You’ve served our country honorably, and now your active service is coming to a close. This major life change can be exciting, but it can also be stressful. The best way to shake off any anxiety is to create a plan to transition successfully into a civilian career.

Fortunately, many of the skills you learned during your service are highly sought after by civilian employers. This guide provides tips, support resources, and career information for veterans looking to start a career in the civilian workforce.

Choose a Career Path That Aligns With Your Military Service

Transitioning from military service to civilian life is easier when you choose a career path that makes use of skills you already have. Chances are, many of the skills you gained during your time in the military are applicable to a variety of civilian careers.

Try the Purdue Global Military Transfer Credit Estimator

Our Military Transfer Credit Estimator helps incoming military students determine which degree programs are a good fit for them. After inputting your military branch, skill level, and occupation code, the tool offers a personalized degree path, with an estimated number of courses needed to complete the degree, based on your military training.

The following sites can also help you find job openings that align with your military experience as well as provide information on education requirements, wages, career outlook, and more:

In addition to using the tools above, consider what you did and didn’t enjoy about your time in the service. While there are many benefits of choosing a career path that directly relates back to your military service, it’s also important to make sure you have a genuine interest in the career you’re pursuing.

>>Read: 5 Tips for Transitioning From Military Service to the Civilian Workforce

5 Growing Industries for Veterans

Unsure where you’d like to take your career after leaving the service? The industries below feature some of the best jobs for military veterans entering the workforce.

1. Health Sciences

Jobs in the health sciences are expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2035, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). An average of about 1.9 million openings are projected each year.

These occupations serve patients in clinics, hospitals, community centers, and doctors’ offices. If you had a medical role while in the military, a career in health care could be a great fit. No matter what title you held, a variety of skills learned in the military can be useful in a health care career. These include:

  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity
  • Problem-solving
  • The ability to remain calm under pressure

Registered nurses (RNs) and community health workers (CHWs) are two rapidly growing health sciences professions:

Registered Nurse

What they do: Nurses assess patients’ conditions, coordinate their care, provide health care education, and offer emotional support.

Job growth: The BLS predicts RN jobs will increase 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average.

To become an RN: You must earn at least an associate degree in nursing and pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN®). It’s common today for students to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing as part of their journey to becoming an RN.

Community Health Worker

What they do: These frontline positions provide outreach for health organizations, serving as liaisons between the organization and community. Duties include improving access to health care resources and implementing educational and health programs in the community. Community health workers may also provide blood pressure monitoring and other health services.

Job growth: The BLS projects that employment of community health workers will grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.

To become a community health worker: Although most CHWs have some postsecondary education, the requirements differ by employer. Which educational path you take depends on your goals, but the following degrees all prepare you to become a CHW:

If you had a medical occupation while in the service, your prior military training can transfer to college credit for a Purdue Global associate degree in health science, saving you time to earn your degree. Contact us today to learn more.

>>Read More: What Is a Community Health Worker?

2. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity experts help protect an organization’s data — such as personally identifiable information, financial records, and sensitive proprietary information — from online attacks.

Military skills that employers value in this position include:

  • Planning and organization
  • Problem-solving
  • Adaptability
  • Decision-making
  • The ability to remain calm under pressure

The BLS projects that employment of information security analysts will grow 21% between 2025 and 2035, which is much faster than average for all occupations. This rapid growth makes cybersecurity positions one of the top jobs for military veterans.

To be competitive in this growing field, information security analysts usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information assurance, programming, or a related field, according to the BLS. A Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity can help you get started in this in-demand field.

3. Business

Numerous business occupations fit well with a military skill set. Skills used in this field include:

  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Perseverance
  • Leadership
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity
  • Problem-solving
  • Adaptability
  • Decision-making
  • The ability to remain calm under pressure

Employment in business and financial occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2035, according to the BLS data. More than 886,000 openings are projected each year.

If you want to earn an associate degree in business, consider the online associate degree in small group management at Purdue Global. With credit for your service applied, you could earn this degree in as few as:

  • 5 courses for Army
  • 6 courses for Marines
  • 7 courses for Coast Guard

Members of the Air Force, Navy, and Space Force can receive a no-cost review of their records to determine how many college credits they may be awarded.

The online associate degree in small group management prepares you for the following roles:

Sales Manager

What they do: Sales managers plan, direct, or coordinate the delivery of a product or service to customers. They analyze sales data, make budgets, and set sales goals for staff.

Job growth: The BLS projects that employment of sales managers will grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, as fast as the average for all occupations.

Administrative Services Manager

What they do: Administrative services managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently. They set goals and deadlines for staff, recommend changes to improve operational efficiency, and make sure that everything complies with regulations.

Job growth: The BLS predicts administrative services manager jobs will increase 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average.

