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2nd lieutenant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a 2nd lieutenant. 2nd lieutenants usually study business, criminal justice, or political science. 81% of 2nd lieutenants hold a bachelor's degree, and 8% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,092 real 2nd lieutenant resumes to see exactly what 2nd lieutenant education sections show.
The most common colleges for 2nd lieutenants are the United States Military Academy and the United States Military Academy.
There are also many online 2nd lieutenant courses to help get the education required to be a 2nd lieutenant.
What education do you need to become a 2nd lieutenant?
What degree do you need to be a 2nd lieutenant?
- Bachelor's, 81%
- Master's, 8%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a 2nd lieutenant?
- Business, 16%
- Criminal Justice, 16%
- Political Science, 11%
- Psychology, 7%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for 2nd lieutenants
| 2nd lieutenant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| United States Military Academy | 8.46% |
| Norwich University | 7.69% |
| Virginia Military Institute | 6.15% |
| The Citadel | 6.15% |
| University of Cincinnati | 5.38% |
Best majors for 2nd lieutenants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 15.7% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 15.5% |
| 3 | Political Science | 10.8% |
| 4 | Psychology | 7.3% |
| 5 | History | 7.3% |
Best colleges for 2nd lieutenants
The best colleges for 2nd lieutenants are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A 2nd lieutenant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for 2nd lieutenants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become 2nd lieutenants.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
7. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for 2nd lieutenants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for 2nd lieutenants
The most affordable schools for 2nd lieutenants are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and florida international university.
If the best universities for 2nd lieutenants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for 2nd lieutenants.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for 2nd lieutenants
The hardest universities for 2nd lieutenants to get into are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for 2nd lieutenants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for 2nd lieutenants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
9. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for 2nd lieutenants
The easiest schools for 2nd lieutenants to get into are Wayland Baptist University, notre dame college, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a 2nd lieutenant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for 2nd lieutenants.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
5. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
6. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average 2nd lieutenant salary by education level
| 2nd lieutenant education level | 2nd lieutenant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $47,933 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,096 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,544 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,693 |
2nd lieutenant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025