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Marine Corps Lieutenant ColonelO-5 Field Officer, U.S. Marine Corps |
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Marine Corps Ranks » Lieutenant Colonel Rank • LtCol Pay • LtCol Rank History • Promotion Information
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel -
Field Officer -
U.S. Marine Corps Ranks
Lieutenant Colonel Marine Corps Military Ranks
| Class | Field Officer |
| Abbr. | LtCol |
| Title | Colonel (last name) NEVER Lieutenant |
| Paygrade |
O-5 (DoD Paygrade) OF-5 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $6,726/mo |
A Lieutenant Colonel is the second field officer grade commissioned officer rank in the United States Marine Corps. A Lieutenant Colonel generally commands a battalion of 300 to 1,000 soldiers assisted by a Major, multiple junior commissioned officers, and a Command Sergeant Major as principal enlisted advisor. A Lieutenant Colonel may also serve as an Executive Officer or Staff Officer in a variety of high-level units or command posts.
It will generally take an officer in the Marine Corps16 to 22 years to rise to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. As a result, many career officers who are eligible to retire after 20 years of active service retire at this rank.
Lieutenant Colonel is the 22nd rank in the United States Marine Corps , ranking above Major and directly below Colonel. A lieutenant colonel is a Field Officer at DoD paygrade O-5, with a starting monthly pay of $6,726.
How do you become a Lieutenant Colonel?
A Lieutenant Colonel is most often promoted from Major (Maj), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience. Click here to learn more about promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
What is the proper way to address a Lieutenant Colonel?
The correct way to address a Lieutenant Colonel named Mr. Weber is "Colonel Weber NEVER Lieutenant", or written as LtCol Weber. In formal situations, a Lieutenant Colonel should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Lieutenant Colonel earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Lieutenant Colonel with 2 or less years of experience is $6,725.70 per month.
A Lieutenant Colonel receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Lieutenant Colonel's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including food allowance, clothing allowance, education allowance, hazard pay, and more.
For full details on the Marine Corps' Lieutenant Colonel compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel 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' O-5 Lieutenant Colonel
To learn more about the Marine Corps' rank structure, see our complete list of Marine Corps ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Lieutenant Colonel is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Marine Corps 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 Marine Corps and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.