Military Cadet Ranks: How the Hierarchy Works

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Learn how military students get promoted and serve

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: July 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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What is a cadet?

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Cadet Ranks

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Graduation

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Enlisted/Officer Cadets

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Video

A cadet is a military (or police) student. When someone goes to West Point, signs up for their high school or college ROTC program, or enrolls at the police academy, they become a cadet! Cadet programs have ranks the same way enlisted armed force members do, and those ranks are similar to grade levels in school—you typically “graduate” in a linear order as you pass tests and complete the curriculum. Unlike people who sign up to serve and go straight to basic training, cadets enter the armed forces as a second lieutenant, so if you know you want to serve and want to start off as an officer, cadet programs are a great way to go. In this article, we’ll cover what cadets are, their common ranks, and what comes after graduation.

Ranks in Cadets

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Illustration of the common insignias and ranks for cadet programs.

Every military training program has cadets. The specific ranks and rank progression differs from organization to organization, but here’s the most common structure:

Cadet Private
Cadet Private First Class
Cadet Corporal
Cadet Sergeant
Cadet Staff Sergeant
Cadet Sergeant First Class
Cadet Second Lieutenant
Cadet First Lieutenant
Cadet Captain
Cadet Major
Cadet Lieutenant Colonel
Cadet Colonel

Section 1 of 4:

What is a cadet?

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Cadet is a rank assigned to students in military schools and ROTCs. Cadets are students. It’s a military rank designed to introduce prospective members of a military branch to the concept of ranks. You’ll find cadets in military schools (like West Point), police academies, air force academies, naval programs, and more.^{[1]
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- The exact ranks and insignias differ from organization to organization. There is a general structure that most cadet ranks follow, but every unique organization has its own distinct ranks and insignias they wear.^{[2]
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- Cadet ranks typically follow a yearly progression path. While cadets can be promoted or demoted at any time, most cadets progress up the ladder each year in stages, kind of like college students becoming a sophomore, junior, etc. Outside of ROTC programs, cadets are referred to as fourth class, third class, and so on—not freshman, sophomore, etc.^{[3]
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- Cadets are not technically in the military. Cadet “rank” is kind of a misleading term—it implies that cadets are ranking members of a military or police force—but the ranks aren’t formal military positions since cadets are students.^{[4]
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  Research source} While cadets officially outrank enlisted personnel, they do not have operational command over enlisted personnel.

Section 2 of 4:

Common Cadet Ranks (From Low to High)

