Should DOD create a payscale for Enlisted with Degrees?

There already is one...it's called the Officer scale. There are many of us enlisted with degrees (sometimes higher ones that our Officer counterparts) but that doesn't mean we should get paid more. The Officers' level of responsibility is not typically matched on the enlisted side. One of the questions I hate the most is 'Why didn't/don't you become an Officer?" as it shows a bit of contempt for being enlisted. There is nothing wrong with having a degree and being enlisted, but that doesn't mean I should be paid more because I do. The point of our profession is to defend freedom, and part of that is the opportunity to choose your own profession. We all chose ours, and if you feel that you don't get paid enough for what you do, perhaps seek a change in your life/career.

If they want to get paid more for their degree, let them apply for a warrant or commission. If you start paying Soldiers more for getting a degree where does it stop? Should a CPT with a PhD get paid more than a CPT with a BS or Masters?

I share the majority opinion and say no for a couple of reasons.
1. If you're a 31B1 with a PhD in history ... how does that help the team accomplish the mission?
2. We've all met them ... the overeducated idiot. One's BS degree may in fact be a degree in BS ... so again, how does that help the team accomplish the mission?

The best case scenario is you prove yourself, earn rank and earn the pay grade appropriate to the E, W or O grade. Should the Peter principle comes to fruition, then hopefully the respective Chains of Command takes appropriate action.

I would say it should be treated more like the bonus system if the degree is relevant to your MOS. Example: If a medic goes out and gets his AS or BS as a Paramedic, the should qualify for a bonus for that.

Pay is based on the job. Degrees enable a person to obtain a job which pays more. One should not be paid more than their counterparts unless they are out performing their counterparts.

Your point is well intentioned, but I don't agree. I enlisted WITH 2 Bachelors degrees, knowing full well that I wanted the job I wanted at the rank I would receive (E4 with degree) when I enlisted; nothing more. And yes, a lot--probably most--of the senior enlisted obtain degrees during their military career, but as others have said, we signed up to do a job, and just because some of us have degrees, does not mean it is the degree in-and-of itself that warrants higher pay.
Those who want more pay need to rank up; whether that means hitting those lofty senior NCO ranks, or go Warrant or Commissioned. It's the choice we make.

It is an interesting idea, for sure. Will it upset the current system and anger those who climbed the ranks the old-fashioned way? Definitely. But it should be noted that the private sector does this already, and could be a solution to challenges faced by the military in training and retaining troops for high-demand or highly-technical fields like Cyber or Intel.

I have no regrets in the path I chose. While I did consider going OCS a few times throughout my career, I knew that I could best serve the Army by staying enlisted. I can tell you that I know for a fact that I left the Army better than I found it by teaching, coaching, and mentoring the young Soldiers under my responsibility and by helping guide my peers and the junior officers either over or near me. I never once thought about being paid more because of my degree and wouldn't change a thing if I could do it all over again.

Accidentally voted this up. So yeah sounds cool! But if you have a bachelors degree, then why stay enlisted? Apply for OCS and earn a commission.

I think that is a valid question. When I was enlisted, we had a GySgt with a masters from Cornell..he didn't want to be an officer.

If we want adaptive/innovative leaders (and the Army says that we do), I think incentivizing education is a good idea.

If you want to "Incentivize Good Behavior" Reward it.

We give higher Scores for Higher (A)PFT and in turn make promotions easier for them. That means more money. If you really want to reward someone, give them more money.

Establish a baseline. Get a 300 PFT (Perfect Score), get an extra $100/month. Watch how many folks will work out every single day.

Do the same thing for education. Get a degree higher than the one required for current rank, get $100. As an example, establish the following chart:

Junior enlisted = HS Grad
NCO (Service Specific) = AA/AS
SNCO/SrNCO & WO/CO = BA/BS
FG = MS

If a Junior Enlisted completes their Associates, they get $100 pro-pay until they pick up NCO. If they can get their Bachelors, they get $200/month. If they have a MS, $300.00 When they pin on, it drops $100.00 (because they are now expected to be more educated).

Same goes up the ranks.

Now will all the degrees be applicable? No. Of course not. However there will be diminishing returns as you get more education, and as you are in longer, so it's not going to matter. Furthermore, since people are in and tuition assistance is approved at command level, you will start seeing more and more applicable degrees at the NCO/WO/CO (Careerist) ranks.

No and also see Capt (Join to see) comments. Would you pay a Walmart cashier more money because he or she has a PhD? SFC Randy Purham as much as we want to think civilian sector pays more, it is not the case at all. Think benefit, think opportunities, think free education, free training, think leadership building, think serving/fighting for your country, and think about the unique experience you are earning. Also, You can't compare someone who has a Master degree working as an executive to a Enlisted Soldier who has a Master degree. Think different job descriptions, responsibilities, and skill sets.

Absolutely. If they want to stay competitive with the civilian sector.

I think most are missing the question proposed. I don't think the pay scale should reflect the officer side exactly, however, it only makes sense to have a sub-scale for enlisted soldiers with at least a Bachelor's degree -- especially if they earned it outside of the Army. That is my opinion of course and it is a biased one: I joined with a BA and decided enlisted was right for me for various reasons. I believe a four year degree definitely has a positive effect on a soldiers ability and performance and should therefore be reflected in his or her payscale.

No. Step up or return to ranks. Your degrees will help for promotion only.

No. There is effectively a pay increase for if you get a degree. In the air force there in a correlation between level of education and rank. Well guess what? The higher ranked you are the more money you get! The opportunity is there to get the degree on the military dime. Get the degree and work hard and then get promoted. Too many people assume that because they're enlisted they need to "stay" uneducated. No way man! We have a more professional force these days that is only benefited by the enlisted getting degrees.

Military grade, GS grade, or civilian, we are paid for the job we do in the position we are in. I say no.

Yes. By law enlisted soldiers are only required to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Yet the army places heavy emphasis on advanced degrees. There should be a pay scale adjustment.

I wish that I had someone giving me pointers when I came in. Things would be a lot different for me, financially, when I retire. My question about this would be: Do we reward folks that sit at their desks, most of the day, working on their degrees? I know a lot of folks do it. I give Soldiers time during the day, to work on this, but that isn't their primary.

wouldn't that be nice....have a MBA and halfway through my MS