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How to hire a military

Military hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring militaries in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a military is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new military to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a military, step by step

To hire a military, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a military:

Here's a step-by-step military hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a military job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new military
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a military do?

The military is responsible for maintaining peace and order within society. Militaries conduct patrolling operations, including reporting suspicious activities in designated areas, assisting in traffic enforcement, securing public events, and attending military defense training. They also support law enforcement agencies on investigating criminal activities and law violations. The military must have excellent organizational skills, as well as time-management and multitasking. They should always be observant, ensuring that their areas are free from any threats and potential terrorist attacks.

Learn more about the specifics of what a military does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your military job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a military for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect military also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list shows salaries for various types of militaries.

    Type of MilitaryDescriptionHourly rate
    Military$11-51
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Veterans
    • Hand Tools
    • Ladders
    • HR
    • Hazmat
    • Combat
    • PowerPoint
    • DOD
    • Workstations
    • Logistical Support
    • Leadership
    • CPR
    • Training Programs
    • SME
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage life threatening psychiatric emergencies and refer military and families to in-patient and out-patient network providers and provide supportive EAP counseling.
    • Act as drug testing NCO.
    • Train first responders in HAZMAT awareness.
    • Hone skills on alertness, and weapon qualifications.
    • Help create and publish DMS customer service survey statistics.
    • Complete EMT training, CPR training, and patient transport.
    More military duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your military job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A military can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, militaries' average salary in montana is 60% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level militaries 78% less than senior-level militaries.
    • Certifications. A military with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a military's salary.

    Average military salary

    $51,584yearly

    $24.80 hourly rate

    Entry-level military salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 9, 2026

    Average military salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$65,015$31
    2New York$63,776$31
    3New Jersey$63,705$31
    4Maine$54,252$26
    5Virginia$54,031$26
    6Wisconsin$52,750$25
    7Arizona$50,871$24
    8Maryland$48,698$23
    9Michigan$45,429$22
    10Iowa$45,059$22
    11Washington$44,458$21
    12Kansas$43,538$21
    13Utah$43,504$21
    14Texas$40,891$20
    15Missouri$39,003$19
    16New Mexico$38,285$18
    17Florida$36,537$18
    18Tennessee$35,216$17
    19Georgia$34,883$17
    20Arkansas$34,019$16

    Average military salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Baker Hughes$125,423$60.30
    2JPMorgan Chase & Co.$125,259$60.22
    3Applied Materials$124,051$59.641
    4Constellation Energy Partners$106,448$51.18
    5General Dynamics Mission Systems$105,693$50.81
    6Beaumont Health$93,717$45.06
    7Gallagher$89,999$43.27
    8Wells Fargo$84,761$40.75
    9IDA$83,924$40.35
    10Axient$83,422$40.11
    11Equinix$82,954$39.88
    12Northrop Grumman$75,899$36.492
    13Henry M. Jackson Foundation$75,785$36.44
    14Geisinger Medical Center$72,667$34.94
    15Oasis Systems$70,761$34.02
    16Scientific Research$70,161$33.73
    17Prudential Bank$69,271$33.30
    18A. Duie Pyle$66,345$31.90
    19Leidos$66,171$31.81
    20Vencore$62,885$30.23
  4. Writing a military job description

    A military job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a military job description:

    Military job description example

    Master’s Degree from an accredited Graduate Program in a Mental Health related field.
    Valid unrestricted counseling license from a State, District of Columbia, US Territory or Commonwealth that grants authority to provide counseling services as an independent practitioner.
    For assignments in the 50 states, counselors shall be licensed or certified in the state in which the client is receiving services.
    A minimum two years of post licensure counseling experience.
    Requires ability to engage and communicate with military members or children as assigned, in order to accomplish job functions, and to respond quickly to emergent situations in any physical location on a military installation and/or within a school setting, which includes the need to traverse short and/or long distances within the base to both indoor and outdoor locations, to maneuver through rugged, outdoor or uneven locations (e.g., steep inclines, stairs, grass), and work in outdoor weather and other military base conditions. May require travel to locations outside of a military base in a variety of physical environments. Due to the nature of working on military installations or related worksites, counselors may need to comply with various site specific requirements to work at designated locations. For example, for some assignments, counselors will need to have certain immunizations or vaccinations and provide record of receipt.
    Ability to prove US Citizenship and must speak fluent English.
    Understanding, sensitivity and empathy for service members and their families. Ability to develop trusting, helping relationships. Ability to work effectively with individuals and families from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
    Pass a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) Clearance and an Installation Records Check (IRC), Criminal History Background Check and FBI Fingerprints Check.
    Some units require a secret level clearance in addition to the previously stated requirements.
    Vehicle Operator's License Requirement: Unless specifically waived by the FEDSIM COR, all contractor personnel providing counseling support at Government locations shall possess a valid U.S. state vehicle operator’s license. As a condition for employment under this contract, contractor personnel may be required to pass all tests for and obtain a U.S. military vehicle operator’s permit for commercial sedans and similar, for use at Temporary Duty (TDY) locations, if required.

    General Job Information

    Title

    Military Adult Therapist

    Grade

    MFLC Tier 3

    Work Experience - Required

    Clinical

    Work Experience - Preferred

    Education - Required

    Masters - Behavioral Health, Masters - Social Work

    Education - Preferred

    License and Certifications - Required

    Current licensure required for this position that meets State, Commonwealth or customer-specific requirements - Care Mgmt, DL - Driver License, Valid In State - Other, Must be an independently licensed behavioral health clinician - Care Mgmt

    License and Certifications - Preferred

    Salary Range

    Salary Minimum: $59,922

    Salary Maximum: $100,280

    This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Actual pay will be adjusted based on an individual's skills, experience, education, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

    This position may be eligible for short-term incentives as well as a comprehensive benefits package. Magellan offers a broad range of health, life, voluntary and other benefits and perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing.

    Magellan Health, Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Tobacco-free workplace. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled.
    Every employee must understand, comply with and attest to the security responsibilities and security controls unique to their position; and comply with all applicable legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements and internal policies and procedures.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right military for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your military job on Zippia to find and recruit military candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with military candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new military

    Once you've found the military candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new military. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a military?

Before you start to hire militaries, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire militaries pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for militaries is $51,584 in the US. However, the cost of military hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a military for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $51 an hour.

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