Also called: Army Software Factory soldier-coder, Air Force software factory airman (Kessel Run, Platform One), Army 170D Cyber Capabilities Developer
Soldiers, sailors, and airmen who write software for the military in in-house "software factories" or build cyber tools.
At places like the Army Software Factory in Austin, service members from any job learn to code and build apps that troops actually use, like logistics tools or mission planners. Cyber developers write tools for offensive and defensive cyber operations.
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 2 years after high school. Enlist in any career field, then apply to a software factory or cyber developer program; many have coding experience or degrees. 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.
Majors to look at: Computer Science, Software Engineering.
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.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI coding assistants write much routine code; fewer juniors, more focus on design and user needs.
Classes: AP Computer Science, AP Calculus, Web design.
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.