Pay grades
E-4: specialist or corporal
The only grade where the Army has two ranks side by side, and where the Marines and the naval services already lead. Titles, insignia and 2026 pay.
E-4: rank in each service, insignia and 2026 pay
Army, E-4 · Enlisted
Specialist (SPC)
Junior enlisted
| Marine Corps | Corporal (Cpl) |
| Navy | Petty Officer Third Class (PO3) |
| Air Force | Senior Airman (SrA) |
| Space Force | Specialist 4 (Spc4) |
| Coast Guard | Petty Officer Third Class (PO3) |
| 2026 basic pay, over 3 years | $3,482.40 a month |
Same pay grade means the same basic pay in every service. Basic pay only: housing, food and special pays are not included.
Everything about E-4E-4 is the fourth enlisted pay grade, and the one where the services part ways on leadership. The Army has two ranks at E-4: specialist (SPC), the more common, and corporal (CPL), which the Army calls the "base of the noncommissioned officer ranks". The Department of War chart explains that a corporal is expected to lead and outranks a specialist, although both receive E-4 pay. The Marine Corps has only corporal (Cpl), already an NCO. The Navy and the Coast Guard reach petty officer third class (PO3) here, their first petty officer grade. The Air Force has senior airman (SrA) and the Space Force specialist 4 (Spc4), neither of them an NCO. In 2026, E-4 basic pay runs from $3,142.20 a month to $3,815.40, reached at over six years of service.
What is a promotion worth in basic pay?
E-4 to E-5, over 3 years
+$293.40 / mo
| E-4 | $3,482.40 |
| E-5 | $3,775.80 |
| Over a year | +$3,521 |
Same years of service in both grades, 2026 DFAS table.
Ranks and pay tables read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Specialist versus corporal
The Army page sets the difference in a few words: the specialist "can manage enlisted Soldiers of lower rank", the corporal serves "as team leader of the smallest Army units" and is responsible for individual training. The chart adds that, for rank inside the Army, the specialist "ranks immediately below corporal", while between services rank follows the pay grade. Both draw the same pay. The Army also enlists four-year college graduates directly as specialists. Promotion to E-5, sergeant, requires eleven months in grade and 47 months of service under the Army's published rule.
What is a promotion worth in basic pay?
E-4 to E-5, over 4 years
+$288.30 / mo
| E-4 | $3,658.50 |
| E-5 | $3,946.80 |
| Over a year | +$3,460 |
Same years of service in both grades, 2026 DFAS table.
E-4 in the naval services and the Air Force
The petty officer insignia is a rating badge: the Department of War chart explains that the specialty mark in its center shows the sailor's rating, or job. The chart notes that gold stripes replace red ones after twelve or more years of good conduct. In the Air Force, a senior airman is still junior enlisted; the Air Force's first NCO grade is staff sergeant at E-5. The NCO page compares where each service draws the line.
E-4 in the six services
| Service | Rank | Abbreviation | Insignia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Specialist Corporal (position) | SPC CPL | |
| Marine Corps | Corporal | Cpl |  |
| Navy | Petty Officer Third Class | PO3 |  |
| Air Force | Senior Airman | SrA |  |
| Space Force | Specialist 4 | Spc4 |  |
| Coast Guard | Petty Officer Third Class | PO3 |  |
E-4 basic pay in 2026, by years of service
| Years of service | Monthly basic pay | Over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | $3,142.20 | $37,706 |
| Over 2 | $3,303.00 | $39,636 |
| Over 3 | $3,482.40 | $41,789 |
| Over 4 | $3,658.50 | $43,902 |
| Over 6 | $3,815.40 | $45,785 |