Beyond the Uniform

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Army vs. Air Force vs. Navy: How Branch of Military Services Affects One's Career

Justin Nassiri

  Overview: This article looks at the Industries, Functional Roles, and Company Sizes pursued by veterans of the Army, Air Force, and Navy. It also compares these three branches of the military to each other to see how their career choices differ. My intention for this article is to highlight the wide array of civilian career possibilities for military veterans, and provide a starting point for further career research. additional background information on my motivation for this analysis can be found here.

Methodology: A full summary of the basis for this article can be found here. The most important thing to note is that this is based on LinkedIn data for Service Academy veterans only. I have used Service Academy veterans as a proxy for all Army / Air Force / Navy officers, as it was the most reliable way to sort through the LinkedIn data available. While there are obvious limitations to this approach, my intention is for this to be a starting point for further research.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

U.S. Army [data visualization here]:

Industries [data visualization here]:

The top twelve industry categories for Army officers is as follows:

  1. Government & Law (18%): Although the top industry for Army officers, they are the least likely of the Armed Services to end up here, a full 25% less likely than Air Force, and 7% less likely than Navy officers.
  2. Technology (17%)
  3. Business (11%): most likely of all officers to enter into Business. They are 41% more likely than Air Force and 13% more likely than Navy officers.
  4. Financial Services (11%): most likely of all officers to enter into Financial Services. They are 73% more likely than Air Force and 19% more likely than Navy officers.
  5. Health Services (7%): most likely of all officers to enter into Health Services. They are 39% more likely than Navy and 15% more likely than Air Force officers.
  6. Real Estate & Construction (7%): most likely of all officers to end up here, as they are 26% more likely than Air Force and 21% more likely than Navy officers.
  7. Other (6%)
  8. Education & Research (6%): most likely of all officers to end up here, with Army officers 26% more likely than Air Force and 21% more likely than Navy officers.
  9. Arts (4%): least likely of all officers to end up here, as they are 3% less likely than both Air Force and Navy officers.
  10. Consumer Packaged Goods (4%): most likely member of the Armed Services to end up in CPG. They are 66% more likely than Air Force and 27% more likely than Navy officers to end up here.
  11. Manufacturing (4%): most likely member of the Armed Services to end up in Manufacturing. They are 57% more likely than Air Force and 23% more likely than Navy to end up here.
  12. Transportation (4%): least likely of all officers to enter Transportation. They are 77% less likely than Air Force and 56% less likely than Navy officers.

Functional Roles [data visualization here]:

The top 10 Functional Roles for Army officers is as follows:

  1. Operations (21%): Although this is the most common Functional Role for Army officers, compared to other branches of the military, Army is the least likely to pursue a functional role in Operations. They are 31% less likely than Air Force and 7% less likely than Navy officers.
  2. Sales (12%): most likely of all branches of the military to pursue a role in Sales; 63% more likely than Air Force and 21% more likely than Navy officers.
  3. Entrepreneurship (11%): most likely of all branches of the military to pursue a role in Entrepreneurship; 15% more likely than Air Force and 5% more likely than Navy officers.
  4. Program & Project Management (10%): most likely of all branches of the military to pursue a role here; 26% more likely than Air Force and 2% more likely than Navy officers.
  5. Engineering (10%): least likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Engineering; 15% less likely than Navy and 2% less likely than Air Force officers.
  6. Finance (8%): most likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Finance; 61% more likely than Air Force and 13% than Navy officers.
  7. Consulting (8%): most likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Consulting; 41% more likely than Air Force and 10% more likely than Navy officers.
  8. Education (7%): least likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Education; 17% less likely than Air Force and 1% less likely than Navy officers.
  9. Information Technology (7%): least likely of all military officers to pursue a role in IT; 9% less likely than Air Force and 7% less likely than Navy officers.
  10. Military & Protective Services (6%): least likely of all military officers to pursue a role here; 22% less likely than Air Force and 5% less likely than Navy officers.

Company Size [data visualization here]:

Army officers are most likely to join a company that has:

  1. 10,000+ Employees (37%): Although Army officers are most likely to end up in a massive organization, they are the least likely of all officers to end up here; 22% less likely than Air Force and 2% less likely than Navy officers.
  2. 1,001 to 5,000 Employees (14%)
  3. 51 to 200 Employees (10%)
  4. 11 to 50 Employees (10%)
  5. 201 to 500 Employees (8%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 15% more likely than Air Force and 5% more likely than Navy officers.
  6. 1 to 10 Employees (8%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 19% more likely than Air Force and 8% more likely than Navy officers.
  7. 5,001 to 10,000 Employees (7%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 24% more likely than Air Force and 5% more likely than Navy officers.
  8. 501 to 1,000 Employees (6%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 32% more likely than Air Force and 16% more likely than Navy officers.
  9. Self-Employed (1%)

U.S. Air Force [data visualizations here]:

Industries [data visualization here]:

The top twelve industry categories for Air Force officers is as follows:

