Enlisted pay grades, E1 to E9, correspond to the ranks of Private in the Army and Marine Corps, Seaman Recruit in the Navy, and Airman Basic in the Air Force through Sergeant Major in the Army and Marine Corps, Master Chief Petty Officer in the Navy, and Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force.  Enlisted personnel in grades E1 and E2 are trainees.  Members in pay grades E3 and E4 are at the apprentice level, working under journeymen, who are at pay grades E5 and E6. Supervisor positions are at pay grades E7 through E9.  Soldiers, marines, and airmen at pay grades E5 and above and some at E4 are noncommissioned officers (NCOs), with demonstrated ability in the job and as a leader.  In the Navy, those at pay grades E4 and above are petty officers, with leadership responsibilities.  Servicemembers in NCO and petty officer positions are required to lead, supervise, and train entry-level enlisted personnel.  They perform the work as well as direct the work of others.

  A comparison of pay grade distributions by race/ethnicity shows a larger percentage of Blacks at pay grades E6 through E8 than any other racial/ethnic group.  Hispanics fill the lower grades (E1 through E3) in greater proportions than any other racial/ethnic group. Retention rates play a role in these distributions.  Blacks traditionally have higher retention rates than other racial/ethnic groups.

As shown in Table 3.11, a larger proportion of women fill pay grades E1 to E4 (65 percent) than men (53 percent).  At higher pay grades, there are more men.  The primary reason for the difference by gender is lower retention rates among enlisted women.