Posted on May 10, 2016
Should DOD create a payscale for Enlisted with Degrees?
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Alot of enlisted have Bachelors, Masters, and PHDs, often times they have to make decisions on crossing over to the Commisioned Officer side or Warrant, but we all know those die hard NCOs who do to their love for the NCO Corps won't make the change, I say lets reward them besides promotions
NCOs
Military Pay
Education
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 36
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There already is. If you have a Bachelors Degree (BA/BS) you come in at SPC/E-4. That's what I did. Also got a $6K bonus for it as well. That degree also maxes you out on Civilian Education promotion points.
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Why? Their degree doesn't result in greater responsibility. I certainly hope you're not suggesting that the only thing separating officer and enlisted is a degree. Most military members are not officers because most military members completely lack the potential to perform as officers. A degree doesn't change that.
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No, but give them incentives that will help them get more out of their degree. Maybe pave better roads to the Officer's Corps after getting a degree.
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Suspended Profile
No, most guys with a college degree enlist to get their student loans paid, because the OCS path does not allow for that. I knew a lot of guys who had guaranteed OCS in their contract after some amount of years. I knew three guys who took their guaranteed OCS and commissioned and another who said no thanks and EASd.
A lot of the guys I knew who enlisted often times had a chip on their shoulders about having a degree, but they fail to realize they enlisted for the student loan repayment plus 60% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Have two guys in my MBA class who enlisted with a degree for that reason and said they are glad they enlisted as Marine 0311 because they never would have been able to pay of their student loans.
Also guys who have a degree go in as a higher rank and are typically older so more is expected out of them.
A lot of the guys I knew who enlisted often times had a chip on their shoulders about having a degree, but they fail to realize they enlisted for the student loan repayment plus 60% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Have two guys in my MBA class who enlisted with a degree for that reason and said they are glad they enlisted as Marine 0311 because they never would have been able to pay of their student loans.
Also guys who have a degree go in as a higher rank and are typically older so more is expected out of them.
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Having a degree doesn't equate to higher pay in the civil side automatically either...when I first came out of the Navy, I got paid exactly as much to dig a ditch as the next ditch-digger, even with a B.S.
An education gets you two things that matter: the "license" to seek higher employment, and the connections to find it. If an NCO has his/her doctorate, and finds it more fulfilling to continue in their current role, it doesn't mean they couldn't find a path to higher pay-or that they are any less appreciated because they retain the same salary with the advanced degree. I had a Chief once in the Reserve who flew airliners in his "day job", and a Senior Chief who owned several patents.
Trust me, we all get "out" someday, and out here...an NCO with a masters is soon going to be earning a great deal more than an O-4 with a bachelors.
An education gets you two things that matter: the "license" to seek higher employment, and the connections to find it. If an NCO has his/her doctorate, and finds it more fulfilling to continue in their current role, it doesn't mean they couldn't find a path to higher pay-or that they are any less appreciated because they retain the same salary with the advanced degree. I had a Chief once in the Reserve who flew airliners in his "day job", and a Senior Chief who owned several patents.
Trust me, we all get "out" someday, and out here...an NCO with a masters is soon going to be earning a great deal more than an O-4 with a bachelors.
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No. A truck driver or mechanic with a degree in psychology or business is still just a truck driver or a mechanic.
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SSG (Join to see)
We aren't robots SFC, NCOs truly are the backbone and education is preached everyday to our enlisted members, but unfortunetly we lose so many great NCOs to the Officer side because rhe Money lloks good, and theirs hardly any incentives to stay
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If you want to cross over to the officer side, feel free. In my very limited experience, most enlisted have degrees from National University, Un of Pheonix and other universities that are not accepted out side of the military. I was proud of my being enlisted, if you are not then move along.
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I think it's not a bad idea. But I have definitely see those who climbed the ranks without a BA/MA being salty about it. I think it would give Enlisted soldiers incentive to using their TA. Most enlisted don't use that college money and it keeps getting lower every year. Furthermore it seems impractical to cover 16credit hours with only $4000 annually and not need additional finiancial support (loans, etc). If they choose to remain in service then a financial incentive is practical and helpful. I know some will object to this on the case of 'just go to OCS'. But that is an entirely different level of leadership. Why would we not empower and reward lower enlisted and NCO's for pursuing professional and educational development with a financial incentive? Officers will have even more motivated and well rounded soldiers under them. I don't see this hurting the Army at all.
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NO- Definitely not. That would not be fair to the majority of young Soldiers who joined the DEP in high school and shipped to basic right after graduation. Those that go straight to college and come in with degrees or a significant amount of college credit already hold an advantage towards promotions over those who came in right out of high school. Not everyone has the same time and opportunities to devote to college courses while on active duty, and it may take longer for some than others due to OPTEMPO and other factors. Soldiers should not be financially penalized for putting an Army career ahead of personal education, and Soldiers should not be financially rewarded for what they did before joining the Army. I agree that civilian education should factor into promotions, which should be an incentive for Soldiers and NCO's to be proactive in their civilian education. But they shouldn't be paid less just because they had a longer path to get a degree versus those who went to college first.
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SGT Terry Whittington
The comment about not having time to earn a degree is not true. Almost every major University in the country offer on line degrees. They need to take the timetolook into these colleges, and stop making excuses.
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SFC J Fullerton
There is a difference between starting from scratch and already being half way there or already have a degree before coming in. I didn't say Soldiers don't have the time, I said not everyone has the same amount of time, which makes it an unfair playing field. I think you are missing my point.
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How about, oh I don't know, extra promotion points for college credit, so your "higher pay scale" is achieved by being promoted sooner, thereby (hopefully) also using your degree in a manner beneficial to the military service that paid for it?
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SSG (Join to see)
Sir, the problem is the military is losing Great NCO's who are in the mid tier ranks due to little to no incentives for having Degrees. NCO's shouldn't have to cross over to the Commissioned Officer side to be paid more for the same or more Education than their Commanders. The only Pre Qualification difference from Enlisted to Officer is the Degree. I believe Corporate America captures this well compared to DOD
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LTC Stephen B.
I don't see anyone being paid more in the military based strictly on a degree. I had a masters as a senior Captain, still got paid less than Colonels with only a BA. However, my Masters made me more competitive and I made Major faster than my contemporaries, therefore indirectly received a higher pay scale. However, I had the duties and responsibilities that came with that pay grade, I did not get paid more just because I had a degree.
From what I've seen outside the military, teaching is the only area I have witnessed a higher pay scale for the same work based on the level of degree held. Corporate will also put you in a higher level of management/authority and/or set higher expectations (workload and/or profits/results) along with that higher pay. This goes along with what the military does - degrees that make you more competitive for promotion can help you make that next level of pay, but included higher responsibilities/ expectations.
There could be an argument made that specific degrees that benefit the military and/or MOS/career field should be given more weight, but the military is paid based on a union scale. The worst LTC with 18 years service gets paid just as much as the best LTC with 18 years service. A LTC with a PhD gets paid the same as a LTC with a BA or Masters.
From what I've seen outside the military, teaching is the only area I have witnessed a higher pay scale for the same work based on the level of degree held. Corporate will also put you in a higher level of management/authority and/or set higher expectations (workload and/or profits/results) along with that higher pay. This goes along with what the military does - degrees that make you more competitive for promotion can help you make that next level of pay, but included higher responsibilities/ expectations.
There could be an argument made that specific degrees that benefit the military and/or MOS/career field should be given more weight, but the military is paid based on a union scale. The worst LTC with 18 years service gets paid just as much as the best LTC with 18 years service. A LTC with a PhD gets paid the same as a LTC with a BA or Masters.
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