U.S. Navy Enlisted Ratings Reference (WWI–Present)
Insignia chart for U.S. Navy Ratings, 2024. | GGA Image ID # 23632ff3ce
About U.S. Navy Enlisted Ratings
Most online resources explain what Navy ratings mean today. The GG Archives goes further—exploring how ratings have evolved from World War I through the present. This historical perspective is vital for genealogists, students, and historians who want to understand the Navy careers of sailors across generations.
Why this matters:
- Genealogists: Decode abbreviations like MM3 or BM2 found on discharge papers, obituaries, or family records.
- Students & Teachers: Trace how Navy ratings changed alongside advances in technology, warfare, and society.
- Historians: Connect specific ratings to the Navy’s operational needs in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and today.
- Veterans & Families: Preserve the meaning of service by linking a sailor’s rating to its role and responsibilities during their era.
Our collection covers ratings active from 1917 to the present, including many that have since been merged, renamed, or discontinued. By combining insignia, duties, and historical context, GG Archives offers a complete reference unmatched by recruiting sites or technical manuals.
Overview
The U.S. Navy’s enlisted ratings represent occupational specialties that define a sailor’s career path. Unlike rank, which denotes pay grade, rating identifies a sailor’s technical field or trade, such as Boatswain’s Mate (BM), Machinist’s Mate (MM), or Hospital Corpsman (HM).
This GG Archives reference section explores the evolution of Navy ratings from World War I through the present day, providing researchers with duties, abbreviations, insignia, and historical notes.
Browse Ratings (Alphabetical Index)
Why This Matters
Genealogists: Decoding ratings helps connect records like yearbooks, rosters, and obituaries.
Teachers & Students: Ratings illustrate the Navy’s technological evolution—from coal-fired boilers to nuclear propulsion.
Historians: Understanding ratings is key to studying Navy culture, career progression, and wartime service.
💡 Ratings vs. Ranks: What’s the Difference?
It’s easy to get confused! In the U.S. Navy:
- Rank (or pay grade) shows your level of authority and pay. Example: Petty Officer Second Class (E-5).
- Rating shows your job specialty. Example: Machinist’s Mate (MM) or Boatswain’s Mate (BM).
Put simply: Rank = what you get paid. Rating = what you do.
When combined, they create a sailor’s full title: MM2 = Machinist’s Mate, Petty Officer Second Class.
Examples of Rank + Rating = Full Navy Title
| Rank (Pay Grade) | Rating (Job) | Full Title |
|---|---|---|
| Petty Officer Third Class (E-4) | Boatswain’s Mate (BM) | BM3 – Boatswain’s Mate Third Class |
| Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) | Machinist’s Mate (MM) | MM2 – Machinist’s Mate Second Class |
| Chief Petty Officer (E-7) | Hospital Corpsman (HM) | HMC – Chief Hospital Corpsman |
Notice how the rank + rating abbreviation combine into a sailor’s complete title.
Cite This Page
Chicago Style
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. "U.S. Navy Enlisted Ratings Reference (WWI–Present)." GG Archives. Last modified September 2025. https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/Reference/Ratings/index.html
APA Style
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. (2025, September). U.S. Navy Enlisted Ratings Reference (WWI–Present). GG Archives. https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/Reference/Ratings/index.html
MLA Style
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. "U.S. Navy Enlisted Ratings Reference (WWI–Present)." GG Archives, September 2025, https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/Reference/Ratings/index.html
Student Citation (Simplified)
GG Archives. *U.S. Navy Enlisted Ratings Reference (WWI–Present)*. https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/Reference/Ratings/index.html
Repository Information
The Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives (GG Archives) is cataloged with the Library of Congress under MARC Org Code: WiMfGGA and ISIL: US-wimfgga.
Current location:
N91W16562 Pershing Ave, #1
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051-2170, USA
Note: Historic addresses listed in earlier MARC records include Marietta, GA and Woodstock, GA. These appear in authority files but are no longer active.
