What is a lieutenant colonel and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
ScoreLieutenant ColonelUS Average
Salary
3.2

Avg. Salary $40,347

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
2.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.36%

Asian 1.74%

Black or African American 11.80%

Hispanic or Latino 13.45%

Unknown 3.89%

White 67.77%

Gender

female 9.57%

male 90.43%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.3

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.6

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Lieutenant Colonel career paths

Key steps to become a lieutenant colonel

  1. Explore lieutenant colonel education requirements

    Most common lieutenant colonel degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.0 %

    Master's

    23.1 %

    Doctorate

    4.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific lieutenant colonel skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Air Command15.36%
    Logistics Support15.09%
    Combat10.72%
    Emergency Operations5.57%
    Human Resources4.93%
  3. Complete relevant lieutenant colonel training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lieutenant colonels learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a lieutenant colonel based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lieutenant colonel resumes.
  4. Research lieutenant colonel duties and responsibilities

    • Lead intelligence operations for an infantry battalion engage in combat and humanitarian assistance operations in southeast Iraq and Baghdad.
    • Receive various operation orders from company leadership, generate courses of action to accomplish assignments, and complete exercises.
    • Plan with one other officer the redeployment of all U.S.
    • Assume positions of increasing scope and responsibility while leading and supporting U.S. Army units under peacetime, armistice and combat conditions.
  5. Prepare your lieutenant colonel resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lieutenant colonel resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lieutenant colonel resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Lieutenant Colonel Resume templates

    Build a professional Lieutenant Colonel resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Lieutenant Colonel resume.
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
    Lieutenant Colonel Resume
  6. Apply for lieutenant colonel jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a lieutenant colonel job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Lieutenant Colonel Job

Zippi

Are you a Lieutenant Colonel?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average lieutenant colonel salary

The average Lieutenant Colonel salary in the United States is $40,347 per year or $19 per hour. Lieutenant colonel salaries range between $31,000 and $52,000 per year.

Average Lieutenant Colonel Salary
$40,347 Yearly
$19.40 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do lieutenant colonels rate their job?

Working as a Lieutenant Colonel? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse protective service jobs