Do cadets actually outrank non-commissioned officers?

Any good officer and NCO knows the differences between rank and respect. That's why pencil pushers with quite a bit of rank gets shown very little respect. Battle prevented lowered ranked individuals are more accepted by others. If cadets have to inform enlisted they out rank them and they better respect them for that. I say it's not a good early career move for them.

As an NCO under a cadet, YOU are responsible for his/her mentorship. This means you show respect to the rank, and pull them aside and correct them for the many missteps they bumbled into along the way. The idea is to mold them into effective officers and leaders. That's not done by showing them that you're better, but by putting YOUR rank aside for the benefit of the unit.

A commissioned officer (or cadet) acting on what may be technically true as far as rank is concerned, especially junior officers, when it comes to NCOs and warrant officers, is often about about the biggest, stupidest mistake one can make.

It was always my understanding that until they are confirmed by Congress they are not or do not have an official rank within the military. I may be wrong but that's what I was told over 30 years ago

The short answer is yes, the longer answer is maybe. As a young enlisted Marine. We had some pasty college cadets come through our chow hall while they were doing thier two week summer training. When they pushed thier rank Superiority, we as full fedged Marines, I was a LCPL, did not take well to it and some of my peers were very disrespectful. When I became a ROTC Cadet, I was also in the Army National Guard. I had great NCOs that taught me. By the time I was a Senior MS4 Cadet I had had 6 years of military duty and 7 by the time I was a Luitenant. Some of my ROTC peers had more enlisted time than I did including Ranger school and even Special Forces assessment. What I am saying is that Cadets are young and need to be taught to be an Officer and that is a major responsibility of the NCOS in his first platoon, but to assume that they have no understanding, background or training while they are a Cadet is a mistake. They need you to teach them, not disrespect them.

No, they only outrank themselves.

Until they are officially issued a commissioned officer, NO! Unless they were prior enlisted before going to OCS, OTS, etc. then they absolutely DO NOT outrank someone who actually HOLDS A RANK, even an Airman Basic.

They have no military rank, so they are just that; cadets until the complete and graduate from their respective schools. They are more of an apprentice.

A cadet if contracted is only the rank of an E5 until they commission. You’ll know that right.

Actually the answer is a big "NO" they are not yet commisioned officers. They are students that have a "BIG" ego trip. Now yes when a noncom or lower rank meets one, yes salute them cause it is a part of their training. But remember that big word "TRAINING" they are in your unit to learn. If you have a good 2nd Lt. or 1st Lt. They will instruct the cadet that you the noncom is their best inventory of information.
RLTW