|
Navy Master Chief Petty OfficerE-9 Senior Noncommissioned Officer, U.S. Navy |
|
Navy Ranks » Master Chief Petty Officer Rank • MCPO Pay • MCPO Rank History
E-9 Master Chief Petty Officer -
Senior Noncommissioned Officer -
U.S. Navy Ranks
Master Chief Petty Officer Navy Military Ranks
| Class | Senior Noncommissioned Officer |
| Abbr. | MCPO |
| Title | Master Chief (last name) NEVER Chief |
| Paygrade |
E-9 (DoD Paygrade) OR-9 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $6,371/mo |
Master Chief Petty Officer is one of the highest ranks available to enlisted members of the United States Navy, and is rated at the maximum enlisted DoD paygrade of E-9. Less then 1% of the Navy's personnel make it to the rank of Master Chief, and those who do are considered to be among the best and the brightest in their respective specialties.
Like the other Navy ranks, all MCPOs have a rating, or job specialty, which is included in their full title. A Master Chief Petty Officer who specializes as a Gunner's Mate, for example, would have a full title of Master Chief Gunner's Mate. Most MCPOs, however, are simply referred to as Master Chief by their subordinates.
Many Master Chief Petty Officers participate in the Command Master Chief Petty Officer Program, which provides advanced leadership and skills training for MCPOs eligible for advancement to senior leadership positions as Command Master Chief Petty Officers.
Promotion to Master Chief Petty Officer is similar to the promotion process for the other Chief Petty Officer ranks, and includes review by a sitting board of Master Chiefs in addition to a stringent series of evaluations and service time requirements.
Master Chief Petty Officer is the 9th rank in the United States Navy , ranking above Senior Chief Petty Officer and directly below Command Master Chief Petty Officer. A master chief petty officer is a Senior Noncommissioned Officer at DoD paygrade E-9, with a starting monthly pay of $6,371.
How do you become a Master Chief Petty Officer?
A Master Chief Petty Officer is most often promoted from Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.
Promotion to Master Chief Petty Officer requires 36 months as an E-8 plus exceptional performance evaluations, peer recommendations, further leadership indoctrination, and an exam common to all rates. Their promotion is approved by a special advancement board.
What is the proper way to address a Master Chief Petty Officer?
The correct way to address a Master Chief Petty Officer named Mr. Garelick is "Master Chief Garelick NEVER Chief", or written as MCPO Garelick. In addition to their rank, all Navy senior noncommissioned officers have a rating (job) such as Fire Controlman. This job is included in their full rank title. In formal situations, a Master Chief Petty Officer should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Master Chief Petty Officer earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Master Chief Petty Officer with Over 10 years of experience is $6,370.50 per month.
A Master Chief Petty Officer receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Master Chief Petty Officer's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Navy Master Chief Petty Officer may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including education allowance, food allowance, housing allowance, and more.
For full details on the Navy's Master Chief Petty Officer compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Pay Chart. A full table of the Navy's current paygrades are available at the Navy Pay Chart.
Equivalent Ranks to the Navy's E-9 Master Chief Petty Officer
To learn more about the Navy's rank structure, see our complete list of Navy ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Master Chief Petty Officer is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Navy rank to GS grade conversion table 
.
To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Navy and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.