United States Marine Corps Rank Structure

Pay Grade         Title Insignia                  collar device

 O-1                  Second Lieutenant          mco1_collar.gif

O-2                   First Lieutenant                  mco2_collar.gif

O-3                   Captain                                  mco3_collar.gif

O-4                   Major                                     mco4_collar.gif

O-5                   Lieutenant Colonel             mco5_collar.gif

O-6                   Colonel                                  mco6_collar.gif

 

O-7                   Brigadier General           mco7_collar.gif                          

O-8                   Major General                mco8_collar.gif

O-9                   Lieutenant General         mco9_collar.gif

O-10                 General                         mco10_collar.gif

Enlisted
E-1 Private (No Insignia)
E-2 Private First Class (1 Chevron)
E-3 Lance Corporal (1 Chevron w/ crossed rifles)
E-4 Corporal (2 Chevrons w/ crossed rifles)
E-5 Sergeant (3 Chevrons w/ crossed rifles)
E-6 Staff Sergeant (3 Chevrons w/ crossed rifles and 1 rocker)
E-7 Gunnery Sergeant (3 Chevrons w/ crossed rifles and 2 rockers)
E-8 First Sergeant and Master Sergeant (FS:3 Chevrons with diamond and 3 rockers; MS:Substitutes diamond for crossed rifles)
E-9 Sergeant Major and Master Gunnery Sergeant (SM:3 Chevrons with star and 4 rockers; MGS:Substitutes star for bursting bomb)

The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps has an Eagle, Globe, Anchor in the place of his star on his rank insignia.

Warrant Officer
W1-Warrant Officer 1-Gold bar with two red squares
W2-Chief Warrant Officer 2-Gold bar w/three red squares
W3-Chief Warrant Officer 3-Silver bar w/ two red squares
W4-Chief Warrant Officer 4-Silver bar w/ three red squares
W5-Chief Warrant Officer 5-Silver bar w/ red line

Warrant Officers are all prior enlisted Marines(unlike the Army which allows civilians to go directly into WO ranks). They are specialists in certain fields like infantry. They always stay in their specialty field. There are only about 2000 Warrant Officers in the Marine Corps.

Officer
O-1 2nd Lieutenant (One gold bar)
O-2 1st Lieutenant (One silver bar)
O-3 Captain (Double silver bars)
O-4 Major (Golden oak leaf)
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel (Silver oak leaf)
O-6 Colonel (Silver eagle)
O-7 Brigadier General (One silver star)
O-8 Major General (Two silver stars)
O-9 Lieutenant General (Three silver stars)
O-10 General (Four silver stars

The Commandant of the Marine Corps has four stars. The Assistant Commandant also has four stars as well. There are about 4 Four star generals in the Marine Corps at any given time.