College Enrollees in the Military?

This one's been bugging me for a while. What percentage of military inductees were college students before they joined? Specifically, ones who left halfway or were nearing completion of their degree programs before they enlisted?

Exact statistics for your specific question might be hard to come by as the Department of Defense does not publicly release comprehensive, detailed data on the educational backgrounds of service members. However, I can share some related data with you to give you a picture.

According to the Department of Defense, approximately 98% of enlisted personnel hold at least a high school degree or equivalent. For officers, almost 85% possess a bachelor’s degree or higher. On average, the American active-duty service member has more formal education than their civilian counterparts.

As for the college student population, in their 2019 report, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found roughly 1.2% of college students left to join the military. However, specific breakdowns in terms of how far along in their degree programs they were before enlisting are not available.

Bear in mind that, for those in the military who have some college education but who haven't finished their degree, many continue their education while serving. The GI Bill exists to support this, providing military members with tuition benefits, housing allowance, and money for books and supplies. Depending on their service, they can also receive tuition assistance while on active duty.

It's also important to consider the factors influencing this decision may vary widely. Many might weigh the opportunities and risks of both military and academic life, financial considerations, a sense of patriotic duty, or a desire for hands-on experience in their career field. Each individual's path is quite unique.