Specialist 1 (Spc1) and top out at Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF). Officers run 2nd Lieutenant to General. Every member is a Guardian.
Updated October 2026
Space Force Ranks and Pay at a Glance
In 2026, Space Force monthly basic pay starts at $2,407 for a Specialist 1 (E-1) and $4,150 for a Second Lieutenant (O-1) under the single Department of Defense (DoD) pay table every branch shares. Pay grade and years of service determine each Guardian's basic pay rate.
| Rank | Pay grade | 2026 monthly basic pay (entry) |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist 1 | E-1 | $2,407 |
| Specialist 2 | E-2 | $2,698 |
| Specialist 3 | E-3 | $2,837 |
| Specialist 4 | E-4 | $3,142 |
| Sergeant | E-5 | $3,343 |
| Technical Sergeant | E-6 | $3,401 |
| Master Sergeant | E-7 | $3,932 |
| Senior Master Sergeant | E-8 | $5,657 (6 years) |
| Chief Master Sergeant | E-9 | $6,910 (10 years) |
| Second Lieutenant | O-1 | $4,150 |
| First Lieutenant | O-2 | $4,782 |
| Captain | O-3 | $5,534 |
| Major | O-4 | $6,295 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | O-5 | $7,295 |
| Colonel | O-6 | $8,751 |
| Brigadier General | O-7 | $11,540 |
| Major General | O-8 | $13,888 |
| Lieutenant General | O-9 | Capped by law (Level II) |
| General | O-10 | Capped by law (Level II) |
These figures reflect monthly basic pay at entry (under 2 years of service unless noted) before taxes. Pay rises with years of service, and housing (BAH) and food (BAS) allowances come on top. Basic pay for Lieutenant General (O-9) and General (O-10) is capped by law at Executive Schedule Level II. Check the Space Force pay chart for pay at higher years of service, or use the Space Force pay calculator for a personal estimate.
Why Space Force ranks differ from Air Force ranks
USSF stood up Dec 20, 2019 borrowing USAF rank titles. That changed in February 2021, when USSF announced its own enlisted titles for E-1 through E-4. USAF still uses Airman Basic, Airman, Airman 1st Class, Senior Airman; USSF now uses Specialist 1, 2, 3, 4. From E-5 upward, USSF kept USAF NCO titles. Officer ladder is identical.
The 'Guardian' demonym
On December 18, 2020, USSF officially designated every member a Guardian — intentionally avoiding 'soldier,' 'sailor,' 'Marine,' or 'airman' to mark USSF as distinct.
Enlisted ranks (E-1 to E-9)
- E-1 Specialist 1 (Spc1): No insignia. NATO: OR-1.
- E-2 Specialist 2 (Spc2): One chevron up. OR-2.
- E-3 Specialist 3 (Spc3): Two chevrons up. OR-3.
- E-4 Specialist 4 (Spc4): Three chevrons up. OR-4.
- E-5 Sergeant (Sgt): First NCO grade. OR-5.
- E-6 Technical Sergeant (TSgt): OR-6.
- E-7 Master Sergeant (MSgt): OR-7.
- E-8 Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt): Delta device. OR-8.
- E-9 Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt): Star centerpiece. OR-9.
- CMSSF: Senior enlisted advisor — CMSSF John Bentivegna (2024).
Officer ranks (O-1 to O-10)
- O-1 2nd Lieutenant (2Lt): One gold bar. OF-1.
- O-2 1st Lieutenant (1Lt): One silver bar. OF-1.
- O-3 Captain (Capt): Two silver bars. OF-2.
- O-4 Major (Maj): Gold oak leaf. OF-3.
- O-5 Lt Colonel (Lt Col): Silver oak leaf. OF-4.
- O-6 Colonel (Col): Silver eagle. OF-5.
- O-7 Brig Gen: 1 star. OF-6.
- O-8 Maj Gen: 2 stars. OF-7.
- O-9 Lt Gen: 3 stars. OF-8.
- O-10 General (Gen): 4 stars. OF-9. The CSO holds this rank.
USSF vs USAF Rank Comparison
| Grade | USSF | USAF | NATO |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Spc1 | Airman Basic | OR-1 |
| E-3 | Spc3 | Airman 1st Class | OR-3 |
| E-4 | Spc4 | Senior Airman | OR-4 |
| E-5 | Sergeant | Staff Sergeant | OR-5 |
| E-9 | CMSgt | CMSgt | OR-9 |
| O-1 | 2Lt | 2Lt | OF-1 |
| O-10 | General | General | OF-9 |
How USSF ranks tie to pay
Pay grade (E-1 to E-9, O-1 to O-10) drives base pay, not title. A Spc4 (E-4) and a Senior Airman (E-4) earn the same. See Space Force pay chart and pay calculator. Cross-service: officer pay, enlisted pay. Compare another branch: Coast Guard ranks.
Why no warrant officers?
USSF is small (~14,000 active Guardians 2024) and heavily technical. The Specialist/NCO and officer tracks together cover every career path. No current plan to add warrants.
Sources
U.S. Space Force, Air Force Personnel Center, DoD P&R.
Related Space Force guides
Want the bigger picture? Compare the branches in our Space Force vs Air Force guide, explore Space Force jobs, learn what the Space Force does, or read what the proposed Space Force academy would change.