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Marine Corps Private First ClassE-2 Junior Enlisted, U.S. Marine Corps |
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Marine Corps Ranks » Private First Class Rank • PFC Pay • PFC Rank History
E-2 Private First Class -
Junior Enlisted -
U.S. Marine Corps Ranks
Private First Class Marine Corps Military Ranks
| Class | Junior Enlisted |
| Abbr. | PFC |
| Title | PFC (last name) |
| Paygrade |
E-2 (DoD Paygrade) OR-2 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $2,261/mo |
Private First Class is the second-lowest rank in the Marine Corps, ranking above Private and below Lance Corporal. A Private First Class in the Marines is equivalent in paygrade to a Private (PV2) in the Army, and is a full paygrade lower then an Army Private First Class because the Marine Corps only has one Private paygrade instead of the Army's two.
The rank of Private First Class was introduced by the Marine Corps following service in WWI in 1917 to mirror the Army's rank structure. Like their Army counterparts, a PFC in the Marines is expected to serve as a model for newly-enlisted troops and carry out the orders of their superior officers to the best of their abilities.
Private First Class is the 2nd rank in the United States Marine Corps , ranking above Private and directly below Lance Corporal. A private first class is a Junior Enlisted at DoD paygrade E-2, with a starting monthly pay of $2,261.
How do you become a Private First Class?
A Private First Class is most often promoted from Private (Pvt), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.
If the Marine joined the Corps as an E-1, then they are all but guaranteed to promote to E-2 after six months. Only an official record of bad behavior will hamper this. Alternately, the Marine may have graduated Recruit Training and immediately promoted to E-2 based on their initial signing contract and performance.
What is the proper way to address a Private First Class?
The correct way to address a Private First Class named Mr. Johnson is "PFC Johnson", or written as PFC Johnson. In formal situations, a Private First Class should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Private First Class earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Private First Class with 2 or less years of experience is $2,261.10 per month.
A Private First Class receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Private First Class' final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Marine Corps Private First Class may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including clothing allowance, food allowance, and more.
For full details on the Marine Corps' Private First Class compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Marine Corps Private First Class 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-2 Private First Class
To learn more about the Marine Corps' rank structure, see our complete list of Marine Corps ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Private First Class 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.