Hidden Leaf Village:

Hokage (Kage 'Shadow'):

Those who have achieved the title of Kage are the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages and generally the most powerful ninja in their respective villages. There may be exceptions, however; for example, a ninja may be the most powerful at the time of being installed as Kage, but may become less powerful upon aging, eventually being surpassed by a more youthful ninja.


Special Jounin

Special Jounin are ninja who, rather than all-around Jounin training, have Jounin-level ability in a single area or skill, much like warrant officers of real-world militaries. They are elite specialists in their areas and are often assigned as subordinates to regular Jounin when their services are needed.


Jounin

Jounin are generally highly-experienced ninja with great individual skill who serve as military captains. They are often sent on A-rank missions, and experienced Jounin may even be sent on S-rank missions (which are considered to be the most difficult). They may also carry out these missions alone. They are sometimes assigned as sensei for three-person teams of Genin. It is as of yet unknown what one has to undergo to become one, although it is mentioned in the Naruto Anime Profiles databook that Jounin are appointed, however there was also a mention of a Jounin exam in the Kurama filler arc. Most Jounin are able to use at least two types of elemental jutsu.



Chuunin

Chuunin are ninja who are qualified to watch over and guide other ninja. Chuunin have reached a level of maturity that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. Some of them, like Iruka Umino, function as teachers and others, like Shikamaru Nara, serve as team leaders in charge of small teams who need to make decisions and utilize the skills of the shinobi under their command to the maximum effect. Chuunin are typically sent on C or B-rank missions.

To become a Chuunin, a Genin participates in a large examination, known as the "Chuunin Exams," with his or her team. It can be assumed that a Genin does not necessarily have to take the exam with his or her teammates since Sakura Haruno became a Chuunin during the time-skip. The only shown exam is a three-stage exam: the first stage tests their information gathering abilities and decision-making abilities (as well as their overall understanding of the ninja philosophy), the second stage tests their abilities at accomplishing a mission and adhering to guidelines, and the third consists of fights between those who passed the previous two stages, watched by a council that decides who becomes a Chuunin and who does not. While the winners are able to proceed to fight the next opponent, aptitude, rather than winning, is evaluated to determine whether a candidate is promoted; for example, Shikamaru forfeits his first match but is still promoted because of his strategic aptitude. This way, anybody who makes it to the third stage of the Exams has a chance to become Chuunin. However, it is also possible for none of the candidates to become Chuunin if the judges believe that they do not have appropriate qualifications. Preliminaries may also be held if too many ninja teams reach the end; in the Chuunin exam arc, seven teams, an unusually high number, completed the second phase of the test. The losers in this extra round cannot participate in the final tournament and thus cannot be considered for promotion to Chuunin.


Genin

Genin are the lowest level of ninja and also the ones that display the most difference in power. When they become Genin, ninja start to do their bit for their village's economy – being sent on missions that the village gets paid for. They are typically sent either on D-rank missions, which are the lowest rank and are almost entirely risk-free jobs of manual labor, or experienced genin are sent on C-rank missions, which are a cut above that and begin to verge on real "ninja" work – though they generally have a very low possibility of risk to the ninja involved, especially since their Jounin level sensei often accompanies them. Recently, Konohagakure has been shorthanded in upper-level ninja ever since the attack by Otogakure and Sunagakure, and has been forced to occasionally send Genin on higher-ranked missions, often without the supervision of a Jounin.

Genin are put in four-man cells, consisting of three Genin and a Jounin sensei, in order to learn teamwork and experience true ninja life under the supervision and protection of an elite shinobi. The make-up of these teams is based on the individual skills of the Genin, so that there will remain a balance between the teams.


Academy Student

The academy is where would-be ninja start; they are not actually considered ninja until they graduate. Academy students take formal and practical tests of all sorts and are taught basic ninja skills, such as martial arts, techniques, physical fitness and the way of the ninja. Basic weapon usage, such as kunai and shuriken, is commonly taught. Elementary ninja techniques, though they vary from village to village, are also taught.

Upon graduating, students receive a special band of fabric with a metal bar bearing the symbol of their village, which is commonly referred to as a "forehead protector" or hitai-ate, although it can be worn in different ways