Pay grades
E-9: the top enlisted grade
Sergeant major, master gunnery sergeant, master chief, chief master sergeant, and the six senior enlisted leaders paid a flat rate.
E-9: rank in each service, insignia and 2026 pay
Army, E-9 · Enlisted
Sergeant Major (SGM)
Senior noncommissioned officer
| Marine Corps | Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) |
| Navy | Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) |
| Air Force | Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) |
| Space Force | Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) |
| Coast Guard | Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) |
| 2026 basic pay, over 20 years | $8,105.10 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-9E-9 is the highest enlisted pay grade. Each service has several titles at E-9: the Army sergeant major (SGM) and command sergeant major (CSM), the Marine master gunnery sergeant (MGySgt) and sergeant major (SgtMaj), the Navy and Coast Guard master chief petty officer (MCPO) and command master chiefs, and the Air Force and Space Force chief master sergeant (CMSgt). Above them sits one person per service, its senior enlisted leader: the Sergeant Major of the Army, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force and the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. They are paid a flat $11,166.90 a month in 2026. Other E-9s start at $6,910.20 over ten years of service and reach $10,729.20 over 38.
What is a promotion worth in basic pay?
E-9 to W-1, over 20 years
-$1,095.00 / mo
| E-9 | $8,105.10 |
| W-1 | $7,010.10 |
| Over a year | -$13,140 |
Same years of service in both grades, 2026 DFAS table.
Ranks and pay tables read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Two kinds of sergeant major
The Army page sets the difference: the sergeant major is a subject matter expert who advises a primary staff officer at battalion or higher, while the command sergeant major is "the senior NCO of the command", the commander's enlisted adviser at battalion and above, up to brigades of 1,500 to 3,200 Soldiers. The Marine master gunnery sergeant and sergeant major likewise share E-9 pay but, as the Department of War chart says, have "different responsibilities". The senior enlisted leaders page lists the six service heads and their flat rate.
Quick check: 2026 basic pay
E-9, over 22 years
$8,423.10 / mo
| Over a year | $101,077 |
| Lowest rate of the grade | $6,910.20 |
| Highest rate of the grade | $10,729.20 |
DFAS table effective January 1, 2026; basic pay only.
The longest pay row
E-9 has no rate before over ten years and keeps rising until over 38, the last step of any enlisted row. The chart puts most E-8s and E-9s at 15 to 30 years on the job. In 2026, an E-9 over 30 years draws $9,730.20 a month. The figure for the senior enlisted leaders also sets the combat zone tax exclusion limit for officers, together with $225.00 of hostile fire or imminent danger pay, under the DFAS officer table's note.
E-9 in the six services
| Service | Rank | Abbreviation | Insignia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major (position) Sergeant Major of the Army (one person) | SGM CSM SMA | |
| Marine Corps | Master Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant Major (position) Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (one person) | MGySgt SgtMaj SgtMajMC |    |
| Navy | Master Chief Petty Officer Fleet/Command Master Chief Petty Officer (position) Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (one person) | MCPO MCPON |    |
| Air Force | Chief Master Sergeant First Sergeant (position) Command Chief Master Sergeant (position) Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (one person) | CMSgt CMSAF |     |
| Space Force | Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (one person) | CMSgt CMSSF |   |
| Coast Guard | Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer (position) Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (one person) | MCPO MCPOCG |    |
E-9 basic pay in 2026, by years of service
| Years of service | Monthly basic pay | Over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Over 10 | $6,910.20 | $82,922 |
| Over 12 | $7,066.50 | $84,798 |
| Over 14 | $7,263.60 | $87,163 |
| Over 16 | $7,496.10 | $89,953 |
| Over 18 | $7,730.70 | $92,768 |
| Over 20 | $8,105.10 | $97,261 |
| Over 22 | $8,423.10 | $101,077 |
| Over 24 | $8,756.70 | $105,080 |
| Over 26 | $9,267.90 | $111,215 |
| Over 30 | $9,730.20 | $116,762 |
| Over 34 | $10,217.40 | $122,609 |
| Over 38 | $10,729.20 | $128,750 |