Veterans are being offered a wide range of employment opportunities following honorable discharge, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau, with drone operators ranking among the most employable. Between 2002 and 2021, more than 2.8 million enlisted service members were honorably discharged across all branches of service. 

Former drone operators and operational intelligence specialists were among the service people who generated the highest earnings after leaving the service. 

According to the report, specialized skills developed in these military occupations are highly valued by civilian employers in a wide range of industries. Meanwhile, Air Force and Coast Guard veterans who worked as aircraft mechanics have relatively lower earnings. Veterans formerly employed in infantry or combat jobs have relatively lower earnings in the civilian labor market across all branches of the military, the report said.

The report found that infantry veterans of the Army and Marine Corps primarily end up working in the administrative and support services, manufacturing, and retail trade sectors, while Air Force veterans are primarily employed in professional services. Those who served in the Coast Guard were more likely to work in public administration following discharge from the military. 

The highest paying jobs for veterans were among the professional services sector, especially for Air Force veterans, where, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, security and weapons development firms are likely to value veterans’ experience with military technology.

On average, women earned less than men after leaving the service, regardless of the branch in which they served.

Among veterans of the Army and Marine Corps, the gap in initial median annual earnings averaged about $5,600 between 2002 and 2020. For Air Force and Navy veterans, this gap was twice as large.

The report identified several patterns, with new veterans more likely to find steady work in correlation with the improved labor market beginning in 2011. 

Meanwhile, the “Pandemic Recession” of 2020 affected new veterans less than the 2007-2009 Great Recession, except for Air Force veterans who fared worse than other veterans.