What is the pay grade for 2nd Lieutenant/Ensign?

• A. E-1
• B. O-1
• C. W-1
• D. O-2

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how pay grades line up with entry-level officers. Entry-level commissioned officers start at pay grade O-1. The rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the Army/Marine Corps/Air Force and Ensign in the Navy/Coast Guard are both the first commissioned-officer ranks, so they fall at O-1. The next step up is O-2 (First Lieutenant or Lieutenant Junior Grade, depending on service). The other options don’t fit because E-1 is for enlisted personnel, not officers, and W-1 is the warrant-officer path, a different category altogether.