Warrant Officer Ranks and Pay for 2023

What are warrant officer ranks and pay compared to other enlisted military personnel?

In general, warrant officers rank above enlisted service members but below commissioned officers.

Like other ranks in the military, United States warrant officers are paid according to rank and years of service.

Learn more about what you can expect to earn as a warrant officer in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

Related Article – Air Force Ranks And Basic Pay

Warrant Officer Ranks & Pay for 2023

The United States Armed Forces ranks warrant officers high among its military personnel.

In fact, warrant officers are highly skilled, single-track officers who usually excel in their specialty.

Be that as it may, each military branch that employs warrant officers utilizes them differently.

Currently, the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps promote enlisted personnel into warrant officers.

Warrant officers can achieve the following ranks:

• Warrant Officer 1 (W-1)
• Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2)
• Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3)
• Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4)
• Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5)

Meanwhile, the United States Air Force and Space Force do not assign the rank of warrant officer.

Nevertheless, earning the rank of warrant officer in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard is an important distinction.

More importantly, the rank of a warrant officer impacts the amount of pay the service member earns each month (more details, below).

Additionally, the monthly pay for warrant officers in the U.S. military is also influenced by the years of service.

Generally, the more years of service and higher rank — the higher the monthly income.

Learn more about the warrant officer ranks and pay for each military branch:

Army Warrant Officers – Rank & Pay

The United States Army ranks warrant officers the same as the Navy and Marine Corps.

The amount of pay a warrant officer receives each month depends on the rank and years of service:

Army warrant officers consist of technical experts, combat leaders, trainers, and advisors.

In the past, the U.S. Army has utilized warrant officers to serve in specific positions that demand more years of service.

For this reason, many Army warrant officers become experts in a particular field or industry.

Army warrant officers are usually addressed as “Mister/Miss,” and ranks CW2 through CW5 are also referred to as “Chief.”

Related Article – Army Ranks And Pay

Marine Corps Warrant Officers – Rank & Pay

The U.S. Marine Corps has also established the rank of warrant officer.

Marine warrant officers have the same ranks (W-1 through CW5) as the U.S. Army and Navy.

Notwithstanding, the amount a warrant officer earns each month is variable depending on rank and years of service:

The Marine Corps incorporates warrant officers to fulfill the responsibilities of a high-ranking “subject matter expert.”

In other words, Marine warrant officers (like Army chief officers) are usually technical experts who specialize in a certain military occupation.

Marines are promoted by warrant of the secretary of the Navy and become commissioned officers at rank CW2 and higher.

Related Article – Marine Ranks And Basic Pay

Navy Warrant Officers – Rank & Pay

The United States Navy also warrants officers of this rank.

And, like the other service branches, monthly pay is based on rank and years of service:

The U.S. Navy utilizes warrant officers comparably to the Army and Marine Corps.

All in all, Navy warrant officers serve in 30 different technical specialties.

The appointment allows the Navy to capitalize on experience and expertise without having to frequently reassign the warrant officer for advancement.

Related Article – Navy SEAL Ranks

Coast Guard Warrant Officers – Rank & Pay

The United States Coast Guard also awards the warrant officer rank.

And, like the other service branches, monthly pay is based on rank and years of service:

The U.S. Coast Guard utilizes warrant officers similarly as does the Navy, however, it discontinued the rank of WO1 in 1975. Although the USCG was authorized to award the rank of WO5 in 1994, this branch of the service has not yet awarded it to any member of its ranks. 

Coast Guard warrant officers serve in over 20 different technical specialties.

The appointment allows the Coast Guard to award technical prowess with higher pay without requiring a formal college education. 

U.S. Military Warrant Officer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do warrant officers rank compared to other enlisted personnel?

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding U.S. warrant officers:

How do warrant officers rank in the military?

Warrant officers (W-1 through CW5) rank above all non-commissioned officers, including cadets and midshipmen.

However, warrant officers are subordinate to the lower officer grade of O-1.

What do warrant officers do in the U.S. Armed Forces?

The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps each assign warrant officers slightly differently.

Nonetheless, the basic purpose of warrant officers is to offer a specialty or technical expertise.

As a result, U.S. warrant officers command everything from detachments and units to water vessels and aircraft.

Furthermore, warrant officers often serve as leaders or trainers within their given specialty.

How are warrant officers assigned?

The appointment to the rank of Warrant Officer 1 (W-1) is generally issued by the secretary of the Army or Navy.

However, appointment to the rank of warrant officer is also earned by commission.

The ranking of Chief Warrant Officer (CW2 through CW5) is commissioned by the president of the United States.

U.S. warrant officers take the same oath as other commissioned officers (O-1 through O-10).

Does the Air Force and Space Force have warrant officers?

No, the United States Air Force stopped appointing warrant officers in 1959.

Additionally, the U.S. Space Force is too small and too new to award warrant officers.

Therefore, senior non-commissioned officers often fill other voids that warrant officers would provide in the other service branches.

Related Article – Commissioned Officer Vs. Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO): 5 Major Differences

Conclusion

The pay of warrant officers is determined by military rank and years of service.

In general, the more years of service and the higher the military rank — the larger the monthly income.

Therefore, it’s common for warrant officers in the U.S. military to earn between $42,000 and $140,000 base pay per year, depending on their rank and years of service.

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Rob V.

Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing about military related topics.

Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.

Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.

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Learn more about the ranks and pay for warrant officers in the US military.