Top Degrees For Veterans

By Debbie Gregory.

One of the key perks to serving in the U.S. military is the GI Bill for obtaining a good education for veterans. Pre-planning how and when you will use your veteran education benefits will ultimately give you the best bang for your buck.

There are a number of degree majors while you are pursuing your veteran education that will transition more easily from your military service to your civilian career.

A career in the medical field offers numerous options for those who have served. In addition to physicians, there are great opportunities for nurses, medics, and physical therapists.

While all military personnel receive basic medical knowledge, those who specialize in nursing are in-demand, and will be for years to come. There are also numerous sub-specialties within this career path.

Serving in the military takes a toll on the body, even for those who have not suffered a specific injury. Those who work in rehabilitating the body and helping individuals return to their regular, daily lives would do well in pursuing a degree in physical therapy.

Medics who want to transition to a career as an emergency medical technician or a paramedic already know how to deal with emergency situations. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics are under constant pressure to respond to emergency situations in an effective and timely manner, so military medics will already have a head start on the competition when applying for this career.

Another career field that is a smooth transition from military to civilian career lies within the criminal justice system. A criminal justice degree can lead to a law enforcement career. And like a criminal justice degree, fire engineering/fire science degree aids in applying to law enforcement jobs, fire engineering and fire science careers. Most veterans are already physically and mentally capable of performing these jobs, and securing extra knowledge through education for veterans will only help qualify you further for these positions.

Another great option for veteran education are STEM careers- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.   Although engineers need years of veteran education to obtain their degrees, the positions can be highly lucrative.

As the military is one of the highest users of technology, network administrators are always in demand. There are also numerous occupations within the military that require extensive computer use, such as programmers, coders, and developers.

Additionally, the need for information security professionals grows with each hack and cyber-attack. Many veterans who use their veteran education to go in to this industry are known as white-hat hackers or penetration testers.

So when considering the college for veterans you will chooses, remember to choose the one that will help you best transition for your long-term civilian career.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.