Besides the Military, there is the more traditional route of going to college. College is a great option for many people looking to get a specific career job. A lot of the military members I met said that school was not always for them which is why they decided to go to the military. However, if you performed well in school then college might be a great route for you to go to. Here are five benefits of going to college rather than going to the military.
This obviously depends on if you go away to college or not, but you will be closer to your family and see them more often. Unlike the military where you will be away from your family for possibly years at a time, college you will get to see your family almost all the time depending if you go away to college. Even if you go away to college you will see your family for winter break, spring break, summer break, and maybe even get to see them on the weekends.
Military experience may help with employment but there is a lot more employment opportunities with a college degree. The typical enlistment for the military if four years, the same as a bachelor’s degree. This can lead to a more financial and less stressful future. You won’t be able to get into a specialized job with military experience, you will likely need a degree from an accredited college.
Sure, the military is great for someone who is not financially stable and who cannot afford college, however, the military does not pay as great as a good college degree. When enlisting in the military the average salary is $22,000. Whereas a recent graduate makes around $51,000 a year. Of course, this all depends on what your bachelor’s degree is in. A starting salary for a software engineer is $80,000. So, if you want to make a lot of money, the military probably is not for you.
If you obtain a bachelor’s degree, you can go into the military as an Officer. An officer is a high-ranking supervisor for the military, and you can only be one with a bachelor’s degree. These officers make a much higher salary then an enlisted member. The starting salary for a Second Lieutenant (first rank as an officer) makes a starting salary of $50,000 with benefits of housing, food, and health insurance. You also have a lot more respect as an officer in the military. IF this is something you want, college first is the best option.
Obviously when thinking of the military, there is that chance you could lose your life. After all you are fighting for your country. College is safe place to learn and acquire a job that can pay a lot more than the military. After obtaining your degree, you will most likely have a job where you wont be risking your life, of course there are civilian jobs where you are risking your life, but the military almost everyone is at risk. This is one the biggest reasons turning away from the military and it is understandable.
