Defense contracting is the #1 employer of transitioning veterans. Your clearance, operational experience, and understanding of DoD culture command a $20,000-$60,000 salary premium. This guide has real links to real programs — contractor career pages, registration portals, job boards, and veteran-specific hiring pipelines.
See Programs & Apply ↓The defense contracting industry employs more veterans than any other sector. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon (RTX), Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SAIC actively recruit veterans for roles ranging from cleared IT to program management. Whether you want to work for a major prime contractor or start your own SDVOSB, this guide covers every path with direct links to get started.
Move directly into intelligence analyst, threat analyst, and OSINT roles at contractors supporting DIA, NSA, CIA, and SOCOM. TS/SCI holders are in acute demand. Search roles now on ClearanceJobs ↗
High DemandSystems administrator, cybersecurity analyst, and cloud engineer roles. Cleared IT commands the highest salary premiums. CompTIA Security+ is baseline required (DoD 8140). Search cleared IT roles on ClearanceJobs ↗
High DemandSenior NCOs and officers (O-3+) translate well into program manager, project manager, and operations support roles. PMP certification ↗ significantly increases competitiveness for $120K+ roles.
Cert RecommendedDefense logistics, sustainment operations, and supply chain management supporting LOGCAP and DLA contracts. Strong pipeline from military quartermasters and logisticians to contractor program support.
Strong PipelineClearances can be maintained for up to 2 years after separation. Once lapsed, reinvestigation costs the contractor $10,000-$30,000 and takes 6-18 months. Get a contractor job before your clearance lapses. Search cleared positions immediately at ClearanceJobs.com ↗
There are two paths: work for an existing defense contractor, or start your own contracting business. Both paths have dedicated veteran resources.
90-180 days before separation, intern with a defense contractor while still receiving military pay and benefits. Most major contractors (Booz Allen, SAIC, Lockheed Martin) have SkillBridge programs with 80-90% conversion rates to full-time employment. Start here if you are still active duty.
Free · Active Duty Top ResourceThe #1 job board for security-cleared professionals. Search by clearance level, location, and specialty. Free for job seekers. Employers pay to post — meaning every listing is real and funded. Upload your resume and let recruiters find you.
Free for Job SeekersNot just federal jobs — USAJobs also lists contractor support positions and contract-funded roles. Use the "Competitive Service" filter + your MOS keywords. Veterans' preference applies to many contractor-adjacent positions.
Veterans' PreferenceStep 1 of starting any government contracting business. Register your business for free to receive a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Required before you can bid on any federal contract. Registration takes 7-10 business days. No cost.
Free Registration Required First StepThe SBA's Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program provides sole-source and set-aside contract opportunities exclusively for veteran-owned businesses. The 8(a) program adds mentorship, training, and access to $4M+ sole-source contracts.
Veteran Set-AsidesFree, local, one-on-one counseling to help you win government contracts. PTACs help with SAM registration, capability statements, proposal writing, and finding contract opportunities. Funded by DoD — 100% free for veterans. Find your local PTAC ↗
Free Counseling Top ResourceSDVOSB vs. VOSB: SDVOSB (Service-Disabled) requires a VA disability rating and provides access to sole-source contracts up to $5M for manufacturing and $4M for other services. VOSB (Veteran-Owned) does not require a disability rating but has fewer set-aside opportunities. Both require SBA certification ↗.
These are the largest defense contractors in the U.S. — all have dedicated military veteran hiring programs with direct application links.
#1 defense contractor globally. Dedicated military talent pipeline, SkillBridge fellowships, and veteran employee resource groups. Programs across cyber, aerospace, and weapons systems. Active in all 50 states.
Top Veterans Employer SkillBridgeRaytheon, Collins Aerospace, and Pratt & Whitney unified under RTX. Strong hiring in missile defense, radar, cyber, and space systems. Military skills matcher tool on their careers page helps translate your MOS.
Top Veterans Employer MOS MatcherMajor programs in autonomous systems, space, cyber, and C4ISR. Operation IMPACT veteran hiring initiative. SkillBridge partner. Strong presence in VA, CA, MD, and FL.
