According to many sources, a college, graduate school, or associates degree can not only lead to a better pay after your military career, and better military retirement pay, but also lead to a higher income while you're in the military. But don't wait to leave the military to reap the immediate benefits of getting a higher education while still on active duty.
Examine your goals and you'll see that your career in uniform might depend on getting that higher education right now. Regardless of what you choose - college, graduate school, vocational training programs and more - higher education should be part of your short term military career plans AND your post-military life goals.
Many active duty military know that the GI Bill is a way to earn more money later and to build their military retirement. The average Bachelor's degree is potentially worth about $300,000 more in "lifetime income." When you add that to your military retirement pay, that's what most in the military would call a future to look forward to. Using your GI Bill benefits after getting out of the military can give you an obvious financial advantage.
For veterans and active duty military servicemembers, your GI Bill entitlement covers more than a college degree: it supports your participation in a variety of training and certification programs, including vocational training in specific fields.
Thanks to the internet, online education is making college a reality for military vets and active duty members who would otherwise consider it impossible. Online education has given thousands of vets and active duty soldiers the opportunity to expand their capabilities and their job opportunities, on their own schedule.
Army Navy, Air Force, Marines - there is military support for your education, by all means. And if you're active duty military or a military veteran, the choices of what to study and where to learn from are limitless. One unique option for military personnel and their families: Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a consortium of more than 1550 colleges and universities that provide educational opportunities designed with the military family in mind.