For Educators: Military Resources
Military Special Forces
Median Salary
66,756
Workforce Count
39,297
Overview
What are the responsibilities of this role?
Special forces members implement unconventional operations by air, land, or sea during combat or peacetime as members of elite teams. These activities include offensive raids, demolitions, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and counterterrorism. In addition to their combat training, special forces members often have specialized training in swimming, diving, parachuting, survival, emergency medicine, and foreign languages.
What is the work environment like?
Because special forces team members must be prepared to go anywhere in the world, they train and work in all climates, weather conditions, and settings. They may dive from submarines or small underwater craft. Special forces team members may also be exposed to harsh temperatures, often without protection, during missions in enemy-controlled areas. Most of the time, however, they work and train on military bases, ships, or submarines.
How many people have this role in the Military?
39,297
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
$108,205
2 Years
$75,268
6 Years
$108,205
10+ Years
Median Salary
Military Details
What Service Branches offer this role?
Is this a staff or leadership role?
Enlisted service members execute vital tasks, support operations alongside officers and develop role-specific skills to achieve mission success.
Learn More About Enlisted and Officer PathsWhat does the training for this role entail?
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. Due to the wide variety of missions, Special Forces enlisted service members undergo some of the most intense and demanding physical and mental training in the world. They are trained swimmers, paratroopers, and survival experts, as well as trained in many forms of combat. Special Forces in the Military will gain skills through classroom study, practices exercises under simulated mission conditions, and on-the-job experience. Job-specific training may include:
- Physical conditioning, parachuting, swimming, and scuba diving
- Use of land warfare weapons and communications devices
- Explosives handling and disposal
- Bomb and mine disposal
Education
Which college majors best prepare you for this role?
- Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy
- Intelligence, General
- Strategic Intelligence
- Geospatial Intelligence
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations
- Signal/Geospatial Intelligence
- Explosive Ordinance/Bomb Disposal
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 Interest
What personality traits help people thrive in this role?
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 TestRelated Military Occupations
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