What is a Platoon Sergeant?

A platoon sergeant is the senior noncommissioned officer in a unit. A unit is usually composed of about 40 officers. He/She is the principal tactical adviser to the platoon commander and collaborates with the commander to establish training schedules. Asides from that, he/she reviews the readiness of the platoon and its members for combat. Platoon sergeants are tasked with running the training of the platoon. They oversee the daily routines of the platoon, including inspections, movement between training locations, rest periods, and other activities.

As a platoon sergeant, you must hold at least the rank of a staff sergeant. You must be within pay grade E-6. You must have been in the force for at least four years. Your experience must include the practical application of acquired knowledge. You must possess communication, leadership, and analytical skills. Platoon sergeants earn an average salary of $59,246 per year. It varies between $40,000 and $87,000.

What Does a Platoon Sergeant Do

There are certain skills that many platoon sergeants have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed good judgment, observation skills and communication skills.

How To Become a Platoon Sergeant

If you're interested in becoming a platoon sergeant, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 41.9% of platoon sergeants have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.2% of platoon sergeants have master's degrees. Even though some platoon sergeants have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Top Platoon Sergeant Jobs Near You

Platoon Sergeant Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a platoon sergeant can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as operations manager, progress to a title such as human resources manager and then eventually end up with the title senior human resources manager.

Platoon Sergeant

Average Salary for a Platoon Sergeant

Platoon Sergeants in America make an average salary of $95,863 per year or $46 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $134,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $68,000 per year.
Average Platoon Sergeant Salary
$95,863 Yearly
$46.09 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Platoon Sergeant

There are several types of platoon sergeant, including:

Sergeant

Role:

Sergeants have a lot of responsibility. And when we say a lot, we mean a lot. You'll have all the responsibilities that police officers have and then you'll also be responsible for any duties that the police chief assigns to you.

It is an important role for the community you serve. You're the one police officers look to for guidance and support. But you also have to supervise your team to ensure they're doing the right thing for the community.

Speaking of community, sergeants are very involved in their communities. From engaging in conversations to directing public events, you'll want to be welcoming and inviting to the community so that they trust you and your team. Your duty is to serve and protect them, and they're counting on you to see that through.

  • Average Salary: $48,557
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Lieutenant

Role:

A lieutenant monitors activities in the police department, examines departmental issues, and is cooperative during law enforcement inquisitions. Your job requires you to oversee internal events and make sure of the safeguarding and safety of the area. As a lieutenant, you have to execute laws and policies for everybody's strict adherence and examine police departments' establishments. You must also identify grievous crimes, seize contravene goods, and write any proof for investigation. Additionally, you have to often oversee City periods and give instructions to deputies about recent or modified policies. You must carry out equipment, vehicle, and uniform reviews, and you may have to train new workers and analyze present employees' efficiency. Sometimes, outside of the field, you have to carry out managerial duties like sustaining apprehension and property books. You must also ensure appropriate documentation of evidence.

To become a lieutenant requires you to have a bachelor's or an associate degree in criminal justice, fire science and protection, or business. Furthermore, you must exhibit excellent communication, leadership, and organization skills. In addition, as a lieutenant, you must be proficient in using specific weapons. You will earn an average of $43,329 yearly or $20.83 an hour.

  • Average Salary: $47,781
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Staff Sergeant

Role:

A staff sergeant is an army officer ranking above a sergeant. He/She or she is responsible for commanding a squad of around 10 soldiers. You become a staff sergeant if you are promoted from a lower rank of enlisted army personnel.

A staff sergeant is a non-commissioned officer, which means if you get promoted, your primary duties will revolve around supporting the work of commissioned officer corps and supervising enlisted soldiers. Other than that, you will have to develop, maintain, and use your potential as a soldier, according to Army regulations.

You can also obtain specialty skills and work in areas such as water treatment, medicine, technical engineering, avionics system repairs, and many others. Your payment will increase along with the number of years you spend on duty, starting from $29,840.40 a year, complete with generous bonuses and allowances.

