Whether your goal is to enjoy a long military career or to use the military as a springboard to a successful post-service life, there are plenty of options in terms of jobs for veterans. The average annual salary for veterans is just over $56,000, so your military job will look pretty good on a resume once your tour of duty is over.
Careers in the military equip you with a different set of skills than a typical institution of higher learning, and that can pay dividends if you know where to look. With that said, let’s look at the 7 best paying military jobs.
There is a great job market for veterans. Depending on the branch of your military career, there are jobs for veterans in several different facets of American life. Here are 7 of the best paying military jobs, in no particular order.
1. Police Officer
This one is somewhat of a gimme. Chances are, you’ve already got the physique and disciplined mindset to work in law enforcement. You’re also not afraid to act with authority, and you’ve gained confidence through your military career.
These traits naturally make you an outstanding candidate for a career in law enforcement. It’s a not-so-well-kept secret that law enforcement agencies actively seek out military veterans from all branches for their positions – even going so far as to offer preference and/or bonuses for service time.
2. Firefighter
Did we mention above something about having the physique to handle arduous tasks? Similar to law enforcement officers, firefighters must have the physical conditioning, confidence, and ability to make the right judgment call quickly – all things that are ingrained in veterans.
3. Correctional Officer
Do you sense a theme here? See the above two entries into this list, and you’ll understand the commonalities – discipline and confidence.
4. Mechanic
Not every enlisted member of the US Military works on the front line. You can also gain loads of knowledge working in a behind-the-scenes support role such as a mechanic. When you’ve finished your tour of duty, you’ll come out with a new bit of knowledge of welding, auto repair, and machinery – all things that tend to persuade private sector employers to hire skilled tradesmen.
Again, many of these employers are likely to give preference to veterans because, well, you’ve served our country and have thus proven your willingness to work hard and sacrifice for the greater good.
5. Bodyguard
Are you a beefy person fresh out of the military? Find a bodyguard service to work for or be an independent contractor. Important people will pay astronomical amounts to folks who have pledged to protect them.
6. Government Employee
If you no longer have a passion for active duty, there are plenty of branches of the federal government that want to hire you and will give you first dibs on jobs with departments or divisions like ICE, Homeland Security, Secret Service, etc.
7. Private Investigator
This option will take some work to get established, but you’ll have the automatic clout needed to market yourself as the area’s foremost investigators.
The US Military and Your Future
The United States Military, regardless of the branch, can offer you very valuable skills that can lead to lucrative careers after your service should you choose not to pursue full-on careers in the military. We encourage you to weigh all your options about the best paying military jobs and contact us if you have any questions.
No way! Just last week I saw the same article on compacom.com website but the author was different. Are these two same thinking people or one of them is cheating? Websites should pay more attention to the uniqueness of their information.
Todd, all of our articles are copyscaped. However, I did go online and did see another publication copy our article. Honestly, I don’t mind. The important thing is getting the word out and trusting if any credit given, the original source receives it. (BTW, we hire Semrush writers, very credible organization) Best, Larry F.