Pay grades
E-8: master sergeant, first sergeant, senior chief
The grade where the Army, the Marines and the Air Force split into two jobs at the same pay. Titles, insignia and the 2026 pay row.
E-8: rank in each service, insignia and 2026 pay
Army, E-8 · Enlisted
Master Sergeant (MSG)
Senior noncommissioned officer
| Marine Corps | Master Sergeant (MSgt) |
| Navy | Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) |
| Air Force | Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) |
| Space Force | Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) |
| Coast Guard | Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) |
| 2026 basic pay, over 16 years | $6,448.20 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-8E-8 is the eighth enlisted pay grade, the second senior noncommissioned grade. The Army and the Marine Corps have two ranks here: master sergeant (MSG in the Army, MSgt in the Marine Corps), who is mainly a technical expert, and first sergeant (1SG in the Army), the senior NCO of a company. The Air Force has senior master sergeant (SMSgt) and first sergeants at E-8, the Space Force senior master sergeant, and the Navy and the Coast Guard senior chief petty officer (SCPO). The Department of War chart explains that whether an Air Force E-8 is a senior master sergeant or a first sergeant "depends on the person's job". E-8 pay has no rate before eight years of service: in 2026 it starts at $5,656.50 a month over eight years and reaches $8,067.30 over 30.
What is a promotion worth in basic pay?
E-8 to E-9, over 16 years
+$1,047.90 / mo
| E-8 | $6,448.20 |
| E-9 | $7,496.10 |
| Over a year | +$12,575 |
Same years of service in both grades, 2026 DFAS table.
Ranks and pay tables read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The first sergeant
The Army calls its first sergeant the "life-blood of the company: the provider, disciplinarian and wise counselor", the senior NCO of a company of 60 to 200 Soldiers who advises the commander, usually a captain. The master sergeant, at the same grade, is in the Army's words the "principal NCO at the battalion level and often higher". The two wear different insignia, both shown in the table below.
No E-8 before eight years
The DFAS table leaves the E-8 columns for "2 or less" to "over 6" empty: the services do not promote to E-8 that early, so no rate exists. The first rate is $5,656.50, $520.80 above an E-7 with the same eight years. The tool below gives the rate at any length of service.
Quick check: 2026 basic pay
E-8, over 16 years
$6,448.20 / mo
| Over a year | $77,378 |
| Lowest rate of the grade | $5,656.50 |
| Highest rate of the grade | $8,067.30 |
DFAS table effective January 1, 2026; basic pay only.
E-8 in the six services
| Service | Rank | Abbreviation | Insignia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Master Sergeant First Sergeant (position) | MSG 1SG | |
| Marine Corps | Master Sergeant First Sergeant (position) | MSgt |   |
| Navy | Senior Chief Petty Officer | SCPO |  |
| Air Force | Senior Master Sergeant First Sergeant (position) | SMSgt |   |
| Space Force | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt |  |
| Coast Guard | Senior Chief Petty Officer | SCPO |  |
E-8 basic pay in 2026, by years of service
| Years of service | Monthly basic pay | Over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Over 8 | $5,656.50 | $67,878 |
| Over 10 | $5,907.00 | $70,884 |
| Over 12 | $6,061.80 | $72,742 |
| Over 14 | $6,247.20 | $74,966 |
| Over 16 | $6,448.20 | $77,378 |
| Over 18 | $6,811.20 | $81,734 |
| Over 20 | $6,995.40 | $83,945 |
| Over 22 | $7,308.30 | $87,700 |
| Over 24 | $7,481.70 | $89,780 |
| Over 26 | $7,908.90 | $94,907 |
| Over 30 | $8,067.30 | $96,808 |