Navy Enlisted Promotion Chart

One of the most common questions asked to a military member is, "What is your rank?" In the Navy the term rank is often used by people who are not familiar with the Navy enlisted rate and paygrade system. However, the terms are not that much different and it is easy to distinguish an E-5 paygrade as a Second Class Petty Officer (rank). 

The fact is, only the Army, Air Force, and Marines actually have "ranks," to denote personnel in various paygrades.

For example, a Senior Airman in the Air Force has the "rank" of Senior Airman and is in the paygrade of E-4. You address him/her as "Senior Airman," regardless of what his/her job actually is.

The Navy doesn't have "ranks." They have "rates," which is a combination of the person's rating (job) and their paygrade. For example, the "rate" of an E-6 in the Navy (i.e., what you call him/her) depends on person's job. A person with the rating (job) of Sonar Technician (SG) in the Navy, in the paygrade of E-6, would be an "SG1," or "Sonar Technician First Class Petty Officer." An E-5 with the rating (job) of Mess Specialist (MS), would have the rate of MS2, or "Mess Specialist Second Class Petty Officer."

There is a difference between the services and how they acknowledge each other on a day to day basis. Also within the Navy, the ranks of the enlisted personnel have the following requirements and timeline to be eligible for promotion to the next higher rank.

 The below chart shows the minimum requirements for Navy enlisted promotions in the paygrades of E-2 through E-4.

Navy Requirements for Increasing Paygrades
 

The below chart shows the minimum requirements for Navy enlisted promotions in the paygrades of E-5 through E-9.