skip to main content
MENU

Military Acquisitions and Contracts Specialists

Military Career

General Information

Description

Acquisitions and contracts specialists negotiate, procure, and process administrative actions necessary to acquire contracted resources. They understand pricing techniques, market trends, and supply sources of goods and services the Military needs to operate. They develop acquisition strategies to ensure cost-effective decisions are made. Acquisitions and contracts specialists serve as business advisors, buyers, and administrators to support all functions of procurement actions.  

Explore this career outside the Military

Work Environment

Contracts specialists work in offices on land or aboard ships.

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Comparable Industries

  • Business Management & Administration

Related Military Careers

No Information for this section

Military Outlook

Service Branches

Jobs in this career field may be available in other service branches. Call or email a particular branch for more info.

Military Status

  • Enlisted
    • Hands-on/specialized
    • High school diploma required

Military Workforce

Acquisitions and Contracts Specialists in the Military

9,269

No Information for this section

Salary

Salary Information

Median Military Salary This is the median, or the midpoint, of the salary range for this career.

$104,573

Military Salary Range Salary varies based on years of service, degree level, special pays, family status and location. Learn more about Military benefits.

$28,061 - $256,074

What makes up a Military salary?

Military salaries include a lot more than just base pay.

They also offer:

  • Housing allowances
  • Subsistence allowances
  • Special and incentive pays
  • Cost-of-living allowances
  • Hazardous-duty pay
  • Bonuses

Learn more about what goes into a salary with the compensation estimator

Learn more about military insurance and retirement benefits

No Information for this section

Education

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 48%
  • Bachelor's degree 32%
  • Some college 16%
  • Associate's degree 2%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%
  • Post-secondary certificate 0%

Military training

All enlisted service members complete basic military training, which includes time spent in a classroom and in the field, and covers tactical and survival skills, physical training, military life and customs, and weapons training. Job training for contracts specialists consists of classroom and on-the-job instruction. Training content relates to contract administration, and may include: Use of military procurement systemsMission-focused contractingAcquisition proceduresContract pricingGovernment contract laws

Read More

Military training

×

All enlisted service members complete basic military training, which includes time spent in a classroom and in the field, and covers tactical and survival skills, physical training, military life and customs, and weapons training. Job training for contracts specialists consists of classroom and on-the-job instruction. Training content relates to contract administration, and may include:

  • Use of military procurement systems
  • Mission-focused contracting
  • Acquisition procedures
  • Contract pricing
  • Government contract laws

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

Knowledge

  • Administrative
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Mathematics

Gain insights into your knowledge by using the ASVAB Career Exploration Program

No Information for this section

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.