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United States Coast Guard - O-4 Lieutenant Commander

O-4 Lieutenant Commander

Yearly Base Pay

$69,638 - $116,269

Monthly Base Pay

$5,803.20 - $9,689.10

Hourly Base Pay *

$36.27 - $60.56

Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander - Rank Details


Lieutenant Commander (LCDR)

Classification Junior Officer
Abbreviation LCDR
NATO Code OF-3
Service United States Coast Guard
Address Lieutenant Commander (last name)
What are a Lieutenant Commander's Responsibilities?

The Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) in the US Coast Guards is a mid-ranking officer, usually assigned to executive and command divisions. The rank is above that of the highest junior officer rank of Lieutenant, and subordinate to that of the lowest senior officer rank of Commander. The LCDR is usually in command of smaller vessels not requiring the command of more senior officers, such as a Commander or Captain. The equivalent rank in other services is a Major.

By the time a Coast Guardsman has attained the rank of Lieutenant-Commander, he or she will have developed a strong competency in one of thirteen Coast Guard officer specialties, conducted several assignments successfully, completed various educational courses to further develop his or her technical and operational skills, and shown exceptional qualities in leadership. Military rank in the Coast Guard is accompanied by increased levels of responsibility and the decisions that a Lieutenant-Commander makes in the course of his or her operational or other duties is likely to have greater impact than as a junior officer. In addition to the military competencies expected of this rank, the Lieutenant-Commander in the Coast Guard is also expected to be a multi-mission professional with special emphasis on protection and law enforcement roles.

What is a Lieutenant Commander's Paygrade?

A Lieutenant Commander is considered a Junior Officer, with a paygrade of O-4. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-12 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

On this page you can learn more about a Lieutenant Commander's payscale, the process of becoming a Lieutenant Commander, and the history of the rank in the United States Coast Guard.

Seal of the Coast Guard Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Pay Calculator

Starting pay for a Lieutenant Commander is $5,803.20 per month, with raises for experience resulting in a maximum base pay of $9,689.10 per month. You can use the simple calculator below to see basic and drill pay for a Lieutenant Commander, or visit our Coast Guard pay calculator for a more detailed salary estimate.


Basic Pay:

Drill Pay:

n/a Learn more
For an O-4 Lieutenant Commander with
years of experience.

Use the slider below to calculate the basic pay and drill pay for an O-4 Lieutenant Commander at varying years in his or her military career.

2 or less years

Over 40 years


Equivalent Ranks to a Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander

A Lieutenant Commander is a Junior Officer, with a military paygrade of O-4. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-12 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

The table below lists the equivalent ranks of a Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander, and their insignia, in the other four branches of the United States' Armed Services.


** This Document Provided By www.FederalPay.org - The Civil Employee's Resource **
Source: www.federalpay.org/military/coast-guard/lieutenant-commander