Parachute Regiment vs Royal Marines
Fitness test and pay side by side. The published minimum fitness standards of Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines, event by event, with pay where we have it. Higher levels are in the paid report.
UNITED KINGDOMMinimum standards, event by event
| Event | Parachute Regiment | Royal Marines |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Thigh Pull (MTP), peak force | 76 kgonly this unit | — |
| Seated medicine ball throw, 4 kg (MBT) | 3.1 monly this unit | — |
| 2 km run | 8:25only this unit | — |
| Multi-stage fitness test (bleep), level | — | 11only this unit |
| Pull-ups (overhand) | — | 5only this unit |
| Push-ups | — | 40only this unit |
| Sit-ups | — | 50only this unit |
Higher levels (e.g. competitive or elevated standards) and your gap to each are in the paid report.
Where the bar is higher
The two tests have no directly comparable events, so the minimums cannot be ranked against each other.
Parachute Regiment tests 3 events, Royal Marines tests 4 events.
Pay
Amounts are in each country’s own currency and are not converted.
Questions
Is Parachute Regiment or Royal Marines harder to get into?
The two tests have no directly comparable events, so the minimums cannot be ranked against each other. These are only the published fitness minimums; selection itself, medical and other requirements differ, and passing the minimum does not guarantee selection.
How do the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines fitness tests differ?
Parachute Regiment: 3 events (mtp, med ball, 2 km run). Royal Marines: 4 events (bleep, pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups).
Does Parachute Regiment or Royal Marines pay more?
Parachute Regiment: £35,310–£37,407/year (OR3 · Lance Corporal · OR3-01); Royal Marines: £27,282/year (OR2 · Marine / Private · OR2-01) (default scenarios, gross). The default scenarios use different ranks and seniority, so this is not a like-for-like comparison — set the same rank in the pay calculator on each unit page.
- Minimum (Paratrooper, Regular) — jobs.army.mod.uk — Paratrooper (role page, Role Fitness Test (Entry)) (2026-10-18)
- Minimum — royalnavy.mod.uk — Commando Recruit Orientation Phase (2026-10-18)