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Private

Army Private Second Class

E-2 Enlisted Soldier, U.S. Army
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Rank badge of a Private Second Class E-2 Private Second Class - U.S. Army Ranks

Army Private Second Class
Army E-2 Private Second Class Army Military Ranks
Class Enlisted Soldier
Abbr. PV2
Title Private (last name)
Paygrade E-2 (DoD Paygrade)
OR-2 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $2,055/mo

Private (PV2) is the second-lowest paygrade in the Army's ranking hierarchy, directly above Private (PVT), or recruit. A Private (PV2) wears a rank insignia of a single chevron, an inverted yellow V, unlike a Private (PVT) who wears no rank insignia. A Private's main duties are to follow the orders of their superior officer(s) to the best of their ability. Incoming recruits are promoted to the rank of Private (PV2) automatically after six monthes, and some recruits with prior experience may enter Basic Training with an automatic promotion to Private (PV2).

Private Second Class is the 2nd rank in the United States Army , ranking above Private and directly below Private First Class. A private second class is an Enlisted Soldier at DoD paygrade E-2, with a starting monthly pay of $2,055.

How do you become a Private Second Class?

A Private Second Class is most often promoted from Private (PVT), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.

The rank of PV2 is attained by all those soldiers who graduate basic training and their advanced individual training (AIT) and arrive and integrate into an active Unit in the United States Army.

What is the proper way to address a Private Second Class?

The correct way to address a Private Second Class named Mr. Weber is "Private Weber", or written as PV2 Weber. In formal situations, a Private Second Class should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Private Second Class earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Private Second Class with 2 or less years of experience is $2,054.70 per month.

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

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Army Private Second Class may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including personal money allowance, clothing allowance, housing allowance, and more.

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

Military Occupational Specialties for Army's E-2 Private Second Class

Field Artillery Firefinder RADAR Operator

  • Active/Reserve:Active Duty
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Mortuary Affairs Specialist

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Nodal Network Systems Operator-Maintainer

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Microwave Systems Operator-Maintainer

  • Active/Reserve:Both
  • Officer/Enlisted:Enlisted
  • Restrictions:None
Bradley Fighting Vehicle System Maintainer

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

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

Patch of a Private Second Class Equivalent Ranks to the Army's E-2 Private Second Class

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

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Private Second Class 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.