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Cadet Private The lowest rank. Cadet privates learn the fundamentals, basic standards, and learn how to follow orders.^{[5]
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- Insignia: One chevron
- Rank abbreviation: C/PVT
- Addressed as: “Cadet”
- Most common year in school: Fourth class (Freshman in ROTC)
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Cadet Private First Class Cadets typically make first class once they’ve demonstrated an understanding of the basic rules of the military structure and rules of behavior.^{[6]
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- Insignia: One chevron and a bar
- Rank abbreviation: C/PFC
- Addressed as: “Cadet”
- Most common year in school: Fourth class (Freshman in ROTC)
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Cadet Corporal Cadet corporals can fill in for squad leaders. They’ve mastered basic marches and follow orders accurately and immediately.^{[7]
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- Insignia: Two chevrons
- Rank abbreviation: C/CPL
- Addressed as: “Corporal”
- Most common year in school: Third class (Sophomore in ROTC)
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Cadet Sergeant Cadet sergeants must pass an exam to make rank (here’s an example of the type of test material a cadet would have to pass here). They’re typically assigned 5-11 cadets to look over as squad leader. They’re sort of like the leaders of the individual cadets.^{[8]
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- Insignia: Three chevrons
- Rank abbreviation: C/SGT
- Addressed as: “Sergeant”
- Most common year in school: Third class (Sophomore in ROTC)
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Cadet Staff Sergeant Cadet staff sergeants often have their own squad of 5-11 cadets, but they oversee other sergeants as well. You often have to pass an exam and a shooting test to reach this rank.^{[9]
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- Insignia: Three chevrons and a bar
- Rank abbreviation: C/SSG
- Addressed as: “Sergeant”
- Most common year in school: Second class (Junior in ROTC)
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Cadet Sergeant First Class First class sergeants typically oversee an entire platoon (20-50 cadets). They’re mentors, leaders, and masters of observation and skill. Getting promoted to sergeant first class typically involves exams and interviews with ranking officers.^{[10]
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- Insignia: Three chevrons and two bars
- Rank abbreviation: C/SFC
- Addressed as: “Sergeant”
- Most common year in school: Second class (Junior in ROTC)
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Cadet Second Lieutenant From this point on, the ranks are all considered officers. Cadets do not “automatically” make these ranks the way they often get promoted through previous ranks (especially in ROTC). Cadet second lieutenants oversee a platoon and serve as a company staff officer, which is an administrative role that helps with things like logistics, paperwork, and decision-making.^{[11]
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- Insignia: One dot
- Rank abbreviation: C/2LT
- Addressed as: “Lieutenant”
- Most common year in school: First class (Senior in ROTC)
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Cadet First Lieutenant At this rank, the cadet has completed a promotion board and fulfilled advanced tests. They’re often assigned as “company XO,” which is military-speak for company executive officer—a role which often oversees day-to-day activities for cadets. They can also serve as a battalion staff officer.^{[12]
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- Insignia: Two dots
- Rank abbreviation: C/1LT
- Addressed as: “Lieutenant”
- Most common year in school: First class (Senior in ROTC)
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Cadet Captain Captains oversee companies of at least 32 cadets and serve as the primary staff officers of a battalion. They help assign roles, conduct tests, and serve on promotion boards a lot of the time.^{[13]
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- Insignia: Three dots
- Rank abbreviation: C/CPT
- Addressed as: “Captain”
- Most common year in school: First class (Senior in ROTC)
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Cadet Major From this rank and on, officers are often considered “field grade,” implying they’re ready for leadership roles in a non-student capacity. Majors are normally staff officers who help make larger decisions and oversee standards for their battalion.^{[14]
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- Insignia: One diamond
- Rank abbreviation: C/MAJ
- Addressed as: “Major”
- Most common year in school: First class (Senior in ROTC)
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Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Colonels command battalions and regiments. They also serve as staff officers, overseeing more complex planning and logistics problems.^{[15]
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- Insignia: Two diamonds
- Rank abbreviation: C/LTC
- Addressed as: “Colonel”
- Most common year in school: First class (Senior in ROTC)
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Cadet Colonel Different military schools have different roles and positions by this point, but cadet colonel is typically the end of the road for ROTC. It’s the highest rank a cadet can achieve, and they’re often afforded special privileges that other cadets don’t have.^{[16]
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- Insignia: Three diamonds
- Rank abbreviation: C/COL
- Addressed as: “Colonel”
- Most common year in school: First class (Senior in ROTC)

Section 3 of 4:

What happens after a cadet graduates?

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Cadets typically graduate and are commissioned as second lieutenants. In military branches, cadets are fast-tracked for officer roles and enter the military as second lieutenants (regardless of whatever rank they reached as a cadet). They are typically required to serve 5 years of active duty and 3 years as a reserve.^{[17]
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- In the Navy and Coast Guard, cadets start off as ensigns, not lieutenants.
- For police forces, cadets often graduate as standard officers.
- It’s important to note that the rank a cadet graduates with is irrelevant. All cadets who graduate—whether it’s as a cadet sergeant or cadet colonel—will start off as second lieutenants.
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High school ROTC cadets skip basic training and go to college. Upon completing a high school ROTC track (normally called JROTC), graduates who wish to continue pursuing a career in the military will skip basic training and go to college. There, they’ll continue to complete military coursework while also completing their traditional degree. If you see groups of students on college campuses wearing military fatigues, that’s why!^{[18]
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- ROTC cadets graduating high school do not have to join the military. If you’re joining a college ROTC program, you’re functionally signing up to join the military after you graduate. However, high school students who complete ROTC programs are not required to join the military. They can graduate as normal and then join the workforce or go to college as a normal student.
- One of the benefits of ROTC college programs is free tuition. In exchange for your bachelor’s degree, you basically promise to serve in the military once you graduate. If you were planning on joining the military anyway, it’s a pretty sweet deal!

Section 4 of 4:

Are cadets enlisted or officers?

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No, cadets are neither enlisted nor officers. You may reach something called a “cadet officer” rank after passing the Sergeant First Class test, but you’re not actually an officer. Cadets are, by definition, students who are not in the military. While cadets technically outrank enlisted personnel, they don't have command authority. Remember, the whole point of being a cadet is that you’re learning how the actual military works!^{[19]
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- So what does “enlisted” mean? You’re enlisted if you’ve actively enlisted in the military! Enlisted members are anyone in the armed forces with an “E” pay grade, which covers everything from privates to staff sergeants.
- What is an “officer,” then? Officers are actively enlisted military members who have been promoted to an “O” level pay grade, which includes anyone from second lieutenants to generals and admirals.
- All cadets graduate and enlist as officers. Remember, cadets from ROTC programs who choose to serve enter the military as second lieutenants (or ensigns), which makes them officers.