37 USC 201 – Pay grades: assignment to; general rules
(a)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), for the purpose of computing their basic pay, commissioned officers of the uniformed services (other than commissioned warrant officers) are assigned by the grade or rank in which serving to the following pay grades:
| Pay grade | Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps | Navy, Coast Guard, and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Public Health Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-?10 | General | Admiral | Assistant Secretary for Health. |
| O-9 | Lieutenant general | Vice admiral | Surgeon General. |
| O-8 | Major general | Rear admiral | Deputy Surgeon General.
Assistant Surgeon General having rank of major general. |
| O-7 | Brigadier general | Rear admiral (lower half) | Assistant Surgeon General having rank of brigadier general. |
| O-6 | Colonel | Captain | Director grade. |
| O-5 | Lieutenant colonel | Commander | Senior grade. |
| O-4 | Major | Lieutenant commander | Full grade. |
| O-3 | Captain | Lieutenant | Senior assistant grade. |
| O-2 | 1st lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | Assistant grade. |
| O-1 | 2d lieutenant | Ensign | Junior assistant grade. |
Terms Used In 37 USC 201
- officer: includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office. See 1 USC 1
(2) For the purpose of computing their basic pay, commissioned officers of the Space Force are assigned to the pay grades in the table in paragraph (1) by grade or rank in the Air Force that is equivalent to the grade or rank in which such officers are serving in the Space Force.
(b) For the purpose of computing their basic pay, warrant officers of the armed forces are assigned, by the warrant officer grade in which serving, to the following pay grades:
| Pay Grade: | Warrant Officer Grade: |
|---|---|
| W-?5 | Chief Warrant Officer, W-?5. |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer, W-4. |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer, W-3. |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer, W-2. |
| W-1 | Warrant Officer, W-1. |
(c) Unless entitled to the basic pay of a higher pay grade, an aviation cadet of the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard is entitled to monthly basic pay at the lowest rate prescribed for pay grade E-4.
(d) Unless he is entitled to the basic pay of a higher pay grade, an aviation pilot of the Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, or Coast Guard Reserve is entitled to monthly basic pay at the rate prescribed for pay grade E-5.
(e) Except as provided by subsections (c) and (d), enlisted members of the uniformed services shall, for the purpose of computing their basic pay, be distributed by the Secretary concerned in the various enlisted pay grades set forth in section 203 of this title. However, except as provided by section 307 of this title, an enlisted member may not be placed in pay grade E-8 or E-?9 until he has completed at least 8 years or 10 years, respectively, of enlisted service computed under section 205 of this title.