|
Marine Corps SergeantE-5 Noncommissioned Officer, U.S. Marine Corps |
|
Marine Corps Ranks » Sergeant Rank • Sgt Pay • Sgt Rank History • Promotion Information
E-5 Sergeant -
Noncommissioned Officer -
U.S. Marine Corps Ranks
Sergeant Marine Corps Military Ranks
| Class | Noncommissioned Officer |
| Abbr. | Sgt |
| Title | Sergeant (last name) NEVER Sarge |
| Paygrade |
E-5 (DoD Paygrade) OR-5 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $2,872/mo |
Sergeant is a junior noncommissioned officer rank in the USMC, and the oldest rank in the Marine Corps. Sergeants serve as squad leaders in combat operations, and lead a squad of eight soldiers including one or more Corporals.
Because the Marine Corps operates many missions on the fireteam and squad level, Marine Corps sergeants often have a great deal of leadership and responsibility in carrying out their objectives.
Because of their expanded role in direct combat oparations, promotion to sergeant is handled on a case-by-case basis. In their first step towards promotion, prospective candidates recieve an individual Fitrep (fitness report) from their commanding officer. Fitreps are concise documents outlining a Marine's demonstrated skills, accomplishments, and leadership ability as well as their personal character. For each round of promotions, candidates are then selected for promotion to sergeant based on their qualification for the position as described in their individual Fitrep.
Sergeant is the 5th rank in the United States Marine Corps , 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. Johnson is "Sergeant Johnson NEVER Sarge", or written as Sgt Johnson. 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 Marine Corps Sergeant 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' Sergeant compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Marine Corps Sergeant 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-5 Sergeant
To learn more about the Marine Corps' rank structure, see our complete list of Marine Corps ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Sergeant 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.