Subscribe RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or Trackback from your own site.

6 Responses to 'What rank do you start out in the military with a college degree?'

1. ToddM - June 16th, 2010 at 9:57 pm

   It depends on a lot of things.

   In the Air Force, if you’re enlisting, you’d join as an E-3. If you’re applying to OTS for a line officer job (other than legal), you’d come in as an O-1. If you’re applying as a non-line officer (such as chaplains and medical folks) or a JAG officer you can come in anywhere from O-1 to O-5 depending on experience, qualifications, and specialty.

2. Tyler - June 19th, 2010 at 11:19 am

   Guaranteed:

   Marines: E2
   Navy/AF: E3
   Army: E4

   Eligible to commission (all): O-1 (note: if your degree does not include a 3.5 GPA in a technical major, you won’t get into Navy OCS or AF OTS. If you aren’t in outstanding shape, have great grades, AND great leadership experiences, you won’t get into Marine OCS. Army OCS’s standards are quite a bit lower but its still competitive)

   If you have an advanced degree you may be able to commission at something higher (like a doctor would commission at O-3 with a Ph.D, and maybe even O-5 if he/she has been a doctor for 20 years)

3. Sandra M - June 22nd, 2010 at 4:13 am

   It depends upon whether you enlist or you pursue a commission. You can enlist in the military with a degree and a degree is no guarantee of becoming a commissioned officer. If you enlist and depending on which branch you join, you could go in as a e-1 to an e-4. Some branches give you more enlisted rank for a degree and some do not. You would have to check with the branch that you wish to join. To become an officer after you already have your degree (if you are still in college and are a freshman or sophomore you can join rotc) you have to apply for and be accepted into a commissioning program. In the army it is called Officer Candidate School. It is a course that is designed to push you to your limits to see if you can function and lead while you are under pressure. It is not easy and it is both physically and mentally challenging. If you are a doctor, nurse, lawyer or military clergy, you can apply for a direct commission. That means that you come into the military as an officer without having to go through OCS. The reason why the military does this is to attract people with special skill sets. A W is a Warrant rank and typically you do not join as a warrant officer. Warrant officers are given this rank based on their specialized and in depth knowledge of tasks. They have to perform these tasks for a number of years before they can apply to become a warrant officer. The only exception that I know of for this is for Army Helicopter Pilots. They still have to go to warrant officer candidate school but they do not have to serve a specific number of years as an enlist soldier. You should know that the Air Force does not have warrant officers.

4. Marine - June 24th, 2010 at 8:15 pm

   To be a military officer, you must have a BA or BS degree from an accredited University or College. An officer starts as an O-1 (2ndLt or Ensign (Navy)). You can enlist in any of the military Services. Depending on the Service, you can be an E-2 to E-4 (world of difference in pay, benefits, and responsibility). If you want no responsibility but want military experience, go and enlist. Otherwise contact an Officer Selection Officer via your local Armed Services Recruiting Station. Ask for the phone number so that you can set up a meeting at your local college campus, the recruiting office, or the Officer Selection Officer’s office.

   If you want to try and qualify for flying helicopters, visit the Army and ask about the flying Warrant Officer program. This is the only source for going warrant officer from the civilian world.

   Best Wishes. Be aware that there are age maximums so hopefully you are still qualified.

   Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), US Marine Corps – Retired

   Edit: minimum time in grade to promotion is dictated by Federal Law: Title 10, subtitle A, Part II, Chap 36, Subchap 11, para 619: O-1 to O-2: 18 mos; O-2 to O-3: 24 mos. However, the actually length of time between promotions (Time in grade) can be longer based on the requirements of the military Service as delineated by the Secretary of that Service.

5. pwac - June 28th, 2010 at 8:15 am

   Army-with a four year degree and you enlist you’ll be an E4 or you can go to ocs and and after a year be a 2nd lt

6. Mrsjvb - July 1st, 2010 at 6:10 am

   enlisted:

   Marines: E2
   Army: E4( specialist)
   AF/CG/Navy: E3

   if granted a commission: O1 for all five Branches.

Leave a Reply

Name

Email (will not be published)

Website