How Does Military Pay Work with a College Degree?

Hey! I'm currently a junior and I'm looking into the option of joining the military after college. I've heard that having a degree can affect your pay in the military. Is this true? How does it work? Is it similar to other job fields where a degree gives you a higher starting salary?

If you're planning to join the military after earning a college degree, you'd generally enter as an officer, which does come with higher pay compared to enlisted personnel. This is somewhat akin to having a higher starting salary in a traditional job due to your degree.

The military pay scale is standardized across all branches, and is publicly available, so you can look up where you'd start as an officer. Specifically, a new officer typically starts at the O-1 pay grade. They can advance based on time in service, performance, and additional education or skills. This differs from many private sector jobs where salaries are more individualized and can vary widely even for the same job title.

In addition to your base salary, military compensation includes a variety of allowances and benefits, like housing, food, healthcare, pension plans, and more depending upon your location and deployment status.

Also, if continuing education is something you're interested in, many military service branches offer programs where they pay for your graduate degree while you're serving. Serving in the military can also make you eligible for various forms of educational assistance (like the GI Bill) if you decide to pursue further education after your service.

It's important to mention that while a degree may lead to higher initial pay, the choice to join the military should consider factors beyond compensation, such as your interest in serving your country, the desire for a structured work environment, willingness to potentially relocate, among others.