United States Marine Corps - E-9 Sergeant Major

Master Gunnery Sergeant (E-9)

E-9 Sergeant Major

Sergeant Major Of The Marine Corps (E-9)

Yearly Base Pay

$76,446 - $118,696

Monthly Base Pay

$6,370.50 - $9,891.30

Hourly Base Pay *

$39.82 - $61.82

Marine Corps Sergeant Major - Rank Details

Sergeant Major (SgtMa)

Classification	Senior Enlisted Advisor
Abbreviation	SgtMa
NATO Code	OR-9
Service	United States Marine Corps
Address	Sergeant Major (last name)

What are a Sergeant Major's Responsibilities?

Sergeant Major is the ninth among Enlisted ranks in the USMC, equal in rank but different in responsibilities than a Master Gunnery Sergeant. Master Gunnery Sergeants are technical managers, while Sergeants Major are personnel managers.

Sergeants Major lead at the Battalion level or higher, all the way up to Force levels, advising Majors all the way up to Generals of the readiness of their units with respect to personnel.

What is a Sergeant Major's Paygrade?

A Sergeant Major is considered a Senior Enlisted Advisor, with a paygrade of E-9. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-6 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

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

Marine Corps Sergeant Major Pay Calculator

Starting pay for a Sergeant Major is $6,370.50 per month, with raises for experience resulting in a maximum base pay of $9,891.30 per month. You can use the simple calculator below to see basic and drill pay for a Sergeant Major, or visit our Marine Corps pay calculator for a more detailed salary estimate.

Basic Pay:

Drill Pay:

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For an E-9 Sergeant Major with
years of experience.

Use the slider below to calculate the basic pay and drill pay for an E-9 Sergeant Major at varying years in his or her military career.

Over 10 years

Over 40 years

Equivalent Ranks to a Marine Corps Sergeant Major

A Sergeant Major is a Senior Enlisted Advisor, with a military paygrade of E-9. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-6 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

The table below lists the equivalent ranks of a Marine Corps Sergeant Major, and their insignia, in the other four branches of the United States' Armed Services.