Which pay grade corresponds to Admiral?

• A. O-9
• B. O-10
• C. O-8
• D. O-7

Answer: (B)

Understanding how officer ranks map to pay grades helps here. In the Navy, officers are assigned pay grades from O-1 up to O-10, and each grade corresponds to a specific rank. The top flag rank—the one called Admiral—is associated with the highest regular pay grade, O-10. So the pay grade for Admiral is O-10. The ranks just below it are Vice Admiral (O-9), Rear Admiral (upper half) (O-8), and Rear Admiral (lower half) (O-7). (A wartime Fleet Admiral rank exists only in special historical circumstances and isn’t part of the standard modern lineup.)