Army First LieutenantO-2 1LT (Previous)
First Lieutenant

Army Captain

O-3 Commissioned Officer, U.S. Army
(Next) O-4 MAJArmy Major
Major

Army Ranks » Captain RankCPT PayCPT Rank HistoryPromotion Information

Rank badge of a Captain O-3 Captain - U.S. Army Ranks

Army Captain
Army O-3 Captain Army Military Ranks
Class Commissioned Officer
Abbr. CPT
Title Captain (last name)
Paygrade O-3 (DoD Paygrade)
OF-3 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $5,102/mo

A Captain is a commissioned officer at company level, and will generally serve as a Company Commander in control of 62 to 190 soldiers. As a Company Commander, Captains will be placed in charge of the tactical and everyday operations of their troops, assisted by several junior commissioned officers and one or more senior non-commissioned officers. Captains may also have teaching roles at combat schools or special training sessions as well as serve as staff officers at battallion level command posts.

Captain is the 21st rank in the United States Army , ranking above First Lieutenant and directly below Major. A captain is a Commissioned Officer at DoD paygrade O-3, with a starting monthly pay of $5,102.

How do you become a Captain?

A Captain is most often promoted from First Lieutenant (1LT), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience. Click here to learn more about promotion to Captain.

What is the proper way to address a Captain?

The correct way to address a Captain named Mr. Rodriguez is "Captain Rodriguez", or written as CPT Rodriguez. In formal situations, a Captain should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Captain earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Captain with 2 or less years of experience is $5,102.10 per month.

A Captain receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Captain's final compensation package.

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Army Captain may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including hazard pay, housing allowance, and more.

For full details on the Army's Captain compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Army Captain Pay Chart. A full table of the Army's current paygrades are available at the Army Pay Chart.

Military Occupational Specialties for Army's O-3 Captain

Band Officer

  • Active/Reserve:Active Duty
  • Officer/Enlisted:Officer
  • Restrictions:None
Ordnance Officer

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Officer
  • Restrictions:None
Medical Oncologist/Hematologist

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Officer
  • Restrictions:None
Infantry Officer

  • Active/Reserve:Active Duty
  • Officer/Enlisted:Officer
  • Restrictions:None
Psychological Operations Officer

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Officer
  • Restrictions:None

To learn more about Military Occupational Specialties, see our complete list of MOS job titles.

Patch of a Captain Equivalent Ranks to the Army's O-3 Captain

Air Force Captain - Equivalent to Captain
Air Force
Captain
Coast Guard Lieutenant - Equivalent to Captain
Coast Guard
Lieutenant
Marine Corps Captain - Equivalent to Captain
Marine Corps
Captain

To learn more about the Army's rank structure, see our complete list of Army ranks.

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Captain is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Army rank to GS grade conversion table .

To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Army and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.