15 Best Jobs if You are Leaving Military

If you are wondering what to do after your military career and don’t know where to begin with searching for a new job, take a look at our list of best jobs if you are leaving military.

Although transitioning from military to civilian life can seem to be an overwhelming experience, according to the United States Department of Labor veterans’ unemployment rate is 3.7% which is below the national average. This means that you have a pretty good chance of finding a job but the question is – what is the best job for you?

Moreover, CareerCast, career information and job listing website, found that veterans are often more qualified than civilians for well-paid jobs, ranging from CIA agents to math teachers and software developers. Don’t worry if you are bad at math, you can take a look at our 15 Best Careers if You are Bad at Math.

While looking for a job after leaving the military you should firstly arm yourself with patience. The process of finding a new job can sometimes be a lengthy process and might require additional work on your skills and knowledge. In order to explore potential future careers, it is vital to be aware of your current skills and those that you potentially want to develop. It is important to mention that even if you do require additional education, there are plenty of benefits for veterans, including the financial aid. You might want to check out if you are eligible for a scholarship through programs such as The Montgomery GI Bill and The Post-9/11 GI Bill. In case you made voluntary contributions from your military pay while serving, you can also take a look at The Survivors’ and Dependants’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Program.

Anyhow, our list of best jobs if you are leaving military contains jobs that require a college degree (or equivalent) and those jobs that require only a high school diploma. We decided to choose from both groups so that you can get inspiration about your future job, regardless of your current education. We took recommendations from multiple sources including Indeed Blog and Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the collected data, veterans are more likely to work in occupations that use the skills they might have acquired in the military such as protective services, management, installation and repair jobs, construction works, aviation, healthcare, etc.  We created our list of best jobs if you are leaving the military by taking the occupations that were mentioned in our sources most frequently. However, we decided to add some of our own ideas as well, which include well-paid jobs such as the job of interpreter/translator, becoming a small business owner or s personal fitness trainer. These jobs might be a refreshment if you were not impressed with jobs that are usually recommended for ex-military personnel. After our research, we concluded that salary is the most important parameter when deciding which job you want to do. Jobs are thus listed according to the median annual wage (data taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics), from the lowest to the highest paid job.

Now let’s take a look at the best jobs if you are leaving military that might interest you, their average pay and qualifications needed.

15. Interpreter/Translator

Median annual wage: $46,120 (2016)

Degree required: High school diploma

Military personnel stationed overseas for longer time periods often pick up foreign languages which can be a useful skill for a new job. After your service is through, you can build up your skill for the job market. The increase in demand for interpreters and translators is expected to grow 29% from 2012 to 2024. Work environment ranges from hospitals, courtrooms to various police departments. You can also decide to be a self-employed translator and work from the coziness of your home. In this case, working hours will vary according to your own schedule. Wondering what else we have on our list of best jobs if you are leaving military. Well, click next.

14. Firefighter

 Median annual wage: $48,030 (2016)

Degree required: High school diploma and additional written and physical tests

While military veterans might not have as many certificates as other candidates, they can offer much more and are considered to be perfect candidates for the job of a firefighter. Additional training might be required but it should be a piece of cake for someone with military experience. The main duty of a firefighter is to help protect the public in emergency situations. The job itself includes 24-hour shifts and can be very stressful and dangerous. It is important to note that there are two types of firefighters: full-time firefighters and retained firefighters. The latter come to the fire station only during a call out. Retained firefighters often have another part-time job and live in rural areas but within five minutes from the station. The decision to take on the job of a firefighter depends if you feel that all the stress is worth the satisfaction gained by providing protection and valuable service to the community.

13. Personal Fitness Trainer

Median annual wage: $57,061

Degree required: High school diploma

People are becoming more and more interested in a healthier lifestyle which includes regular exercise as well. If you like fitness and enjoy motivating others to become better versions of themselves, this could be a dream job that ranks 13th on the list of best jobs if you are leaving military is for you. Finding a fitness center and a couple of clients is the first step towards achieving your goal. After you expand your client list, you can start thinking about starting your own business. The focus of your expertise can be anything ranging from weight management to preparing athletes for competitions or even helping young men and women preparing to enter the military. The job itself is not very stressful and satisfaction can be great after seeing your clients achieve their goals. An additional motivation is the fact that wages can go up to $70,100. But, if you are good at what you do, there are no limits.

12. Engineering Technician

Median annual wage: $62,330 (May 2016)

Degree required: Associate’s Degree

We are continuing our list of best jobs if you are leaving military with engineering technicians that help mechanical engineers design, manufacture and develop mechanical devices. Your job might vary from building and setting up equipment to collecting and calculating data needed for the research. In manufacturing, technicians usually help design and develop a product which means that you can contribute a lot with your creativity and ingenuity. Also, you might be asked to be part of quality control making sure that products are tested and checked before they reach your clients.

11. Registered Nurse

Median annual wage: $66,640

Degree required: High school diploma

Healthcare organizations recognize the value of candidates with a military background. After all, who can deal better with the high-stress environment than former military personnel? Of course this is possible only if you worked as a military healthcare worker. Your opportunities can vary from civilian hospitals to private practice and veterans healthcare facilities all over the country.  In the healthcare job market, demand constantly outpaces supply and a lot of job openings will be there for you.

