Commissioned vs. Non-Commissioned Officer

A commissioned officer is an officer of the military who has received rank and commission in the armed services, while a non-commissioned officer is an officer in the military that has not yet earned commission or rank.

How To Become A Non-Commissioned Officer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a non-commissioned officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A Non-Commissioned Officer is a military rank referring to an officer who has not been promoted to hold high office. NCOs are still leaders, though, the primary ones for most military personnel. They are responsible for executing missions and for providing adequate and specialized training to their subordinates.

NCOs command privates, corporals, and sergeants rank under them. They are trained for combat as well as management and function as a link between enlisted soldiers and commissioned officers. They provide guidance and advice, first and foremost, to junior officers.

The duties of NCOs are varied, and the perks are many. Although they only make 11% more than the average national salary, with a median annual income of around $45,978, they get schooling and training opportunities, with a chance to earn bonuses as well.

ScoreNon-Commissioned OfficerUS Average

Salary

7.7

Avg. Salary $104,839

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.59%

Asian 5.62%

Black or African American 12.83%

Hispanic or Latino 19.15%

Unknown 5.31%

White 55.51%

Gender

female 16.41%

male 83.59%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.4

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a non-commissioned officer

Explore non-commissioned officer education requirements

Most common non-commissioned officer degrees

Bachelor's

43.6 %

Associate

33.1 %

High School Diploma

11.8 %

Start to develop specific non-commissioned officer skills

Skills	Percentages
Combat	13.75%
Logistical Support	12.01%
NCO	11.86%
Professional Development	4.69%
Platoon	3.68%

Complete relevant non-commissioned officer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New non-commissioned officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a non-commissioned officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real non-commissioned officer resumes.

Research non-commissioned officer duties and responsibilities

Ensure assigned equipment are maintained and serviceable for accomplish all combat evacuation during OIF.
Provide leadership and knowledge of federal shipping and logistics regulations by managing adherence to all policies and procedures from higher headquarters.
Provide hazardous materials (HAZMAT) response capability for unknown or suspect CBRN incidents.
Ensure compliance with local state and federal EPA guidelines for hazardous materials (HAZMAT) handling and waste disposal.

Prepare your non-commissioned officer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your non-commissioned officer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a non-commissioned officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable non-commissioned officer resume templates

Build a professional non-commissioned officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your non-commissioned officer resume.