Should I Join the Military to Get My College Tuition Paid For?

College is expensive. And our military needs recruits. These two growing problems seem to offer the perfect solutions to each other. But—perhaps because of misconceptions regarding military service—the dots don’t always get connected and many students miss learning about opportunities that could be right up their alley!

Students around the nation are facing costlier-than-ever college tuition and living expenses. Meanwhile, the US Armed Forces (the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force) are all struggling to meet their annual recruitment quotas, leaving our nation’s defense at risk. This is despite the fact that military service offers incredible tuition assistance for troops while they are serving, as well as Veterans Affairs-managed GI Bill funds they may be eligible to use after they leave the military.

As The Military Wallet notes, “All branches offer 100% tuition assistance, up to a set dollar amount per credit hour—usually $250 per credit hour. The total amount one can receive in any given year or over their lifetime is determined by each branch.” It’s important to note that many colleges reduce their tuition rates for military students.

Thus, as Veteran.com points out, tuition assistance “is generally enough to cover most community and state programs.” In addition, schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program help GI Bill users “attend expensive private schools at little or no cost to themselves.”

All this begs the obvious question—should higher ed hopefuls join one of our military branches to get their degrees paid for? So far, millions of active duty servicemembers and veterans have done exactly that!

Millions of Military Members and Veterans Can’t Be Wrong

Countless military members and veterans have used the generous tuition benefits they were granted in exchange for their military service to pay for degrees or vocation-related education and training.

As of 2022, the US military has ~1.4 million active duty and reserve military personnel stationed around the world. Of those serving on active duty, roughly half a million have completed a college degree (either an associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate-level degree).

That figure is for people currently in the military and doesn’t include active members who are still pursuing their degrees at this moment. It also doesn’t count the hundreds of thousands who previously earned a degree, then separated or retired, nor the hundreds of thousands who started using their GI Bill benefits to work on their degrees after getting out.

Thus, all told there are likely millions of past, present, and current military students who are getting or have already gotten their education funded thanks to a few years of paid service. Keep in mind, servicemembers also receive their normal paychecks, too…and they’re also still eligible for other forms of financial aid, such as scholarships.

Compare that to civilian students who face financial barriers that prevent them from being able to afford college or force them to borrow money—leaving them straddled with loan payments they may struggle to make.

What to Expect If You Join the Military To Pay For College

First, let’s get rid of some stereotypes!

The Department of Defense, which oversees the US military, is the largest employer in the world. The military offers paid job training in literally hundreds of career fields, ranging from great-paying aviation and naval jobs to high-tech cybersecurity and intelligence roles, medical and legal services, special operations, skilled trade jobs, and many more. There are even opportunities for jobs in administration, human resources, supply and logistics, transportation, postal work, food services, and other support functions.

In addition to offering this wide range of career options, the military is home to an incredibly diverse employee population. “Some 41 percent of the military identify as members of minority groups,” according to Bishop Garrison, senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense for Human Capital and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

In addition, for over a decade, the military has taken great strides to ensure inclusivity by eliminating misguided policies that previously held back LGBTQ individuals from service. Indeed, some of the highest-ranking members of the Armed Forces have openly acknowledged that those old policies were “misplaced” and that “inclusive service was not complicated and would not harm readiness.”

So how does one get started?

Okay, so the military is more diverse and welcoming than ever before! And it’ll pay for college, too! So, how do you get started?

There are many paths people can take, but the main questions to consider first are:

• Should I enlist or become an officer?
• Which branch offers the career options I’d want?
• Do I qualify to join that branch?
• Should I go on Active Duty or Guard/Reserve?

We’ll touch on each of these below!

Should I enlist or become an officer?

We’re putting this question first because arguably it is the most significant, in terms of college considerations. Why? Because you need at least a bachelor’s degree before you can become an officer, whereas you only need a high school degree or GED to enlist.

Thus, if you want to join the military, your paths are to either enlist or get an officer commission. Recruiters can help explain these options in more detail—but keep in mind that there are enlisted recruiters and officer recruiters. You should speak to the type that specializes in the route that interests you first.

In other words, if you want to know about enlisting, talk to an enlisted recruiter. They usually work in shopping malls or other commercial parts of town.