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager

What they do: These roles plan, organize, and oversee staff to ensure efficient operations in transportation, storage, or distribution activities. They oversee purchasing and procurement activities, hire staff, and find ways to increase productivity.

Job growth: Employment of transportation, storage, and distribution managers is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the BLS.

If you choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree with Purdue Global after earning your AAS in Small Group Management, the credits from the AAS degree transfer into a Purdue Global bachelor’s degree program. A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration provides a well-rounded education in the fundamentals of business.

Other veterans choose to apply the skills they learned in the military toward starting their own business. For more information on how to get started as a veteran entrepreneur, read our resource guide for veteran entrepreneurs.

4. Criminal Justice

A career in law enforcement or corrections is a natural fit for many veterans, particularly if you served in the military police. Skills that transition well to a civilian criminal justice career include:

  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership
  • Integrity
  • Problem-solving
  • Discipline
  • Decision-making
  • The ability to remain calm under pressure

Below is a closer look at two jobs for veterans within the criminal justice field:

Police Officer

  • Employment of police officers is expected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, which is as fast as the average, according to the BLS.
  • Police officers must have a high school diploma, but some federal agencies and state and local police departments also require a bachelor’s degree.
  • You’ll need to pass special field and physical tests in addition to successfully completing a police academy.

Detective or Criminal Investigator

  • Employment of private detectives and investigators is expected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
  • A high school diploma is typically the minimum education required to become a private detective or investigator, though some jobs may require an associate or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

If you served as a military police officer (31B, Skill Level 30+), you may be able to earn an associate degree in criminal justice from Purdue Global in as little as 5 courses. You might also choose to go a step further with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, giving you the opportunity to learn about issues and theories related to law, criminal behavior, and the justice system. Contact us today to learn more.

5. Firefighting

Providing emergency services is a respected profession. The military skills that can be used as a firefighter include:

  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership
  • Problem-solving
  • Discipline
  • Tenacity
  • Adaptability
  • Decision-making
  • The ability to remain calm under pressure

The BLS projects firefighting jobs will grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Firefighters need to have a high school diploma. To be considered for positions at the assistant chief, deputy chief, and chief levels, many fire departments require applicants to have a bachelor's degree, according to the BLS. In addition, prospective firefighters are required to train at a fire academy and pass written and physical tests.

Purdue Global offers a Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Management, which can help you gain a competitive edge in this profession.

Overview of Job Titles and Projected Job Growth

Job TitleBLS Projected Job Growth, 2025–2035
Information Security Analyst21%
Community Health Worker13%
Registered Nurse6%
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager6%
Administrative Services Manager5%
Detective or Criminal Investigator5%
Sales Manager4%
Firefighter4%
Police Officer3%

Career Support Resources for Veterans

A variety of organizations provide career support specifically tailored to veterans. As you pursue education and transition into a new role, consider taking advantage of the following veteran career support resources:

  • American Freedom Foundation (AFF): This organization honors, serves, and supports veterans, military servicemembers, and their families by creating awareness and building support for their service, sacrifice, and needs through partnerships with military-focused organizations. AFF has helped many veterans and their families deal with issues they face in transitioning from military to civilian life.
  • Transition Assistance Program (TAP): TAP is a program run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that helps veterans transition to civilian life. The goal of TAP is to help veterans navigate the assistance programs available to them, including education benefits such as the GI Bill®. TAP also provides a course for transitioning servicemembers that covers topics such as career readiness.
  • Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS): VETS is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor that helps veterans reach their full career potential. VETS provides one-on-one career assistance, virtual and in-person workshops, transition training, and more.
  • Feds Hire Vets: The federal government is dedicated to recruiting veterans. The Feds Hire Vets website provides information on the process of getting hired by a federal agency and highlights open government roles that may be a good fit for veterans.
  • Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Employment Resources: DAV connects veterans with employers who are committed to hiring veteran candidates. The organization also sponsors job fairs and hosts virtual career events.
  • Hire Heroes USA: Hire Heroes USA provides personalized career support to transitioning military servicemembers. Some of the organization’s career services include resume assistance, career coaching, job sourcing, and mock interviews.

>>Read More: Education Resources for Military Students

Learn More About Receiving College Credit for Your Military Service and Prior Learning

When you enroll in a degree program at Purdue Global, we will evaluate your military transcripts to see if you qualify to receive college credits toward your degree. On average, military graduates have been awarded 62% of the credit needed to earn an associate degree and 45% needed for a bachelor’s degree.

In addition to earning college credit for military experience, Purdue Global offers other military benefits, including reduced tuition and a military leave of absence policy.

Reach out today for more information on Purdue Global and our military-friendly online degree programs.

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About the Author

Purdue Global

Earn a degree you're proud of and employers respect at Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. Accredited and online, Purdue Global gives you the flexibility and support you need to come back and move your career forward. Choose from 175+ programs, all backed by the power of Purdue.

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