10. Small Business Owner

Median annual wage: cca $68,000 to $72,000

Degree required: Not specified

If you want to be your own boss, this is the perfect job for you. Salary, as well as the success of your business, will depend on your efforts and abilities. For many self-employed workers benefits include flexible working hours, more freedom, autonomy, etc. However, small business owners can encounter a lot of obstacles, especially at the beginning. Earning a steady income, finding customers and working more hours than expected can be some of the difficulties at the beginning. Still, if you think that you can go through the tough start and believe in your plan that your small business will blossom over time, then we say go for it. Although owning a private business can seem insecure at the begging, the reward is much greater once you succeed. Who knows, maybe your small business can grow into something much larger over time.

9. Intelligence Analyst

Median annual wage: $77,210

Degree required: Bachelor degree in criminal justice, social science or social studies

Many veterans want to continue to serve and protect their country. If you are one of them, this might be a good job for you. Intelligence analysts that rank 9th on our list of best jobs if you are leaving military analyze collected intelligence on national security and identify credible threats, thus preventing attacks enemies. Workplace depends on the specific field the analyst chooses to deal with. Some analysts choose to spend a greater part of their time doing field work while others focus on gathering information and strategic planning. While median wage is estimated to be $77,210, Senior Intelligence Analysts in the US earn around $100,990.

8. Elevator Installer and Repairer

Median annual wage: $78,790 (2016)

Degree required: High school diploma or equivalent

Believe it or not, the elevator installers jobs are among the best jobs if you are leaving military. The job includes installing, fixing and maintaining elevators in stores, residential and commercial buildings. If this type of job interests you, you should probably go through an apprentice program since currently, 35 states require workers to be certified.

7. Physical Therapist

Median annual wage: $85,400 (2016)

Degree required: B.A. degree or equivalent in physical therapy

If none of these best jobs if you are leaving military we have listed by now has inspired you, maybe the remaining 6 suggestions hide your dream job. The job of a physical therapist is the perfect opportunity for those who had prior education in the field of medicine and/or physical therapy. You can choose to work with civilians or specialize to become VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) physical therapist. In this case, you would continue helping your comrades and Nation’s Heroes. If you do not have the skills yet, VaCareers offer scholarship programs and various courses designed to provide you with additional skills. Anyhow, physical therapists are offered regular increases in their salaries and opportunity to advance is open to everyone.

6. FBI/CIA Agent

Median annual wage: $81,623

Degree required: Bachelor degree

As a kid, you dreamed of becoming a secret agent and serving your country? Now, this might be easier than you think. Both Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency usually require a college degree but they regularly recruit outstanding men and women who come from a military background. In applying for positions at FBI/CIA, ex-military personnel usually follow the same procedure as civilians, but military experience is a large advantage. Military personnel already possess traits such as integrity, teamwork, dedication, strong leadership and experience which are definitely valuable assets for FBI and CIA. Now, let’s see what else we have on the list of best jobs if you are leaving military.

5. Director of Security

Median annual wage: $85,857

Degree required: High school diploma

Many people enter this profession as security guards but opportunities for advancement are numerous. Everything depends on your skills and attention to detail. The main focus of this job is to protect people and their property from harm and, in addition, writing detail reports about your activities. While security guards work directly with people or their property, director of security is usually in charge of organizing the teams and teaching newcomers how to do their jobs properly.

4. Electrical Engineer

Median annual wage: $94,210

Degree required: Bachelor degree

Bachelor’s degree is the bare minimum for this job that ranks 4th on our list of best jobs if you are leaving military. Of course, any knowledge related to electronics or engineering can be beneficial. Some veterans spend their time in the army developing and improving weapons or creating tests for electrical systems. In this case, knowledge is already there and taking up the career of electrical engineer can be the next logical step. Veterans with such interest are welcomed in numerous engineering firms, public utilities or various government agencies.

3. Software developer

Median annual wage: $102,280 (2016)

Degree required: Bachelor degree in Computer Science but not necessary

You prefer doing something different and you love coding? This one on the list of best jobs if you are leaving military might be a good job for you. Bachelor degree is not a must if you want to do this job. Scholarships and grants for technical training in programming are becoming more and more available. If your skills need to be perfected a little bit more, applying for a scholarship can be the first step towards qualifying yourself for the new job. Course Report lists a number of schools that offer automatic and application-based scholarships specifically for veterans. If you already have the knowledge to do this job get ready to use your creative mind and create some mind-blowing computer programs.  A 22% increase in demand for software developers is expected by 2022 which means plenty of job opportunities for you.

2. Air Traffic Controller

Median annual wage: $122,410 (2016)

Degree required: Associate’s degree

At number two on our list of best jobs if you are leaving military we have a career choice that is suitable for veterans with aviation experience. Air traffic controller’s job is very stressful since he/she is the one who is responsible for lives of hundreds of people, overseeing the process the project from start to finish. The seriousness of the job is reflected in the application process which can be very demanding. However, some military experience will allow veterans to bypass the air traffic management degree and be sure to check if you qualify to bypass this degree. If yes, you are ready to oversee that aircraft stay at safe distances from one another and that they safely take off and land.

1. Pilot

Median annual wage: $127,820 (2016)

Degree required: Postsecondary non-degree award

If you worked as a military pilot and you want to have similar occupation after leaving the military, the transition to becoming airline pilot should be quite easy for you. Moreover, the job of a pilot usually includes several days of intense work followed by several days off. Depending on what kind of a person you are, this might suit you better than working office hours every day. If you did not have aviation experience in the military and still want to pursue a career as a pilot, US Aviation Academy offers multiple programs for veterans who want to work as pilots. All you need to do is to take up one of the courses and get ready to board your plane.

We hope that our list of best jobs if you are leaving military has inspired you to pursue a new career.