junior-grade vs lower-ranking

junior-grade and lower-ranking both are adjectives.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
junior-grade	No	Yes	No	No
lower-ranking	No	Yes	No	No

As adjectives, junior-grade and lower-ranking are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of junior-grade include lowly, petty, secondary, subaltern.

junior-grade (adjective)	lower-ranking (adjective)
inferior in rank or status	inferior in rank or status