What does it mean if your offer is at the maximum of the salary range?

Fresh grad here, offered maximum of range for MX13 (typical 2 years contract, 5.2 base excluding allowance after passing some test). My (lady) friend was offered MX12 but pay was 700 lower than mine.

Is it better to have lower rank but higher pay, or higher rank but lower pay? lol I'm very confused.