Non-commissioned officer vs sergeant

The differences between non-commissioned officers and sergeants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a non-commissioned officer has an average salary of $104,839, which is higher than the $48,557 average annual salary of a sergeant.

The top three skills for a non-commissioned officer include combat, logistical support and NCO. The most important skills for a sergeant are safety procedures, patrol, and direct supervision.

Non-commissioned officer vs sergeant overview

	Non-Commissioned Officer	Sergeant
Yearly salary	$104,839	$48,557
Hourly rate	$50.40	$23.34
Growth rate	3%	-10%
Number of jobs	69,414	79,335
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	43	46
Years of experience	-	-

What does a non-commissioned officer do?

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is responsible for maintaining peace and order during military operations and training. Non-commissioned officers' duties include leading soldiers' training for military operations, responding to the soldiers' concerns that involve their physical and mental well-being, and utilizing military equipment and tools properly while following strict regulatory procedures. An NCO is in charge of leading unit activities, performing corrective actions as needed, and coordinating closely with the troop members. A non-commissioned officer must display excellent leadership and critical-thinking skills to guide the military troop efficiently.

What does a sergeant do?

A Sergeant is responsible for supervising a group of five or more Soldiers. Sergeants must oversee their daily activities, ensuring they are in proper disposition and are living under the conditions that adhere to the laws and regulations and training them according to the standards of the military. Furthermore, it is a Sergeant's responsibility to serve the public and report to the higher-ups, instill discipline to oneself, and serve as a role model to lower-ranked soldiers.

Non-commissioned officer vs sergeant salary

Non-commissioned officers and sergeants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Non-Commissioned Officer	Sergeant
Average salary	$104,839	$48,557
Salary range	Between $77,000 And $142,000	Between $35,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	UBS	Columbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industry	Finance	Government

Differences between non-commissioned officer and sergeant education

There are a few differences between a non-commissioned officer and a sergeant in terms of educational background:

	Non-Commissioned Officer	Sergeant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	Pennsylvania State University

Non-commissioned officer vs sergeant demographics

Here are the differences between non-commissioned officers' and sergeants' demographics:

	Non-Commissioned Officer	Sergeant
Average age	43	46
Gender ratio	Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4%	Male, 85.0% Female, 15.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 5.6% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	11%

Differences between non-commissioned officer and sergeant duties and responsibilities

Non-commissioned officer example responsibilities.

Ensure assigned equipment are maintained and serviceable for accomplish all combat evacuation during OIF.
Provide leadership and knowledge of federal shipping and logistics regulations by managing adherence to all policies and procedures from higher headquarters.
Provide hazardous materials (HAZMAT) response capability for unknown or suspect CBRN incidents.
Ensure compliance with local state and federal EPA guidelines for hazardous materials (HAZMAT) handling and waste disposal.
Access control and CCTV monitoring.
Monitor CCTV system for any suspicious activities backing up the mobile unit.

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Sergeant example responsibilities.

Manage critical incidents including barricade gunmen, VIP visits, homicides, shootings and in-progress crimes.
Manage and submit all schedules for maximum security unit, and all non security staff assign to that unit.
Monitor and manage enlisted promotion boards and actions; publish promotion orders for soldiers being promote to SGT and SSG.
Assist in establishing overall S3 objectives and accomplishing assign missions.
Manage training for CBRN response operations including detection and decontamination equipment.
Implement USAF, DoD and MAJCOM security policies while balancing operational needs with security requirements for the protection of classify information.

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Non-commissioned officer vs sergeant skills

Common non-commissioned officer skills

Combat, 14%
Logistical Support, 12%
NCO, 12%
Professional Development, 5%
Platoon, 4%
Training Programs, 3%

Common sergeant skills

Safety Procedures, 16%
Patrol, 14%
Direct Supervision, 9%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Combat, 6%
CPR, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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