Navy Cryptologic Technician – Maintenance (CTM): Definitive Guide (2025)

This guide provides helpful information for those looking to join the Navy as a Cryptologic Technician – Maintenance (CTM) during the Fiscal Year 2025.  

You make sure the Navy stays connected. Secure. Unbreakable. As a Cryptologic Technician Maintenance (CTM), you keep top-secret systems running—radios, antennas, satellites, encryption gear.

Stuff that can’t fail. You install it, fix it, keep it locked down. No signal drops. No weak links. Because when the mission is on the line, there’s no room for error.

Job Description

navy-ctm-insignia
CTM Insignia – Credit: U.S. Navy

Cryptologic Technicians – Maintenance (CTMs) are Navy enlisted Sailors who are responsible for maintaining, configuring, and installing intelligence, tactical cryptologic, and ancillary systems used for Information and Cyberspace Operations.

CTMs keep the Navy’s most sensitive equipment up and running. They install, test, troubleshoot, and repair a whole mess of systems—cryptologic networks, physical security setups, antennas, computers, digital interfaces, and way more. If it’s electronic and critical to the mission, they keep it working.

They’re also the go-to for fixing high-tech surveillance, intel, and communication systems. Think surface ships, subs, aircraft, and special warfare teams—they all rely on CTMs to keep their systems locked in and secure.

CTMs don’t just work in one place. They’re out in the fleet, ashore, deep in Naval Special Warfare operations, working in maintenance shops, on shift schedules, or handling individual assignments. Sometimes it’s big team operations, sometimes it’s just them, but either way, they make sure the job gets done.

What You’ll Do:

  • Install, test, troubleshoot, and repair cryptologic gear, security systems, antennas, computers, data networks—you name it.
  • Keep intel, information warfare, and cybersecurity operations running smooth.
  • Diagnose and fix advanced electronics, hardware, and software using specialized tools and diagnostics.
  • Make sure cryptologic and surveillance systems are ready for any mission, whether on land, at sea, or below the surface.

Career Paths

  1. Fleet Cryptologic Maintenance (Surface Ships) – Keeping cryptologic systems running on surface combatants. You’ll be stationed on ships, ensuring secure communications and operational readiness.
  2. Fleet Cryptologic Maintenance (Direct Support) – More specialized. You’ll provide on-site cryptologic maintenance for both surface and subsurface combatants. This means working with advanced tech in high-stakes environments.

Assignments & Training

Where you go depends on:

  • Your qualifications
  • Your previous assignments
  • Available slots

Half of all CTMs get advanced training in computer-based systems, opening up even more opportunities.

The Numbers

This isn’t a massive community—just over 800 Sailors do this job. That means high demand for skilled, motivated people. If you’re good at what you do, you’ll be in demand.

Different Roles

CTMs don’t just fix things—they keep mission-critical systems alive. There’s a few different ways they do that.

Cryptologic Systems Installation Technician

These techs set up and install Tactical Cryptologic Systems for the Navy, NSA, and DoD. They make sure the networks are secure, the infrastructure is solid, and the gear meets strict security standards.

They read schematics, install wiring, run tests, and train operators on the equipment. If a ship or command center needs cryptographic or SCIF security systems installed, these are the people who handle it.

Cryptologic Systems Maintenance Director

The big-picture planners. They manage the schedules, resources, and logistics that keep Tactical Cryptologic Systems working across the fleet and national security operations.

It’s not just about fixing equipment—it’s about making sure everything runs on time, on budget, and without failure.

Cryptologic Systems Maintenance Technician

The hands-on experts. These techs diagnose, repair, and configure cryptologic systems, antennas, and communications gear. They handle the installation and upkeep of servers, network components, and encryption systems that keep military operations secure.

Whether it’s testing an advanced cryptographic unit or troubleshooting a failed antenna, these technicians make sure no system goes down when it matters most.

Rank Structure

Pay GradeRateAbbreviationTitle
E-1Seaman RecruitSRSeaman Recruit
E-2Seaman ApprenticeSASeaman Apprentice
E-3SeamanSNSeaman
E-4Cryptologic Technician Maintenance Third ClassCTM3Petty Officer Third Class
E-5Cryptologic Technician Maintenance Second ClassCTM2Petty Officer Second Class
E-6Cryptologic Technician Maintenance First ClassCTM1Petty Officer First Class
E-7Chief Cryptologic Technician MaintenanceCTMCChief Petty Officer
E-8Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician MaintenanceCTMCSSenior Chief Petty Officer
E-9Master Chief Cryptologic Technician MaintenanceCTMCMMaster Chief Petty Officer

Salary and Benefits

Salary for the First 6 Years

Monthly pay for Navy enlisted Sailors (E-1 to E-6) in the first six years is laid out in the January  2025 Active Duty Pay chart:

Pay GradeLess than 2 YearsOver 2 YearsOver 3 YearsOver 4 YearsOver 6 Years
E-1$2,108.10$2,108.10$2,108.10$2,108.10$2,108.10
E-2$2,362.80$2,362.80$2,362.80$2,362.80$2,362.80
E-3$2,484.60$2,640.60$2,800.80$2,800.80$2,800.80
E-4$2,752.20$2,892.90$3,049.80$3,204.30$3,341.40
E-5$3,001.50$3,203.70$3,358.80$3,517.20$3,763.80
E-6$3,276.60$3,606.00$3,765.00$3,919.80$4,080.60

Extra Pays and Allowances

Housing Allowance (BAH):
For members living off-base. Covers rent, based on rank, location, and if they have dependents.

