What is an officer candidate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an officer candidate. For example, did you know that they make an average of $21.17 an hour? That's $44,036 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 3% and produce 20,600 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreOfficer CandidateUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $44,036

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.99%

Asian 3.16%

Black or African American 12.63%

Hispanic or Latino 17.90%

Unknown 4.51%

White 60.82%

Gender

female 20.21%

male 79.79%

Age - 39
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 - 39
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.8

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.0

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Officer Candidate career paths

Key steps to become an officer candidate

  1. Explore officer candidate education requirements

    Most common officer candidate degrees

    Bachelor's

    77.9 %

    Master's

    9.2 %

    Associate

    8.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific officer candidate skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Platoon15.02%
    Combat10.80%
    Leadership8.75%
    Physical Fitness Test8.62%
    Logistics6.37%
  3. Complete relevant officer candidate training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New officers candidate 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 an officer candidate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real officer candidate resumes.
  4. Research officer candidate duties and responsibilities

    • Lead a platoon of officer candidates through physical training warm-ups and cool downs, focusing on proper technique and execution.
    • Manage procurement operations and export-import logistics operations of recreational vehicles from U.S. to Venezuela.
    • Garrison leadership positions include serving as platoon leader and squad leader
    • Apply leadership, management and supervision techniques when receiving operational orders, disseminating information and assigning mission essential tasks.
  5. Prepare your officer candidate resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your officer candidate 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 an officer candidate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Officer Candidate Resume templates

    Build a professional Officer Candidate 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 Officer Candidate resume.
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
    Officer Candidate Resume
  6. Apply for officer candidate jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an officer candidate 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 Officer Candidate Job

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Average officer candidate salary

The average Officer Candidate salary in the United States is $44,036 per year or $21 per hour. Officer candidate salaries range between $25,000 and $76,000 per year.

Average Officer Candidate Salary
$44,036 Yearly
$21.17 hourly

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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.

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