Benefits of Becoming a Professional Engineer While Serving in the Military

The United States Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy have a variety of engineering occupations. For example, a technical engineer conducts construction and geodetic surveys, creates scale models, and carries out various other duties that align with civilian engineering positions.ⁱ Professional licensing is technically not required for engineering jobs within the military, but obtaining a license displays advanced knowledge in various engineering topics. Obtaining a professional license while actively serving can present opportunities for a promotion or an advancement in rank. Salary increases are also a common recognition for becoming licensed. 

A military engineering salary for a licensed professional is relatively competitive compared to other military careers. Below are median salaries for military professional engineers per the Bureau of Labor and Statistics:ii

• Civil Engineer: $73,528
• Electrical Engineer: $88,503
• Mechanical Engineer: $69,943 

Becoming a professional engineer (PE) while actively serving can increase the chances of acquiring a job after terminating your active status. Veterans who fail to do so often experience difficulties when applying for licensing exams through state boards as some state boards have specific regulations on training experience. If there is a gap between active military engineering training and applying for a licensing exam, many veterans end up participating in duplicate training.iii

Generally, civilian engineering positions often require their employees to be licensed. Even if some industries do not require employees to be licensed, companies in these industries may request that their employees strive for a PE license. When hiring, a majority of civilian companies will choose a licensed professional engineer over a candidate who is not licensed. Those actively serving in the military would greatly benefit from obtaining a PE license as they would have a smoother transition into the civilian workforce after no longer serving in the military. 

School of PE has helped many active military engineers obtain their professional engineering licenses, including students from the U.S. Army Core of Engineers, the Navy, and the Air Force. To thank military men and women for their service, we are happy to provide a $100 military discount on our exam review courses. 

School of PE offers exam review courses for Fundamentals of Engineering, PE, and Structural Engineering courses for licensing exams. 

To receive a military discount for a School of PE review course, register for a review course online or via phone by calling 614-873-7475.

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References

i Technical Engineering Jobs. Retrieved from https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/career-match/mechanics-engineering/design-develop/12t-technical-engineer.html

ii Bureau of Labor Statistics: Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering Statistics Pages. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ 

iii United States Department of Labor. Licensing and Certification for Veterans: State Strategies for Successfully Removing Barriers. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/VETS/legacy/files/licensingcertfications.pdf