The United States Navy Enlisted Ranking System

The United States Navy enlisted rate ranges from E-1 (new recruit) to E-9 (senior enlisted member). Sailors wear a badge on their shoulder to depict rank and rating. However, sailors that are an E-1 don't wear any sleeve insignia.

As an E-1, you will be ranked with one of the following titles depending on your job rating: Seaman Recruit, Fireman Recruit, Airman Recruit, Hospitalman Recruit and Constructionman Recruit.

When you earn an E-2 ranking in the Navy, you'll get to wear an insignia on your sleeve with two slashes. As an E-2, you'll be referred to as a Seaman Apprentice, Hospitalmen Apprentice, Airman Apprentice, Fireman Apprentice, or a Constructionman Apprentice.

When you make E-3, you'll change the insignia on your uniform to one with three slashes. As an E-3 in the Navy, you'll be referred to as a Seaman, Fireman, Hospitalman, Constructionman or an Airman.

As an E-4 ranking in the Navy, you'll be referred to as a third-class petty officer. When you make E-4, you'll wear an insignia on your uniform that features an eagle, your job classification and one chevron. This ranking usually becomes a first-line supervisor for others with a ranking of E-3 and below.

When you earn an E-5 ranking, you'll be classified as a second-class petty officer. You'll wear the same insignia as an E-3, but you'll have two chevrons underneath your rating. The E-5 ranking supervises all the E-4 and below sailors.

The E-6 rank in the Navy consists of the same insignia as an E-4 and E-5, but you'll wear one with three chevrons. As an E-6 in the Navy, you'll pretty much run your department and delegate work down the chain to E-5's.

When you earn the E-7 ranking as an enlisted, you'll be classified into an elite group basically separating yourself from the E-6 and below. E-7 ranking in the Navy is referred to as a "Chief Petty Officer".

After the E-7 Chief ranking in the Navy, you'll become an E-8 that is referred to as a "Senior Chief Petty Officer" and as such more duties and responsibility fall onto your plate.

When you advance to the E-9 ranking you have advance far as you can as an enlisted sailor. However, advancing this far in the Navy as an enlisted sailor you'll probably have at least 20-30 years in the Navy. Also, the E-9 ranking is referred to as a "Master Chief Petty Officer". Also, once you're a Master Chief you can earn the titles called "Command Master Chief Petty Officer" basically this means you're the most senior enlisted person that runs a command. The same is said for the title of "Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer". The last title for a Master Chief Petty Officer consists of being the "Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy" only a few ever get to this position because only one person can have it at a time. You're the right hand man/women to the Chief of Naval Operation and Chief of Naval Personnel. Basically, you represent all the Navy's enlisted personnel to the Department of the Navy.

The pay for enlisted personnel varies and complicated based on your family size, where you're stationed, what type of job you have and how many years you have in a specific ranks. For example, an E-1 with less than two years in the Navy will earn a base of $1447 per month without factoring any hazard duty pay or cost of living adjustment. An E-9 with over 38 years of service in the Navy will earn a base monthly pay of around $7,096 without factoring any other conditions into the pay schedule.

Source:

http://www.navycs.com/2010-military-pay-chart.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_enlisted_rates#E-1_to_E-3