If you’re thinking about becoming an officer, talk to an officer recruiter. They usually work on college campuses that host ROTC programs. You can also reach out to them online or over the phone.

Each type knows a little about the other side…but as you might expect, the job of a recruiter is to get you to sign up with them! Never sign anything until you fully understand what you’re getting into.

Okay, now let’s look at the officer and enlisted pathways more closely!

Officer Pathways

Note, every commissioned officer outranks all enlisted members—meaning that on Day 1 of your active service, you’ll technically outrank ~82% of the entire military population, worldwide! That’s a huge responsibility, which is why your preparatory training experiences matter. Below are the various options to explore!

ROTC

Applicants may apply to attend an undergraduate Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at a hosting university.

• This is the most common route and involves taking military academic courses as part of your degree program.
• Your college experience will, for the most part, be the same as any other student at your school. Some students use ROTC as their minor. But, in addition to taking a few ROTC courses, you’ll participate in extracurricular activities such as physical fitness and leadership training.
• Note, many but not all ROTC cadets/midshipmen receive military scholarships and living stipends.
• High school students are advised to apply for ROTC scholarships early, though there are also in-college scholarship opportunities.
• Check out BestColleges’ Student Guide for ROTC Programs for more info!
• Once you’ve started your military service, you should be eligible to soon use tuition assistance to pay for additional degrees or other training. You may also qualify for additional GI Bill benefits.

Military Service Academies

Competitive applicants can apply for admission to one of the five highly-selective Military Service Academies.

• Military Service Academies are stand-alone educational institutions. They’re similar to a normal college, but cadets/midshipmen have a much more formalized experience.
• There is no charge for tuition, textbooks, room and board, or required uniforms. Admission is extremely competitive, but
• The five military service academies are:

1. U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York
2. U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
3. U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
4. U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut
5. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York

• Check out each Service Academy’s website for details on applying and Service Academy Forums to ask questions and review what others are saying!

Officer Training

Students who already have a bachelor’s degree or higher may apply to an abbreviated officer candidate/officer training program.

Each military branch features its own officer candidate/officer training program. Programs may run from nine to 17 weeks, depending on the branch.

These programs are essentially compressed versions of the leadership and managerial training one might receive at ROTC.

Graduates earn a commission as either a Second Lieutenant (for the Army, Marines, Air Force, or Space Force) or an Ensign (for the Navy and Coast Guard).

Direct Commission

Some high-demand military career fields, such as legal, medical, and engineering fields, allow for direct commissioning for those with suitable professional degrees. Not every branch has a direct commission program.

The less-known US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps are also considered military branches. Both feature unique direct commission opportunities within specific fields.

Note, commissioned officers, no matter which route they take, typically qualify for tuition assistance while serving in the military. They may apply those funds to a graduate degree or other eligible training. Many also qualify for GI Bill funds, as well.

The length of one’s military obligation depends on various factors. In general, ROTC graduates must commit to four years of service with another four years “on standby” in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). Historically, the odds of being recalled from IRR status back to active duty have been extremely limited, and there are numerous options for delays, deferments, and exemptions.

Accepting certain jobs, such as pilot, will incur an additional service commitment due to the length and cost of training.

Enlisted Pathways

The most popular method of joining any branch of the military is to enlist. In fact, ~82% of the Armed Forces are enlisted!

In a nutshell, enlisting is done by contacting a local recruiter for an appointment, showing them the scores from your Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test (or signing up to take the test, if you didn’t in high school), and discussing the career options that your scores pre-qualify you for.

The higher your ASVAB scores, the more jobs you’ll be eligible for. After deciding the career option that sounds right for you, you’ll need to undergo a medical examination as well as a background check for a security clearance. You’ll also have to determine how long you want to enlist. The standard length of an enlisted commitment is four years (plus four years on standby in the Individual Ready Reserve), but you may gain a faster promotion by signing up for a longer term.

Once a new enlistee passes their medical screening and background check, they’re sent to their respective branch’s basic training course, followed typically by extensive technical training in their assigned career field. All the while, the trainees are paid a monthly basic pay allowance while they stay in assigned living quarters. Meals are provided for trainees at on-base dining establishments. Medical and dental coverage is also taken care of.

