For Educators: Military Resources
Military International and Civil Affairs Officers
Median Salary
108,313
Workforce Count
14,693
In-Demand
Overview
What are the responsibilities of this role?
International and civil affairs officers have extensive in-country experience in a designated region. They build effective relationships with governments, militaries, and local citizens and they support a variety of international engagement activities, from humanitarian relief to intelligence collection. They serve as primary advisors to government agencies across service branches on all stages of operations planning because of their regional and cultural expertise.
What is the work environment like?
International and civil affairs officers work mainly in offices of U.S. embassies and missions located overseas.
How many people have this role in the Military?
14,693
Compensation
Understanding How Military Pay is More Than Just a Salary
Base pay is the standard income you’ll earn as a service member, providing a stable foundation to start achieving your financial goals.
- Always fixed based on rank and service time.
- Distributed monthly.
What is the typical salary range?
Salary by Years of Service
$62,785
2 Years
$90,573
6 Years
$145,494
10+ Years
Median Salary
Military Details
What Service Branches offer this role?
Is this a staff or leadership role?
Officers are service members who plan, direct operations and manage enlisted personnel, developing a broad range of leadership-related skills.
Learn More About Enlisted and Officer PathsWhat does the training for this role entail?
Job training for international and civil affairs officers primarily consists of classroom instruction and on-the-job learning in various training environments. Like other officers, they complete a comprehensive training program covering responsibilities, military structure and etiquette, traditions, and leadership development. Job-specific training may include:
- Political and cultural awareness
- Development of foreign area expertise and language proficiency
- Organization and functions of diplomatic missions
Education
What level of education do professionals in this role have?
No data available for this section.
Which college majors best prepare you for this role?
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric
- Communication, General
- Public Relations/Image Management
- Mass Communication/Media Studies
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
- Communication Management and Strategic Communications
- Political Communication
- Business/Corporate Communications, General
- International and Intercultural Communication
- Business/Corporate Communications, Other
Learn About How Military Can Pay for 100% of your College Degree
The Military has several programs that cover college costs — so you can pursue your education with little to no debt.
Learn More About Paying For CollegeSkills and Interests
What knowledge is essential to bring to the table?
No data available for this section.
What personality traits help people thrive in this role?
Enterprising
You love taking risks in business or personal projects — and have the leadership skills to back it up.
Conventional
You like structure, staying organized, and working with systems to get things done efficiently.
Social
You love connecting with people, helping others and making a difference in your community.
RIASEC represents six broad interest areas—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional—helping individuals identify careers that match their skills and preferences.
Take the RIASEC TestData 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.