Enlisting in Military with a Bachelor's Degree

I'm planning to earn my bachelor's degree first, and then I might enlist in the military. Does having a degree impact what roles I would qualify for or the rank I might start at?

Indeed, having a Bachelor's degree can potentially open up more options and opportunities for you in the military. In all branches of the U.S. military, individuals with a bachelor's degree typically enter as commissioned officers, as opposed to enlisting. As a commissioned officer, you would start at a higher pay grade and rank. For example, in the Army, a person with a Bachelor's degree would usually enter as a Second Lieutenant (O-1), instead of the enlisted rank (E-1 to E-9).

In terms of roles, pursuing your degree could provide you with the chance to deepen your knowledge and skills in a specific field, which might be directly applied to your military career, depending on the branch of service and the needs at the time. For example, a degree in engineering could make you an excellent candidate for a role in the Army Corps of Engineers, or a degree in a foreign language could be valuable in military intelligence.

However, joining as an officer also requires that you complete an officer training school, such as the Officer Candidate School (OCS) for the Army or the Officer Training School (OTS) for the Air Force. For the Navy and the Marines, it's the Officer Candidate School (OCS), while the Coast Guard has the Officer Candidate School (OCS) as well, in addition to the Coast Guard Academy. The Space Force, as the newest branch, primarily commissions its officers from the Air Force Academy or the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC).

So while it's true that a Bachelor's degree could provide a pathway to starting out at a higher rank and potentially qualifying for more specialized roles, it's also essential to remember that becoming an officer will require additional training and responsibilities. As always, it is best to engage in conversations with military recruiters or personnel to gather more information about your unique situation.