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United States Marine Corps - E-3 Lance Corporal

Yearly Base Pay

$28,530 - $32,162

Monthly Base Pay

$2,377.50 - $2,680.20

Hourly Base Pay *

$14.86 - $16.75

Marine Corps Lance Corporal - Rank Details


Lance Corporal (LCpl)

Classification Junior Enlisted
Abbreviation LCpl
NATO Code OR-3
Service United States Marine Corps
Address Lance Corporal (last name)
What are a Lance Corporal's Responsibilities?

Lance Corporal is the third-lowest among Enlisted ranks in the USMC. Most E-3s have already arrived to the Fleet; others highly technical ratings might continue training.

Fleet E-3s are more likely to know their way around than E-1s and E-2s. Experience and knowledge give a Marine much more credit than rank does. Fleet E-3s must begin competing for promotion to NCO status, which means they need to work on self-education courses, take on collateral duties (such as Fire Team Leader), and demonstrate leadership. Some Marines may hopelessly spend their entire commitment to the Marines as E-3s and never promote to E-4, thereby leaving as "Terminal Lances".

What is a Lance Corporal's Paygrade?

A Lance Corporal is considered a Junior Enlisted, with a paygrade of E-3. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-3 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

On this page you can learn more about a Lance Corporal's payscale, the process of becoming a Lance Corporal, and the history of the rank in the United States Marine Corps.

Seal of the Marine Corps Marine Corps Lance Corporal Pay Calculator

Starting pay for a Lance Corporal is $2,377.50 per month, with raises for experience resulting in a maximum base pay of $2,680.20 per month. You can use the simple calculator below to see basic and drill pay for a Lance Corporal, or visit our Marine Corps pay calculator for a more detailed salary estimate.


Basic Pay:

Drill Pay:

n/a Learn more
For an E-3 Lance Corporal with
years of experience.

Use the slider below to calculate the basic pay and drill pay for an E-3 Lance Corporal at varying years in his or her military career.

2 or less years

Over 40 years


Equivalent Ranks to a Marine Corps Lance Corporal

A Lance Corporal is a Junior Enlisted, with a military paygrade of E-3. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-3 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

The table below lists the equivalent ranks of a Marine Corps Lance Corporal, 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/marine-corps/lance-corporal