Subsistence Allowance (BAS):
Enlisted get $465.77 monthly for food.

Hazard Duty Pay:
For dangerous jobs. Pays $150-$250 per month, depending on the job.

Sea Pay:
For those assigned to ships or deployed units. Depends on rank and time at sea, from $50 to $750 a month.

Special and Incentive Pays:
Bonuses for certain roles, like air traffic control or unique skills. These can be a few hundred to thousands per year.

Source: Figures are from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

Benefits

  • Healthcare: Active-duty personnel are eligible for free complete medical and dental treatment. Tricare programs are inexpensive for families to use.
  • Housing Accomodation: Depending on location, rank, and family size, free on-base accommodation or a tax-free housing allowance (BAH) for off-base living are available.
  • Food: Monthly Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) for food costs is known as the “food allowance.”
  • Blended Retirement System (BRS): Conventional pensions are no longer available to active-duty personnel. Rather:
    • Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Up to 5% in government matching and automatic contributions.
    • Retirement Pay: After 20 years of service, you’re eligible for monthly payments according on the BRS formula, which combines TSP savings with a calculated pension.
  • Education:
    • Availability of tuition assistance programs that pay for all or part of college tuition.
    • Support for higher education under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
    • Navy College Program to support education while on service.
  • Life Insurance: Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) provides coverage up to $500,000.
  • Vacation: ten or more federal holidays plus thirty days of paid vacation each year.
  • Extra Benefits:
    • Exchanges and commissaries provide tax-free purchasing.
    • Discounted travel via military resorts, access to fitness centers, and leisure amenities.
Navy-CTM-Rating-Cryptologic-Technician-Maintenance-Image-704X396

Training and Career Opportunities

Training Pipeline

First stop: Boot Camp at Great Lakes. After that, it’s off to Pensacola, FL, for specialized training.

CTM Preparatory School (10 weeks)

This is where you get the foundation—basic electricity, electronics, and technology. Expect hands-on work in labs and classroom sessions.

CTM Class “A” Technical School (18 weeks)

This is where things get real. You’ll learn:

  • Electronic test equipment and troubleshooting techniques
  • Logic circuits, computing hardware, and network security
  • Software operating systems, recovery methods, and workstation repair
  • Networking concepts, components, and application software

Assignments

After school, you could be stationed on ships, shore bases, or even overseas facilities. About half your time as a CTM will be spent at sea. You might be maintaining critical cryptologic systems on a ship or troubleshooting networks in a secure facility.

Advancement & Future Opportunities

  • Promotion is competitive—hard work pays off.
  • Advanced training is available down the line.
  • Officer roles could be an option if you’ve got leadership goals and a college degree.
  • Civilian jobs? The skills you get here translate straight into IT, cybersecurity, and electronic maintenance careers after the Navy.

Qualifications to Join

Requirements

You need a high school diploma or equivalent. Must be a U.S. citizen. You’ll also need to qualify for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance. That means clean record, solid character, and a full background check every five years.

What It Takes

  • Tech-Savvy – You’ll be working with complex networks and cryptologic systems.
  • Logical Thinker – Troubleshooting means problem-solving under pressure.
  • Detail-Oriented – Small mistakes can have big consequences.
  • Manual Dexterity – You’ll be working with highly sensitive electronics.

Testing & Screening

  • ASVAB Score: AR + MK + EI + VE = 221
  • Hearing: Must be normal
  • Color Vision: Must be normal
  • Security Screening: Interview by Naval Cyber Forces Command
  • Obligation: 6-year enlistment

Disqualifiers

  • Moral turpitude offenses (theft, fraud, serious criminal history)
  • Peace Corps experience (you’re not eligible if you’ve served)

This is a career for sharp, disciplined minds. The training is tough, but if you can handle it, you’ll be one of the Navy’s top technical experts.

The enlistment qualification requirements above are current as of Fiscal Year 2025, per the Navy Personnel Command. This information is not readily available to the public. So, contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter for the most current requirements to join the Navy as an enlisted Sailor.

More Information

If you wish to learn more about becoming a Cryptologic Technician – Maintenance (CTM), contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter. They will provide you with more detailed information you’re unlikely to find online. 

You may also be interested in the following related Navy Enlisted jobs: 

Ted Kingston
I’m a Navy veteran who used to serve as a Navy recruiter. This website is the most reliable source of information for all Enlisted Navy Sailor aspirants. In coordination with a network of current and former Navy recruiters, my goal is to make reliable information easily available to you so you can make informed career decisions.

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