An Overview of Military Students in Higher Education Infographic

From Service to Student: An Overview of Military Students in Higher Education Infographic

Did you know that the number of military students is rising?

That’s right – military students currently make up 5% of the total undergrad population, and that number is expected to increase.Earning a degree could be a great way for military members to embark on a new career path or build on existing skills and knowledge. This can be particularly important for those who are transitioning between military and civilian life. In some cases, military experience may even be accepted as college credit at certain military-friendly institutions. As such, it’s always a good idea to check with the admissions department at your chosen college to confirm whether or not they accept military experience as credit.

Demographics of Military Students

So what do today’s military student look like? According to a recent NCES study, 844,500 military students are currently enrolled in undergrad studies – and 109,500 are enrolled at the graduate level.[ii] When it comes to how students are studying, 60% of military students are attending college part-time.[iii] Popular areas of study for military students include Business, Public Service, Healthcare, Science and Engineering.[iv] This is not surprising, as earning a degree in these areas could potentially allow military students to build on knowledge and skills that they’ve attained while in service.

[i] naspa.org/images/uploads/main/NASPA_vets_13%281%29.pdf

[ii]nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014017.pdf

[iii]operationpromiseforservicemembers.com/ACE%20MilService.errata.pdf

[iv]studentveterans.org/what-we-do/million-records-project.html#data

[v]studentveterans.org/what-we-do/million-records-project.html#data