  1. Government & Law (25%): most likely of all officers to pursue a career in Government & Law. This is driven mostly by the subcategory of Defense & Space, where Air Force veterans are 118% more likely than Army and 64% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career. Overall when it comes to Government & Law, Air Force officers are 33% more likely than Army and 25% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career here.
  2. Transportation (16%): most likely of all officers to pursue a career in Transportation. This is driven mostly by two subcategories dominated by the Air Force: (1) Aviation & Aerospace, where Air Force officers are 244% more likely than Army and 72% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career; and (2) Airlines/Aviation where Air Force officers are 1,082% more likely than Army and 152% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career. Overall, when it comes to the Transportation industry, Air Force officers are 341% more likely than Army and 92% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career here.
  3. Technology (15%): although this is the third highest rated Industry for Air Force officers, they are the least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 12% less likely than Navy and 11% less likely than Army officers.
  4. Business (8%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 29% less likely than Army and 20% less likely than Navy officers.
  5. Health Service (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 21% less likely than Navy and 13% less likely than Army officers.
  6. Financial Services (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 42% less likely than Army and 31% less likely than Navy officers.
  7. Real Estate & Construction (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 21% less likely than Army and 4% less likely than Navy officers.
  8. Education & Research (5%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 21% less likely than Navy and 18% less likely than Army officers.
  9. Arts (4%)
  10. Other (4%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 50% less likely than Navy and 37% less likely than Army officers.
  11. Manufacturing (3%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 36% less likely than Army and 22% less likely than Navy officers.
  12. Consumer Packaged Goods (2%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 40% less likely than Army and 24% less likely than Navy officers.

Functional Roles [data visualization here]:

The top 10 Functional Roles for Army officers is as follows:

  1. Operations (30%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 44% more likely than Army and 33% more likely than Navy officers.
  2. Engineering (10%)
  3. Entrepreneurship (9%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 13% less likely than Army and 9% less likely than Navy officers.
  4. Education (9%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 20% more likely than Army and 19% more likely than Navy officers.
  5. Program & Project Management (8%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 21% less likely than Army and 19% less likely than Navy officers.
  6. Military & Projective Services (8%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 28% more likely than Army and 22% more likely than Navy officers.
  7. Information Technology (8%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 10% more likely than Army and 2% more likely than Navy officers.
  8. Sales (7%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 39% less likely than Army and 25% less likely than Navy officers.
  9. Consulting (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 29% less likely than Army and 22% less likely than Navy officers.
  10. Finance (5%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 38% less likely than Army and 30% less likely than Navy officers.

Company Size [data visualization here]:

Air Force officers are most likely to join a company that has:

  1. 10,000+ Employees (47%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 28% more likely than Army and 22% more likely than Navy officers.
  2. 1,001 to 5,000 Employees (12%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 20% less likely than Navy and 17% less likely than Army officers.
  3. 51 to 200 Employees (9%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 17% less likely than Navy and 14% less likely than Army officers.
  4. 11 to 50 Employees (8%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 16% less likely than Navy and 15% less likely than Army officers.
  5. 201 to 500 Employees (7%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 13% less likely than Army and 9% less likely than Navy officers.
  6. 1 to 10 Employees (6%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 16% less likely than Army and 10% less likely than Navy officers.
  7. 5,001 to 10,000 Employees (5%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 19% less likely than Army and 15% less likely than Navy officers.
  8. 501 to 1,000 Employees (5%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 24% less likely than Army and 13% less likely than Navy officers.
  9. Self-Employed (1%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 14% less likely than Navy and 0.03% less likely than Army officers.

U.S. Navy [data visualization here]:

Industries [data visualization here]:

The top twelve industry categories for Navy officers is as follows:

  1. Government & Law (20%)
  2. Technology (17%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 29% more likely than Army and 20% more likely than Navy officers.
  3. Business (10%)
  4. Financial Services (9%)
  5. Transportation (8%)
  6. Other (8%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 99% more likely than Air Force and 25% more likely than Army officers.
  7. Education & Research (6%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 26% more likely than Air Force and 3% more likely than Army officers.
  8. Real Estate & Construction (6%)
  9. Health Services (5%)
  10. Manufacturing (3%)
  11. Consumer Packaged Goods (3%)
  12. Arts (4%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 3% more likely than Air Force and 0.1% more likely than Army officers.

Functional Roles [data visualization here]:

The top 10 Functional Roles for Navy officers is as follows:

  1. Operations (23%)
  2. Engineering (11%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 18% more likely than Army and 15% more likely than Air Force officers.
  3. Program & Project Management (10%)
  4. Entrepreneurship (10%)
  5. Sales (10%)
  6. Information Technology (8%)
  7. Education (7%)
  8. Finance (7%)
  9. Consulting (7%)
  10. Military & Protective Services (7%)

Company Size [data visualization here]:

Navy officers are most likely to join a company that has:

  1. 10,000+ Employees (38%)
  2. 1,001 to 5,000 Employees (14%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 25% more likely than Air Force and 3% more likely than Army officers.
  3. 51 to 200 Employees (10%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 20% more likely than Air Force and 3% more likely than Army officers.
  4. 11 to 50 Employees (10%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 19% more likely than Air Force and 2% more likely than Army officers.
  5. 201 to 500 Employees (8%)
  6. 1 to 10 Employees (7%)
  7. 5,001 to 10,000 Employees (6%)
  8. 501 to 1,000 Employees (5%)
  9. Self-Employed (1%): most likely of all officers to be self-employed; 16% more likely than both Army and Air Force officers.