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Marine Corps Lance CorporalE-3 Junior Enlisted, U.S. Marine Corps |
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Marine Corps Ranks » Lance Corporal Rank • LCpl Pay • LCpl Rank History
E-3 Lance Corporal -
Junior Enlisted -
U.S. Marine Corps Ranks
Lance Corporal Marine Corps Military Ranks
| Class | Junior Enlisted |
| Abbr. | LCpl |
| Title | Lance Corporal (last name) |
| Paygrade |
E-3 (DoD Paygrade) OR-3 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $2,378/mo |
Lance Corporal is the third enlisted rank in the Marine Corps, equivalent to a Private First Class in the Army. Unlike the rank of Corporal, a Lance Corporal is not considered a non-commissioned officer. However, Marines promoted to this rank are expected to show a degree of leadership and skill in serving as role models for newly enlisted recruits.
While the Army temporarily had Lance Corporals in the 1960s, the Marine Corps is currently the only branch of the armed forces that maintains this rank.
Marines generally receive a promotion to Lance Corporal after one or more years of service. Once the rank of Lance Corporal has been achieved, they may qualify for promotion to Corporal by receiving a qualifying score on a composite skills and leadership assessment.
Lance Corporal is the 3rd rank in the United States Marine Corps , ranking above Private First Class and directly below Corporal. A lance corporal is a Junior Enlisted at DoD paygrade E-3, with a starting monthly pay of $2,378.
How do you become a Lance Corporal?
A Lance Corporal is most often promoted from Private First Class (PFC), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.
If the Marine entered the Navy as an E-2, then they are all but guaranteed to promote to E-3 after nine months. Only an official record of bad behavior will hamper this. Alternately, the Marine may have graduated Recruit Training and immediately promoted to E-3 based on their initial signing contract and performance.
What is the proper way to address a Lance Corporal?
The correct way to address a Lance Corporal named Mr. Espinoza is "Lance Corporal Espinoza", or written as LCpl Espinoza. In formal situations, a Lance Corporal should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Lance Corporal earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Lance Corporal with 2 or less years of experience is $2,377.50 per month.
A Lance Corporal receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Lance Corporal's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Marine Corps Lance Corporal may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including clothing allowance, housing allowance, and more.
For full details on the Marine Corps' Lance Corporal compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Marine Corps Lance Corporal Pay Chart. A full table of the Marine Corps' current paygrades are available at the Marine Corps Pay Chart.
Equivalent Ranks to the Marine Corps' E-3 Lance Corporal
To learn more about the Marine Corps' rank structure, see our complete list of Marine Corps ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Lance Corporal is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Marine Corps rank to GS grade conversion table 
.
To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Marine Corps and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.