Pay grades
Warrant officer ranks, W-1 to W-5
The technical experts between the enlisted and the commissioned ranks. Which services use each grade, how they are written, and what the warrant table pays in 2026.
Look up a warrant officer rank
Army, W-2 · Warrant officer
Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2)
Chief warrant officer, commissioned
| Marine Corps | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) |
| Navy | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) |
| Air Force | warrant officer |
| Space Force | no rank at this grade |
| Coast Guard | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) |
| 2026 basic pay, over 8 years | $6,051.00 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 W-2Warrant officers fill five pay grades, W-1 to W-5, between the enlisted and the commissioned ranks. The Department of War chart describes them as "specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities" who hold warrants from their service secretary and "receive commissions from the president upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2". From then on they derive their authority from the same source as commissioned officers but "remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers, who are generalists". The Army and the Marine Corps use all five grades, the Navy all five too on the current chart, the Coast Guard only W-2 to W-4, and the Space Force none. The Air Force, which phased warrant officers out in 1959, brought them back in 2024. In 2026 the warrant pay table runs from $4,056.60 a month for a new W-1 to $13,308.30 for a W-5 over 38 years.
Quick check: 2026 basic pay
W-3, over 12 years
$7,136.40 / mo
| Over a year | $85,637 |
| Lowest rate of the grade | $5,223.30 |
| Highest rate of the grade | $9,162.60 |
DFAS table effective January 1, 2026; basic pay only.
Ranks and pay tables read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Which services use which grades
| Grade | Army | Marine Corps | Navy | Air Force | Space Force | Coast Guard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) | Warrant Officer 1 (WO) | Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) | reinstated 2024, title not on the chart | – | – |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) | reinstated 2024, title not on the chart | – | Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3) | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3) | reinstated 2024, title not on the chart | – | Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3) |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4) | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4) | reinstated 2024, title not on the chart | – | Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4) |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) | Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CWO5) | Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CWO5) | reinstated 2024, title not on the chart | – | – |
Abbreviations
The Army writes WO1 and CW2 to CW5; the Marine Corps WO and CWO2 to CWO5; the Navy WO1 and CWO2 to CWO5; the Coast Guard CWO2 to CWO4. Title 37 of the US Code names the grades "Warrant Officer, W-1" and "Chief Warrant Officer, W-2" to "W-5".
How is this rank abbreviated?
Marine Corps, W-1
WO
| Warrant Officer 1 | WO |
Abbreviations as printed on the Department of War chart; capitals differ by service.
What the Army expects at each grade
The Army's descriptions rise with the scope of support: the WO1 is a "technical leader, trainer, operator, manager, maintainer, sustainer, and advisor"; the CW2 an intermediate expert at detachment through battalion; the CW3 an advanced expert from team to brigade; the CW4 a senior expert from battalion to corps, with mentorship duties; the CW5 a master-level expert at brigade, division, corps and major commands.
The warrant pay table
All warrant grades are paid from one DFAS table. Its rows start high, since warrant officers usually arrive with years of service, and rise long: W-5 has no rate before over twenty years. Each grade page gives the full row; the pay chart puts it beside the enlisted and officer tables.