In the United States, recruitment advertisements are common. These commercials are exciting and provoking, but they often simplify matters by glossing over one crucial factor, salary, when targeting specific job paths. Specifically, how much money can you make as you climb the military ranks?
Compared to many other types of work in the civilian sector, the response is – not a lot. Many members of the special forces make significantly less than $100,000 per year, including those at the institution’s highest echelons. According to research by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 84% of military spouses and 81% of active-duty service members live paycheck to paycheck.
Here we’ll look at special forces professions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force to get a sense of the typical income and then break down how payment works in the military as a whole. Keep reading to learn about the advantages and bonuses that can offset the reduced salary.
Special Operations Capability Specialist (SOCS) in the Marine Corps
One of the highest-ranking positions in the Marine Corps, a SOCS’s responsibility is to carry out the recruitment, training, and deployment of marine personnel per the U.S. Special Operations Command’s directives (USSOCOM). Specialists in this field prepare for the unexpected by devising elaborate plans and silently executing them.
The average salary for a Marine is $51,000 a year, but these experts earn far more than that.
The Navy’s Petty Officer Third Class (SEAL)
The Navy SEALs, like the rest of the United States Army, are comprised of many service members. An individual’s salary is heavily influenced by their length of employment and the terms of their contract. In 2018, a Petty Officer Third Class with less than two years of service was eligible for a base salary of $2,089 per month.
A Navy SEAL’s average income is $53,450, according to Glassdoor. Considered the backbone of the U.S. Navy, these commanders don’t appear to be getting nearly enough respect.
The Army’s Special Forces Engineering Unit
The Army’s special forces are led by engineer sergeants when building and tearing down structures. In addition to constructing bridges and field fortifications, their duties include conducting demolition operations against enemy strongholds.
Glassdoor estimates that the typical compensation for this position is somewhere in the range of $65,302 to $70,252 per year. As a point of reference, this is roughly the salary of a boilermaker or a first-line supervisor in the building trades or extraction industry. You’re looking at the upper range of the special forces sector here.
An average income for a member of the Army’s special forces is $52,611 per year, as reported by ZipRecruiter.
Pararescueman in the Air Force
Since World War II, pararescuemen have been engaged in search-and-rescue missions to salvage equipment and survivors from crashed aircraft. Pararescuemen are medical professionals with specialized training in prehospital care and emergency medical services which operate from aircraft. Since the job is quite physically demanding, they must also be in peak physical condition.
Simply Hired reports that the average salary for a pararescue worker is $57,726.
Is that enough?
Like me, you might be wondering why military pay is so low. Several factors contribute to this.
The first thing to remember is that most individuals join the service for patriotic motives, just as most people become teachers because they like helping others. The military is a source of pride for its members, motivating many to enlist. Second, supply and demand are the deciding factors. An excessively high compensation is unnecessary since there is always someone else who can do the job.
Also, you can’t understate the many fully covered costs associated with military service.
GOBankingRates created the following breakdown of military benefits and extra pay:
Benefits
The military soldier and their family members are eligible for medical, dental, housing, food, and vacation benefits on day one.
- Vacation time of 30 days a year, including all major holidays and four-day weekends often throughout the month.
- The cost of free housing rises with getting married and having kids, varies by region and whether or not the military supplies the home.
- Medical care is provided free of charge; there are no associated costs.
- Food is provided for the service member, or a stipend is provided.
Extra Compensation
There is also extra compensation for dangerous actions like deploying, flying, jumping, etc. Specially trained military members are eligible for these bonuses.
- Service members receive their salary in full, tax-free.
- Subtract $200 from your rent per month for being on hardship duty.
- Payment for hostile fire – $225 per month.
- Divers are compensated $300 each month.