Once all training is completed, enlisted members will report to their first duty station where they will complete any on-the-job training requirements. Once that is done, they may begin to utilize their tuition assistance benefits, which pay for up to 100% of the tuition rates at many colleges or universities.

However, enlisted members are still expected to work their full-time jobs, which means they may need to attend school part-time at night or on weekends. Many military-friendly schools give college credit for the basic and technical training that members just completed, which can count towards electives and sometimes even general core classes. In some cases, enlisted members can have up to a year’s-worth of credits already covered, before enrolling in a college program. Members can also have CLEP and DSST exams paid for, earning college credits by examination.

Note, may enlisted members qualify to apply to officer commissioning programs, too. So just because you might enlist doesn’t mean you can’t become an officer later.

Which military branch offers the career options I’d want?

We advise speaking with representatives from different branches, to find out which seems like a good match in terms of your qualifications, the career options and benefits available, and also the lifestyle offered (because each branch has its own unique culture and attributes.

For example, Navy and Coast Guard members may spend considerable time serving on ships, which might be fun for some people but not so great for others.

Another example—the Marine Corps has the highest general fitness standards and spends the most time training. If physical activity is your forte, the USMC might be the branch for you!

No matter which branch you join, keep in mind that every job comes with its own work pace and schedule. Some schedules might make it hard to attend in-person college classes on a regular basis. For instance, if you’re a loadmaster in the Air Force, expect to be up in the air a lot, traveling.

Do I qualify to join that military branch?

It’s important to understand that while interested parties screen the branches to learn what each can offer them, the recruiters are screening callers or visitors, too! Just because someone is interested doesn’t mean they’re qualified. In fact, the truth is that most aren’t for various reasons.

Per a recent Department of Defense study, “80% of Americans between the ages of 17 to 24 are unfit for military service” due to factors such as weight, physical health, mental health, or prior drug use. In some cases, academics can be a problem, too.

Enlisted recruiters can review your ASVAB scores with you to determine which career fields you qualify for. But remember, you’ve also got to pass a medical exam and background check. Officer recruiters will go over your GPA and ACT/SAT scores, in addition to several other screening considerations.

Should I go Active Duty military or Guard/Reserve?

The most common pathway into military service is to commit to a full-time Active Duty role. However, there are numerous positions available within the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, or the various Reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

Both Guard and Reserve members usually work part-time, serving just one weekend a month, plus training for two weeks each year. However, there are options to work more, such as Army Active Guard Reserve Soldiers do.

Active Duty servicemembers, meanwhile, are always full-time workers, and they tend to move around a lot. On average, military members and their families relocate every three years, more or less. Some assignments may be as short as a year. In addition to these moves, Active Duty personnel are not only subject to deployments but also to shorter work-related travel requirements which may last a few days…or a few weeks!

All this moving around can make it a challenge to complete a college degree in a routine manner, which is why many military students end up attending more than one college and frequently take online classes, as well.

Guard units tend to stay close to home and may be called upon to assist during state emergencies. But it’s still very possible for them to deploy overseas. Reservists primarily support Active Duty forces, and they’re also subject to potential deployments.

Tuition and G.I.Bill benefits exist for members of Guard or Reserve units but will be different and usually less than those received by full-time Active Duty members.

To Join or Not to Join the Military

Clearly, there are a ton of things to think about when it comes to joining the military to get your degree paid for or not. Keep in mind that, while you don’t want to rush anything, there may be timeframes and deadlines to consider.

For instance, high school students will want to start prepping early if they want to be competitive for an ROTC scholarship. Meanwhile, there are age limitations for applying to commissioning programs and for enlisting. That said, there are also waiver options that are not always advertised very well.

As with any opportunity, there are pros and cons. Do as much research as you can on your own and talk to people who’ve served or are currently serving in the military before making up your mind either way. Recruiters are excellent resources for information, and you’ll eventually need to see one if you want to sign up…but again, it is their job to find qualified candidates so they can meet quotas. They can be very persuasive, so go in forearmed with knowledge and consider taking a parent or supportive friend with you!