FederalPay.org
FederalPay.org
United States Navy - O-1 Ensign
|
Yearly Base Pay $45,914 - $57,776
|
Monthly Base Pay $3,826.20 - $4,814.70
|
Hourly Base Pay *
$23.91 - $30.09
|
Navy Ensign - Rank Details
Ensign (ENS)
| Classification | Junior Officer |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | ENS |
| NATO Code | OF-1 |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Address | Ensign (last name) or Mr./Ms. (last name) |
What are an Ensign's Responsibilities?
An Ensign is the lowest among officer ranks in the USN. This rank is held for two years until promotion to LTJG.
Depending on their community, Ensigns may spend several weeks (e.g. Surface Warfare Officers) or even their full two years (e.g. Submariners, Pilots, and SEALs) in training. Fleet Ensigns, upon arriving at their first unit, must work hard to earn the respect of their crew. Despite their authority over all the enlisted ranks, Ensigns require mentoring from crewmembers in order to learn how to perform their duties and earn their warfare qualifications. The most successful Ensigns are hard-working, humble, honest, and have a strong backbone. Ensigns who refuse to heed the advice of the crew tend to become socially isolated and perform poorly, with little chance of remediation.
Fleet Ensigns are typically assigned a Division (or Platoon) of anywhere from 5 to 50 personnel. For example, the Main Propulsion Assistant is in charge of Machinery Division, and he or she reports to the ship's Chief Engineer. Division Officers are the primary interface with their Chain of Command, all the way to the Commanding Officer, regarding the status of their Division's personnel and equipment readiness. Junior Officers such as Ensigns may also volunteer for a collateral duty (such as Recreational Funds Officer).
Direct Commission Officers and Limited Duty Officers, a smaller portion of the Naval Officer community, may spend some or all of their time in training before arriving to the Fleet. A Navy Doctor, for example, holds the rank of Ensign until completing their first two years of medical training. Prior enlisted personnel who become Officers (known as Mustangs) may have their training abbreviated due to their experience, and may arrive at the Fleet earlier than new Officers.
What is an Ensign's Paygrade?
An Ensign is considered a Junior Officer, with a paygrade of O-1. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-7 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.
On this page you can learn more about an Ensign's payscale, the process of becoming a Ensign, and the history of the rank in the United States Navy.
Navy Ensign Pay Calculator
Starting pay for an Ensign is $3,826.20 per month, with raises for experience resulting in a maximum base pay of $4,814.70 per month. You can use the simple calculator below to see basic and drill pay for an Ensign, or visit our Navy pay calculator for a more detailed salary estimate.
Use the slider below to calculate the basic pay and drill pay for an O-1 Ensign at varying years in his or her military career.
2 or less years
Over 40 years
Equivalent Ranks to a Navy Ensign
An Ensign is a Junior Officer, with a military paygrade of O-1. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-7 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.
The table below lists the equivalent ranks of a Navy Ensign, and their insignia, in the other four branches of the United States' Armed Services.
