When students graduate from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, they can join the Navy as officers at which rank?

Upon completing their rigorous four-year program, graduates of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis are commissioned as officers. For those entering the Navy, this means they begin their careers at the rank of Ensign. This is the most junior commissioned officer rank, equivalent to a Second Lieutenant in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. In fact, a portion of each graduating class may opt to be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Marine Corps instead of joining the Navy.

The rank of Ensign, designated as O-1, serves as the universal starting point for all new naval officers, not just those from the Academy. Whether an individual earns their commission through the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NROTC) at a civilian university or by completing Officer Candidate School (OCS), they all enter the fleet with the same rank. This system creates a standardized foundation, ensuring that all junior officers begin their service on equal footing as they learn to lead sailors and manage operations.

As newly minted Ensigns, these graduates are typically assigned to ships, submarines, or aviation squadrons where they begin their practical training. They often serve as Division Officers, leading a small team of enlisted personnel while learning the complex responsibilities of naval leadership. Their commissioning is marked by one of the most famous academic traditions: the triumphant tossing of their white combination covers into the air at the conclusion of the graduation ceremony.