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Army SergeantE-5 Noncommissioned Officer, U.S. Army |
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Army Ranks » Sergeant Rank • SGT Pay • SGT Rank History • Promotion Information
E-5 Sergeant -
Noncommissioned Officer -
U.S. Army Ranks
Sergeant Army Military Ranks
| Class | Noncommissioned Officer |
| Abbr. | SGT |
| Title | Sergeant (last name) |
| Paygrade |
E-5 (DoD Paygrade) OR-5 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $2,872/mo |
A Sergeant is the second-lowest grade of NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer), directly above Corporal. Sergeants command small units of soldiers ranging in size from a fireteam, 4-5 soldiers, to a squad, which consists of two fireteams, and have a great deal of influence of the everyday lives and activities of their men. Some soldiers may then be promoted to Drill Sergeant, a special rank which requires additional experience and training.
Sergeant is the 6th rank in the United States Army , ranking above Corporal and directly below Staff Sergeant. A sergeant is a Noncommissioned Officer at DoD paygrade E-5, with a starting monthly pay of $2,872.
How do you become a Sergeant?
A Sergeant is most often promoted from Corporal (CPL), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience. Click here to learn more about promotion to Sergeant.
What is the proper way to address a Sergeant?
The correct way to address a Sergeant named Mr. Espinoza is "Sergeant Espinoza", or written as SGT Espinoza. In formal situations, a Sergeant should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Sergeant earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Sergeant with 2 or less years of experience is $2,872.20 per month.
A Sergeant receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Sergeant's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Army Sergeant may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including clothing allowance, education allowance, housing allowance, retirement benefits, and more.
For full details on the Army's Sergeant compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Army Sergeant Pay Chart. A full table of the Army's current paygrades are available at the Army Pay Chart.
Military Occupational Specialties for Army's E-5 Sergeant
 | Special Band Musician
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 | Transportation Management Coordinator
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 | Field Artillery Surveyor/Meteorological Crewmember
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 | Cryptologic Linguist
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 | Petroleum Supply Specialist
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To learn more about Military Occupational Specialties, see our complete list of MOS job titles.
Equivalent Ranks to the Army's E-5 Sergeant
To learn more about the Army's rank structure, see our complete list of Army ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Sergeant is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Army rank to GS grade conversion table 
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To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Army and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.