Also called: Senior Army Instructor, Naval Science Instructor, Aerospace Science Instructor
Retired military officer or NCO who teaches leadership, citizenship, and drill to high school students in Junior ROTC programs.
JROTC instructors teach classes, coach drill and rifle teams, organize field trips, and mentor teens. There are JROTC programs in over 3,000 high schools. Instructors also collect their military pension, so total income is strong.
School salary only, often matched to military pay; instructors also receive military retirement pay on top.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 22 years after high school. Retired military (usually 20+ years); officers need a bachelor's; state teaching certification sometimes required.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Education, Leadership Studies.
Growing about average. Tied to the number of JROTC programs, which has been fairly stable.
Low risk for 10 years. Teaching and mentoring high school cadets stays human.
Classes: Leadership class, US history, PE / fitness.
Official data: O*NET occupation 25-2031.
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.