  • Average Salary: $41,479
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
View More

States With The Most Platoon Sergeant Jobs

Number Of Platoon Sergeant Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Texas28$92,775
2Georgia20$83,515
3South Carolina19$60,932
4California15$125,620
5Arizona14$95,108
6Virginia14$91,558
7North Carolina12$86,736
8Arkansas9$67,394
9Massachusetts8$68,020
10Ohio6$105,799
11New York6$115,351
12Indiana6$68,331
13Wisconsin5$69,860
14Maryland5$69,094
15Minnesota4$89,819
16Washington3$99,452
17Tennessee3$86,647
18Mississippi3$78,533
19Missouri3$80,855
20Florida3$73,218
21Rhode Island2$96,997
22New Jersey2$102,014
23Nebraska2$81,168
24Maine1$113,501
25Nevada1$115,035
26New Mexico1$100,805
27Oregon1$102,973
28Illinois1$101,376
29Pennsylvania1$93,867
30Oklahoma1$87,912
31Alabama1$81,633
32Montana1$69,097
33Michigan1$72,715
34Idaho0$129,471
35Colorado0$127,978
36West Virginia0$105,974
37Kentucky0$100,525
38Iowa0$93,804
39Delaware0$97,638
40Kansas0$92,717
41Utah0$92,924
42New Hampshire0$94,155
43Wyoming0$88,736
44North Dakota0$85,741
45Alaska0$78,715
46Connecticut0$69,293
47South Dakota0$64,867
48Hawaii0$66,817
49Vermont0$64,899
50Louisiana0$61,456

Platoon Sergeant Education

Platoon Sergeant Majors

Business
24.9 %
General Studies
19.0 %
Criminal Justice
14.9 %

Platoon Sergeant Degrees

Bachelors

41.9 %

Associate

30.8 %

High School Diploma

15.7 %

Top Colleges for Platoon Sergeants

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

3. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

4. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

5. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

6. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

7. Mercyhurst University

Erie, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$37,170

Enrollment

2,374

8. University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ • Private

In-State Tuition

$12,467

Enrollment

33,509

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,556

Enrollment

41,777

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

Top Skills For a Platoon Sergeant

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 19.6% of platoon sergeants listed safety procedures on their resume, but soft skills such as good judgment and observation skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Platoon Sergeant Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Platoon Sergeant templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Platoon Sergeant resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume
Platoon Sergeant Resume

Platoon Sergeant diversity

Platoon Sergeant Gender Distribution

Male
Male
94%
Female
Female
6%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among platoon sergeants, 6.4% of them are women, while 93.6% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among platoon sergeants is White, which makes up 66.1% of all platoon sergeants.

  • The most common foreign language among platoon sergeants is Spanish at 49.8%.

Online Courses For Platoon Sergeant That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. Security Operations

coursera

Welcome to course 5 of 5 of this Specialization, Security Operations. This course focuses our attention on the day-to-day, moment-by-moment active use of the security controls and risk mitigation strategies that an organization has in place. We will explore ways to secure the data and the systems they reside on, and how to encourage secure practices among people who interact with the data and systems during their daily duties. After completing this course, the participant will be able to:...

2. Cybersecurity Roles, Processes & Operating System Security

coursera

This course gives you the background needed to understand basic Cybersecurity around people. process and technology. You will learn: ● Understand the key cybersecurity roles within an Organization. ● List key cybersecurity processes and an example of each process. ● Describe the architecture, file systems, and basic commands for multiple operating systems including Windows, Mac/OS, Linux and Mobile. ● Understand the concept of Virtualization as it relates to cybersecurity Finally, you will...

3. Advanced Close Combat Training: Scientific Self Defense

udemy
4.4
(456)

How To "Download" the world's deadliest self defense moves directly into your brain...

Show More Online Courses For Platoon Sergeant
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

How Do Platoon Sergeants Rate Their Jobs?

Working as a Platoon Sergeant? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Platoon Sergeant Employers

Most Common Employers For Platoon Sergeant

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1The Citadel$174,509$83.9012
2Alpha$119,008$57.2229
3WMSN FOX 47 News, Madison$118,901$57.167
4c$107,610$51.7415
5Bravo$101,420$48.7619
6E C O$101,185$48.656
7Ohio National Financial Services$100,671$48.4020
8Cavalry Portfolio Services$95,750$46.0313
9Fort Hood Family Housing$95,750$46.038
10HCC$95,613$45.9729
Show More

Platoon Sergeant Videos

2014 U.S. Army Drill Sergeant & AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competitions

Platoon Sergeant Related Careers

Platoon Sergeant Related Jobs

What Similar Roles Do

Resume For Related Jobs

Updated April 6, 2023