Also called: Marine 0321, Force Recon, Recon Marine
Elite Marines who scout ahead of the main force by swimming, parachuting, and patrolling deep into enemy territory.
Recon Marines swim ashore at night, conduct long-range patrols, and report enemy positions. They train in diving, parachuting, and small-team tactics.
RMC (base pay + housing/food allowances + tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-7 ranks, 2026 estimate, plus the special-duty, hazardous-duty, flight, dive, jump, or language pays this specialty usually earns. Enlistment/reenlistment bonuses for this field can be large.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 1 year after high school. Enlist in the Marines, pass the Basic Reconnaissance Course screening, then about 6 months of recon training plus airborne and dive schools. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Low risk for 10 years. Drones extend recon; swimming ashore and long patrols still need Marines.
Classes: PE / swimming, Geography / map reading, PE / strength training.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.