|
Coast Guard LieutenantO-3 Junior Officer, U.S. Coast Guard |
|
Coast Guard Ranks » Lieutenant Rank • LT Pay • LT Rank History • Promotion Information
O-3 Lieutenant -
Junior Officer -
U.S. Coast Guard Ranks
Lieutenant Coast Guard Military Ranks
| Class | Junior Officer |
| Abbr. | LT |
| Title | Lieutenant (last name) |
| Paygrade |
O-3 (DoD Paygrade) OF-2 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $5,102/mo |
Lieutenant is the third commissioned officer rank in the United States Coast Guard and is comparable to the rank of Captain in the other branches of the Armed Service. Lieutenants serve as Division Officers aboard Coast Guard ships and command groups of sailors and petty officers in various divisions including the deck department, engineering, and others.
Coast Guard lieutenants are eligible to receive the position of First Lieutenant, which is a special billet that provides exceptional officers with enhanced leadership and responsibilities. First Lieutenants often serve as second in command aboard small naval ships, including frigates and destroyers, or as the senior Division Officer on a larger vessel. On smaller Coast Guard cutters and other vessels, the position of First Lieutenant may sometimes be filled by a senior petty officer.
Lieutenant is the 19th rank in the United States Coast Guard , ranking above Lieutenant Junior Grade and directly below Lieutenant Commander. A lieutenant is a Junior Officer at DoD paygrade O-3, with a starting monthly pay of $5,102.
How do you become a Lieutenant?
A Lieutenant is most often promoted from Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience. Click here to learn more about promotion to Lieutenant.
What is the proper way to address a Lieutenant?
The correct way to address a Lieutenant named Mr. Espinoza is "Lieutenant Espinoza", or written as LT Espinoza. In formal situations, a Lieutenant should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Lieutenant earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Lieutenant with 2 or less years of experience is $5,102.10 per month.
A Lieutenant receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Lieutenant's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Coast Guard Lieutenant may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including education allowance, food allowance, hostile fire pay, personal money allowance, and more.
For full details on the Coast Guard's Lieutenant compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Coast Guard Lieutenant Pay Chart. A full table of the Coast Guard's current paygrades are available at the Coast Guard Pay Chart.
Equivalent Ranks to the Coast Guard's O-3 Lieutenant
To learn more about the Coast Guard's rank structure, see our complete list of Coast Guard ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Lieutenant is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Coast Guard rank to GS grade conversion table 
.
To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Coast Guard and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.