Best degree program for enlisted Sailors?

Electrical Engineering

I hold a BBA degree in economics and enough pol. Science credits to have a second major. These days, I actually favor TRADES. Get a degree in BUSINESS, like I did. It is a USEFUL DEGREE. International relations? Ehhhhh whatever. If you want to work for the government, a BA/BS or MASTERS in accounting, finance, or public administration is a better bet. Statistics or Mathematics is seeing a high demand these days…people need help understanding raw data. The current generation of great number crunchers is retiring!

I would suggest something related to finance.

Political Science is a top paying major if you do it right. Do not go to a diploma mill school. In stay with schools like Arizona State, and Penn State. It really depends on what you want to do. Make your company pay for it, if it is the Navy or the company you work for afterwords. All the best! SCPO BA Political Science, MBA

Good on you for working on your degree! I can only speak for myself. I didn't start my college degree pursuit until I was an E-7 trying to get advanced to E-8. The first year I posted my A.S. I was advanced. I continued on and got a BS in Occupational Education - all paid for by GI Bill. After I retired from the Navy as an E-9 FC, I got a GREAT job in an Aerospace Company initially teaching electronics, but quickly moved into Management. I can tell you that Aerospace is hiring a LOT more people with technical degrees - Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering and are also paying them a LOT more ($100K plus). Being an ET, you should have no problems pursuing either of these degrees. My thoughts.

If uou are going to try for a commission, any degree will do. If you are trying to advance your knowledge then go for what field really turns you on ! I was lucky enough to get a couple of degrees in my chosen fields. My AT, GF, AX, And AV ratings gave me 57 hours towards my EE degree and my Instructor and instructor supervisor schools helped towards my Masters. I served on the CNET executive staff which also helped later in life. My Navy schools helped to get both instructor and administrative credentials in the California community college system. The best way to get good advice is to choose a major, then a good school then get advised by the department head or dean of the specific college ( ie: engineering or whatever ) . The admissions folks go by a check list so their advise is suspect. You might also talk to some of the students in your prospective school. Most important is to look back from the doctoral requirements and salt your degree plan with electives that satisfy pre reqs. for an advanced degree. You wouldn't want to compete with a large group of accounting freshman when satisfying a pre req for an MBA You need an "A" or A "B" to trmain in most masters degree programs.


Hope this gives you some direction to chase your dream !!

Stu Powell
Stewart R. Powell, AVCM (AC) USN Ret.

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Just pick one that is close to where you are stationed and accepts your experience for college credit. Yes there are several online courses but going to a class on base or some where close has no comparison. I was able to go to several classes on base and walk across a stage to get my Bachelors and Masters degree. I had to go back to sea for my Associates degree so it got mailed to me; however, I got to go to all my classes in various places around Oahu (Chaminade University).

Figure out what you want to do with your life. Are you staying in until retirement or going to move on to civilian? If staying in, enlisted or officer? Getting a degree in your field would be easier, but if it isn't what you want, you are wasting time and money. I would recommend the STEM degrees, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math personally, but you also have to figure job opportunities. If you want to go political science and economics, research the degree plan and job market. Also see what you can do about turning that AS degree into one with a specialty. General studies and liberal arts don't equate to much because it doesn't teach a trade. You are more well rounded but no specialty training. You can transfer that degree to another school and pick up credits towards another AS or AAS degree with a specialty and have something to fall back on.

The best degrees are in the hard sciences. Best ones to keep you employed that is.
In my experience people with liberal arts degrees have lower paying positions. The degrees I've seen most veterans get are Business degrees.

The best degrees are in the hard sciences. Best ones to keep you employed that is.

In my experience people with liberal arts degrees have lower paying positions. The degrees I've seen most veterans get are in Business Administration.