Also called: West Point cadet, Naval Academy midshipman, Air Force Academy cadet, Coast Guard Academy cadet, Merchant Marine Academy midshipman
College student at a federal service academy who gets a free education (worth $400k+) and a monthly paycheck in exchange for serving after graduation.
Cadets wake at 6 a.m. for formation, take a full engineering-heavy course load, play a sport, and learn military leadership, with summers spent at sea, jumping out of planes, or interning. Getting in requires a congressional nomination for most academies. Graduates serve at least 5 years as officers.
Cadet/midshipman pay is about 35% of O-1 base pay (~$1,400/month), from which uniforms and some costs are deducted. Tuition, room, board, and medical care are free.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 0 years after high school. Apply in junior/senior year of high school; most need a nomination from a member of Congress. Four years at the academy earns a bachelor's.
Ways in: Military, 4-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Engineering, Any academy major.
Growing about average. Each academy admits roughly 1,000-1,200 students a year; acceptance rates are about 10-15%.
Low risk for 10 years. A free college education with leadership training; AI changes what cadets study, not the path.
Classes: AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP English, Varsity sport.
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.