10 of the Highest Paying Jobs for Veterans

The men and women who have served our country face many struggles when they come home. In addition to needing to adjust to life as a civilian, they must seek employment in a job market that doesn’t necessarily want to hire veterans. Some of the reasons that employers may not hire veterans include a misunderstanding about the skills offered through the military (including organizational skills and discipline) and negative stereotypes associated with veterans.

Another reason veterans are overlooked for employment is because employers are worried they may be deployed. For example, you wouldn’t want someone to help with college homework if you were worried they were going to leave for a vacation, leaving the job unfinished. Despite this negative situation, there are high-paying jobs for veterans—you just have to know where to look.

1. IT Specialist or IT Team Leader

Veterans are known for their technical skills and leadership. This means it is likely you are over-qualified with the skills for this job. While you may need specific certifications depending on the field, some places offer on-the-job training, while IT school is generally a quick, affordable education.

2. Chief Information Security Officer

People with a military background know that protecting information is of the utmost importance. People in this field take advantage of a rising job trend—technology. As technology keeps advancing, so do the number of jobs available in the field. The job is to follow along with new trends in the world of cybersecurity and to provide the latest updates to systems to maintain information integrity.

3. Senior Program Manager

Veterans are taught using a strict regime and project management. This promotes a useful skill in the workplace—the ability to manage and handle projects. A high-ranking veteran may be able to secure this type of job by speaking about their management in the military, while others may need to work up to this position.

4. Construction Project Manager

Are you interested in building things? The unmatched skills that veterans have while managing is a great way to delegate tasks. Another reason this job is a good one is because delegating tasks does not always require physical labor. For disabled veterans who may have an injury, this gives them an opportunity to create good things in the world, regardless of their injury.

5. Telecommunications Equipment Expert

Connecting with people is a great part of any job—but some require only a little small talk and you can focus on the task at hand. This position lets you problem solve as you install and repair telecommunication equipment. You may also be tasked with finding out how to make the necessary connection in people’s homes.

6. Logisticians

If you are interested in this position, it provides an interesting challenge for anyone. It also has a high job growth, with an expected 22% increase, or 27,600 new jobs being introduced in the next four years. This job entails acquiring, distributing, and delivering products with the goal of minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency. Additionally, you can find this work in almost any consumer industry.

7. Healthcare

There are many opportunities for employment in the healthcare field, including work as a registered nurse or physical therapist. If you worked in nursing or physical therapy while deployed, focusing on health care gives you a chance to give back while showcasing your skills. Additionally, some nursing programs will let you apply the time you have spent in the field as credits toward your degree, so you need less schooling than the average civilian.

8. Translator or Interpreter

If you were deployed for a long time, it is possible you picked up on some of the native language in an area. This is very useful if you plan on becoming an interpreter or translator following deployment, because finding people who can speak two languages fluently is difficult. Even if you do not choose to go into this field, make sure you add this marketable talent to your resume. Most employers will appreciate your ability to learn a second language.

9. Business Administrator

This field is ideal because it lets veterans showcase leadership skills. However, this is not the only area where veterans excel. Veterans also have high levels of adaptability and problem-solving skills from their military career, which will help a lot in this position. Additionally, it offers many options for moving up in your career, whether to the head of a company or moving on to open your own business.

10. Human Resources Manager

More veterans than ever are being brought into different areas of employment, partially because of the work of Veterans’ Affairs. As sensitivity to veteran needs becomes more important, it is likely that more veterans will be hired in this area. This is because veterans know best what people need to find employment after returning from life in the military. If you are interested in this field, it does pay well, but it is also a great chance to give back to other members of service, by easing them through their transitional period.

Veterans are one of the most overlooked minorities for employment for several reasons, including an inability to translate their skills, negative stereotypes, and deployment. This has led to an employment rate higher than it is for non-veteran males in the same demographic, as much as a 10% veteran unemployment rate at times. By looking at the places above, you can find not just a job—but a high-paying job.