20 Best Jobs If You're Leaving The Military
What you learned in uniform can carry over to the boardroom, especially where vets like you are plentiful. Here are the top jobs in careers that prize military skills.
1. Intelligence Analyst
Median pay: $85,600
Top pay: $121,000
10-year job growth: 17 percent
Total jobs: 40,000
The job: If your job was to sift through information to determine how reliable and significant it was while you were in the military, then you can do that out of uniform, too. You'll find your skills are in demand at government agencies -- and in private business as well -- where you can analyze data or gather intelligence on competitors.
How to switch: Your security clearance makes you a hot commodity at government agencies. You can find military-friendly companies at moaa.org/careerfair.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | A | C | B |
-- Find Intelligence Analyst jobs
2. Management Consultant
Median pay: $111,000
Top pay: $200,000
10-year job growth: 24 percent
Total jobs: 120,000
The job: Vets thrive in consulting, says David Norman, CEO of the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC). "They can really help clients, from a leadership perspective and organizational perspective." In tough economic times, companies need even more help streamlining and growing their business efficiently.
How to switch: Having an MBA is common in this field, but substantial management experience in the military should suffice. For networking, find a local chapter of the IMC at imcusa.org.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | C | C | B |
-- Find Management Consultant jobs
3. Logistics Analyst
Median pay: $60,800
Top pay: $89,400
10-year job growth: 20 percent
Total jobs: 30,000
The job: As commerce becomes increasingly global, the demand for logistics experts will increase, too. Military experience in managing supply chains, including tracking inventory and transporting supplies efficiently, can easily be transferred to many industries, from manufacturing to food.
How to switch: Your experience is your ticket, particularly if you were a manager. Search VetJobs.com for companies that specifically recruit military vets for logistics jobs -- many do.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | C | C | B |
-- Find Logistics Analyst jobs
4. Program Manager, Aviation/Aerospace
Median pay: $115,000
Top pay: $160,000
10-year job growth: 7 percent
Total jobs: 30,000
The job: You'll manage a project or contract, and your duties will include developing timelines and supervising staff and budgets. You'll report to senior management. Your military training transfers well to the aviation or the aerospace arena, but you're in demand anywhere in defense because employers are looking for hires who already have security clearance.
How to switch: While getting certified helps -- you can do so through the Project Management Institute (pmi.org) -- it's not necessary, particularly if you have previous project management experience.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | B | D | A |
5. Pilot
Median pay: $89,400
Top pay: $163,000
10-year job growth: 8 percent
Total jobs: 60,000
The job: Airline pilots typically don't make as much as military pilots, starting out, but "multiple combat tours are not good on family," says Bob Worthington, president of the U.S. Airline Pilots Association. The family-friendly aspects of flying a corporate or commercial aircraft make the job particularly attractive for vets with young children. Also, as you rise in rank in the military, you often fly less, while as a civilian pilot your career will revolve around being in the air.
How to switch: You'll have to convert your military flight certification into an FAA one. The protocol varies depending on the type of planes you flew.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | C | C | B |
6. FBI Agent
Median pay: $114,000
Top pay: $154,000
10-year job growth: 17 percent
Total jobs: 10,000
The job: Because law enforcement has a structured chain of command similar to the military's, vets often find the transition to an agency like the FBI easy. The initial physical requirements are also familiar, and just like people do in the military, FBI agents work on counterterrorism.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
A | A | D | B |
7. Systems Analyst
Median pay: $84,600
Top pay: $114,000
10-year job growth: 20 percent
Total jobs: 40,000
The job: You'll analyze data to implement new systems or improve old ones. You'll also audit business practices to seek out and improve inefficient methods. Your analysis will help you recommend and implement more efficient business processes, and you'll get to lead and develop a team of computer or systems analysts on these projects.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | B | C | B |
8. Training & Development Specialist
Median pay: $58,900
Top pay: $83,300
10-year job growth: 23 percent
Total jobs: 20,000
The job: As a training and development specialist, you'll design, orchestrate and implement training programs for employees or clients, helping them to improve various skills. You determine specific educational needs by interviewing or surveying a sample of people from your target population.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | B | C | B |
9. Security Manager
Median pay: $69,900
Top pay: $115,000
10-year job growth: 7 percent
Total jobs: 20,000
The job: In this role, you supervise the security staff and create and implement security standards. It's your job to plan and coordinate all security activities in order to safeguard company assets, employees and guests.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | C | D | B |
10. Senior Policy Analyst
Median pay: $91,400
Top pay: $126,000
10-year job growth: 24 percent
Total jobs: 10,000
The job: A senior policy analyst conducts research and interviews in order to gather information used to develop company-wide policies and procedures. In this job, you not only create policies but you also assess and recommend changes to existing policies.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction | Benefit to society | Low stress | Flexibility |
B | B | C | A |
See 10 More Best Jobs If You're Leaving The Military >>
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