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Marine Corps Major General

O-8 General Officer, U.S. Marine Corps
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Marine Corps Ranks » Major General RankMajGen PayMajGen Rank HistoryPromotion Information

O-8 Major General - U.S. Marine Corps Ranks

Marine Corps Major General
Marine Corps O-8 Major General Marine Corps Military Ranks
Class General Officer
Abbr. MajGen
Title General (last name)
Paygrade O-8 (DoD Paygrade)
OF-8 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $11,636/mo

Major General is a two-star General Officer who usually commands a division-sized unit of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers.

A Major General can only be appointed through a stringent process of nomination and review by multiple offices and promotion boards. Officers receiving a commission as Major General are required to retire after five years of commission, or after 35 years of total service, unless promoted or reappointed.

The rank of Major General was not established in the Marine Corps until 1902, and for a period of time it was the highest rank in the Marine Corps. Until 1942, the Commandant of the Marine Corps was a Major General.

Major General is the 25th rank in the United States Marine Corps , ranking above Brigadier General and directly below Lieutenant General. A major general is a General Officer at DoD paygrade O-8, with a starting monthly pay of $11,636.

What is the proper way to address a Major General?

The correct way to address a Major General named Mr. Gutierrez is "General Gutierrez", or written as MajGen Gutierrez. In formal situations, a Major General should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Major General earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Major General with 2 or less years of experience is $11,635.50 per month.

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

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Marine Corps Major General may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including hostile fire pay, retirement benefits, hazard pay, and more.

For full details on the Marine Corps' Major General compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Marine Corps Major General Pay Chart. A full table of the Marine Corps' current paygrades are available at the Marine Corps Pay Chart.

Equivalent Ranks to the Marine Corps' O-8 Major General

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

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

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