Why do people think you dont need a college degree for the military?

Question

It seems to be a common misconception that the only reason service members go to college is to aid them in a career outside of the military. Does anyone realize that the military has more jobs than grunt and hole digger? And even if you want to excell beyond the rank of Private in those jobs you better be working on your college degree.
You know, the military has journalists, graphic artists, environmental scientists, researchers, even veternarian technicians, all enlisted. You think you can get these jobs without college?

I realize they'll take you without a college education, but you wont go anywhere in the military without one. Maybe you're happy being an E-4 the rest of your life?

Just so no one thinks I'm making uneducated assumptions, I am in the Army. I know how this all works. Show me an E-8 or higher with no education and I'll show you an E-8 who's been in a long, long time. Long enough to be grandfathered into an era when most people did not have college educations.

Answer 1

Kittie, some people responding have misunderstood your message. And others just have no clue. The correct answer actually lies within a combination of the few informed responders.

There are many jobs that actually require a college degree: Physician, Dentist, Pilot, just to name a few.
There are also a lot of jobs that require a college degree in the private sector that all branches of the service train you for from start to finish. They even have continuing education as you progress.

You can be a Non-commisioned Officer without a college degree, as well as Warrant Officer, and also, believe it or not, a regular Officer by going to the required schools that the Military offers. Warrant Officer Candidate School and Officer Candidate School for the average Joe in the military.

The Military awards points for enlisted soldiers in a variety of areas to include PT, Awards, Commanders points, Board points, Military Education, and Civilian Education.

You do not need a college degree to advance, but you are right. It will definitely make your chances for advancing faster a lot better. But the others are still right in saying you don't need college as well. Certain MOS's (jobs) have a low cut-off score for promotion almost constantly and they can progress quickly without a lot of schooling. Usually these are known as critical MOS's, which means the Military needs more people in these specialties.

I could go on explaining, but I think I've given you the correct response and this is getting much too long.


People obviously know this is the most accurate informed answer and know it should be selected as the best answer or they wouldn't vote it down so much.

Answer 2

Compared to the national average military members are more educated than the general public. Many military members work on education for a myriad of reason. One is for their own personal improvement, another is to aide in advancement of rank, another is to help secure a job once they get out of the military, if they are not lifers. You can't even be an officer without a degree.

On the Reserve and Guard side the military members are civillians for most of their careers and get degrees for many of the same reason.

It is not the poor and uneducated that are fighting for our country. Studies show that most of our military comes from the middle class and, as I stated before, are more educated than the American public.

There are many misconceptions that are still left over from the viscious disdain that we military members were subject to after the Vietnam War. Over time the fervor has died down but I fear we are seeing it flair up again with the Iraq issue on the table. Just remember that only 1% of our nation is in the military, which means that 1% percent protects the rest. That's a pretty big job.

Answer 3

Many valid points from all. I came in with a B.A. The Army paid for my M.S.(Computer Science) a year at Johnson and Wales(Culinary Institute), and also A+ Certification, MSCP Certification as well as CCNP. I am a Food Service Sergeant Major. I didn't need any of this to be promoted. It helps yes as the promotion authority for the grades of E4 to E5, and E5 to E6 will give you points for college hours. At one time I was going to retire, and had a job lined up working for a major food distributor overseas. I was also going to work for them helping their IT dept. All this guaranteed me a starting salary of $100k + benefits, and stock options. The Army now will pay for all college and certifications. When I went through it they paid 2/3rds. There is nothing written in any regulation that an Enlisted member should or will have a college education. But if you want to excel above your peers it is a good idea to persue one. As far as the jobs in the military, they will train you in the one that you receive. The rest is up to you.

Answer 4

Enlisted folks are certainly NOT limited to E4 without having a college degree. That is ridculous & disrespects men & women in uniform.

Obtaining a degree potentially opens up the officer ranks for an individual, & certainly is beneficial in achieving the most senior enlisted ranks, but the training for many specialties is only marginally enhanced w a college degree

Answer 5

6 years in Navy, operating and maintaining a NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, not a single day of post high school education outside of military.

Simple fact is, for a lot of people, getting a degree before joining the military is not an option.

Additional, joined as an E-3, made E-4 within 8 months, E-5 a little over a year after that, and found out that if I would've stayed in, I would have made E-6 the following month. I knew several E-7 and up who did not have degrees, and one E-9.

Answer 6

I left the Navy an E-5, WITHOUT a degree, and had a meaningful job..ok not that meaningful but it was more than menial labor. Your whole statement is down right stupid and just plain not true so maybe you need to refrain from any more attempts to give advice.

Edit- reading over some of the other responses; those who say you need a degree to be an officer, do some research on warrant officers and LDO's, that's limited duty officers to the unknowing.

Answer 7

Because unless you're seeking a commission, you don't NEED a college degree until the Senior NCO rates.

I Enlisted in 1985 before I finished my degree... made it to E-6 without my degree. Oh, and I wasn't a grunt or hole-digger... I was an acoustic sensor / radar/ electronic warfare operator and rescue swimmer in the SH-60B Seahawk.

When I got my BA in 1993 I applied to the LDO program and was accepted. I left in 1999 as an OE-4 (LCDR)... with an MBA and Masters in History

Most folks in MY rating (AW) got their BA during their first shore tour... half of us then apply for a straight commission or go LDO. There were several of the Senior and Master Chiefs who held Master's Degrees, and I knew two Master Chiefs who held a Doctorate.

I will grant that in most technical ratings you won't go much further than E-6/E-7 without picking up a degree.

Answer 8

Um, because you don't.

That's why lots of people join right after high school. You need NO EXPERIENCE to join the military. We train everyone in everything they need to know.

And you don't *need* to take college courses to get promoted, although it is encouraged. I have been in for over 8 years now and no one has ever said that I have to go to school.

With the training I have received, I could get out today (with no degree!) and work for a federal agency starting at around $60,000 a year (I work with prior military that have done exactly that). I would imagine it would be the same in other career fields.

EDIT: And maybe you didn't read my post properly: There is nothing in military regulations that says you HAVE TO pursue off-duty education in order to get promoted.

EDIT: "You can't get a decent job in the private sector without an education." We,, YOU can't but with the training that we receive in the military, we can!

EDIT: Yes, in the Army, you receive promotion points for taking college classes. However, in the Air Force, our promotions aren't based on points, but on our annual evaluations and a 2-part exam.

Answer 9

No, you don't need a degree. They will take you without one and train you in whatever field they need. My husband didn't have college, is a certified Refrigeration Mechanic, and has made E-5 within his first 4 years of the Marines. Not an easy thing to do. So......no, you absolutely do not NEED college for the military. My brother is also in Special Forces training right now, already an E-4 and is being taught all kinds of things. And he has no college either.

Answer 10

Are you even in the military? Because i know several E-7's and a couple E-8's who have no college, just school that the military has put them thru. Most of the deciding factor in making rank is how well you know your job.