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What is a soldier and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

A Soldier is a dedicated and passionate person who works for the armed forces of a state or country. They sacrifice everything for the security of their motherland. Either serving in the air force, navy, or army, they can make around $17.08 per hour, on average. Individuals working on special missions or exercises can have odd and longer working hours. Normal operations demand them to work on standard timing of nine to five.

They participate in various peacekeeping operations in volatile places, fighting in combat war zones, or supporting humanitarian efforts across the globe. Their duties depend on the branch they are working for. They are in the top physical condition and have perfect mental health to fulfill their responsibilities.

Talking about their education, a high school diploma is essential for them. They also need healthy physical and mental conditions as they typically work in harsh working environments. After their selection, they get special training based on their respective branch.

ScoreSoldierUS Average
Salary
2.9

Avg. Salary $36,491

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.68%

Asian 6.90%

Black or African American 14.79%

Hispanic or Latino 18.02%

Unknown 5.61%

White 54.00%

Gender

female 22.48%

male 77.52%

Age - 22
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 - 22
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
9.4

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Soldier career paths

Key steps to become a soldier

  1. Explore soldier education requirements

    Most common soldier degrees

    High School Diploma

    41.0 %

    Bachelor's

    25.6 %

    Associate

    16.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific soldier skills

    SkillsPercentages
    US Army27.53%
    Weapons Training6.62%
    Teamwork5.96%
    Logistics5.57%
    Vehicle Maintenance4.92%
  3. Research soldier duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve NREMT and CPR certificates.
    • Lead a platoon of communication specialists within a combat engineering company.
    • Demonstrate leadership, logistics expertise, communication abilities, computer competencies, teamwork, and multitasking.
    • Organize platoon physical training daily routine.
  4. Prepare your soldier resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your soldier 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 soldier resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable soldier resume templates

    Build a professional soldier 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 soldier resume.
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  5. Apply for soldier jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a soldier job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first soldier job

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Average soldier salary

The average soldier salary in the United States is $36,491 per year or $18 per hour. Soldier salaries range between $22,000 and $58,000 per year.

Average soldier salary
$36,491 Yearly
$17.54 hourly

What am I worth?

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Soldier reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2023
Pros

Leadership training and a chance to become more


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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