Once they've received their last paycheck from Uncle Sam, where do most military folks go to find the next one? It turns out that many don't travel far. Former military members often get picked up by companies that work directly with the federal government and the military.
Online salary database PayScale has come up with a list of the most common employers of former military service men and women. It turns out that companies who contract with the military or federal government prefer hiring workers who are familiar with those organizations. "A key skill that military people have going for them is that they understand how to work with the government and the military," say Katie Bardaro, lead data analyst at PayScale. For example, General Electric made jet engines for the military during World War II and has also been involved in nuclear weapons production. It would certainly make sense to have their production, engineering and logistics teams as military-savvy as they can be.
Bardaro says to keep in mind, too, that it's not just the engineering or technical jobs at these companies that benefit from military know-how. From human resources to finance and marketing, employing people who know how decisions are made and deals are cut for government agencies helps these companies succeed.
"These companies deal with big, complicated, international projects. People with military experience are well-equipped to handle that," says Bardaro.
Who are the big employers? Bardaro says that they fall into three categories: the aerospace industry, weapons and defense contracting, and working for the government directly.
Below are examples of jobs where employers might prefer military savvy and the average, annual salaries for those jobs, according to PayScale.
Aerospace Industry Companies:
The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary |
| Senior Systems Engineer | $85,800 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $79,400 |
| Electrical Engineer | $71,500 |
Weapons and Security Companies:
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Booz, Allen, and Hamilton, L-3 Communications
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary |
| Principal Systems Engineer | $103,000 |
| Imagery Analyst | $68,900 |
| Systems Engineer(Computer Networking/IT) | $67,900 |
Government Agencies:
Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
| Job Title | Average Annual Salary |
| Government Program Manager | $78,100 |
| Budget Analyst | $60,300 |
| Contract Specialist | $58,500 |
Source: AOL