SkillBridge PartnerMajor programs across IT (GDIT), combat systems, marine systems, and mission systems. GDIT is one of the largest cleared IT employers. Strong veteran hiring across all divisions.
Cleared IT LeaderElectronic warfare, intelligence, cyber, and vehicle systems. Strong presence in NH, VA, and overseas. Veteran mentorship program and SkillBridge partnerships.
SkillBridge PartnerCommunications, ISR, space, and electronic systems. Known for hiring signal and communications MOS veterans (25 series, ET/IT Navy, 3D AF). Growing rapidly through acquisitions.
SIGINT/COMMS FocusOne of the largest employers of veterans in the U.S. Strong SkillBridge program with high conversion rates. Dominant in cyber, analytics, and consulting support for IC and DoD.
Top Veterans EmployerIT modernization, training, simulation, and logistics support. Strong veteran culture — nearly 25% of workforce are veterans. Hundreds of cleared positions open at any time.
25% Veteran WorkforceHealth, defense, intelligence, and civil IT. Major contracts across DHA, DIA, and DHS. Veteran employee resource group and SkillBridge partner.
SkillBridge PartnerIntelligence, cyber, and enterprise IT. Strong in SIGINT and HUMINT support contracts. Often faster hiring timelines than Tier 1 primes. Good entry point for transitioning veterans.
Fast HiringThe gold standard for cleared positions. Filter by clearance level (Secret, TS, TS/SCI, Poly), location, and specialty. Free for job seekers. 50,000+ active cleared positions.
Free · #1 Cleared BoardFederal positions and contractor-support roles. Use keywords like "contractor" or your MOS specialty. Veterans' preference gives you a competitive edge. See our USAJobs Guide ↗
Veterans' PreferenceOfficial IC job board covering CIA, NSA, NGA, DIA, NRO, and FBI intelligence roles. Both government and contractor positions. Requires active or recently lapsed TS/SCI for most roles.
IC CommunityThese certifications are frequently required or strongly preferred for defense contractor positions. Get them before or immediately after separation.
$555 (PMI member) / $405 military discount available. The single most impactful certification for program management track. Military experience counts toward the 36-month project leadership requirement. Opens $120K-$160K PM roles.
Highest ROI Cert$404 ($226 with military discount through CompTIA). Required for most cleared IT positions under DoD Directive 8140 (formerly 8570). Baseline certification for Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II. Get this before you separate — many units will fund it through Army COOL, Navy COOL, or AF COOL.
DoD 8140 Required~$400 exam. IT service management framework used by most defense contractors. Valuable for service desk, infrastructure, and IT operations roles. Pairs well with Security+ for cleared IT positions.
IT Operations$749 exam. The top cybersecurity certification. Required for IAT Level III and IAM Level III positions. Requires 5 years experience (4 with degree). Commands $130K-$170K+ in cleared roles.
Senior CyberUse your branch's credentialing program before you separate: Army COOL ↗ | Navy COOL ↗ | AF COOL ↗ — These programs pay for certifications while you are still active duty. After separation, use GI Bill or VR&E (Chapter 31) ↗ to fund certifications.
| Role | No Clearance | Secret | Top Secret | TS/SCI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems Administrator | $65,000 | $82,000 | $98,000 | $118,000 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $62,000 | $78,000 | $98,000 | $128,000 |
| Program Manager | $88,000 | $105,000 | $125,000 | $150,000 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | $82,000 | $98,000 | $118,000 | $145,000 |
| Logistics / Supply Chain Mgr | $72,000 | $85,000 | $98,000 | $115,000 |
| Software / Cloud Engineer | $95,000 | $110,000 | $130,000 | $155,000 |
Sources: ClearanceJobs Salary Survey | Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). TS/SCI with polygraph commands an additional $15,000-$30,000 premium not reflected above. BLS median for management analysts: $99,410 (2024); computer and information security analysts: $120,360.
SkillBridge lets active-duty members train with a civilian employer during the last 180 days of service while receiving full military pay and benefits. For defense contracting, this is the single most effective transition tool.
Do not let your clearance lapse. A TS/SCI costs contractors $10,000-$30,000 and 6-18 months to reinvestigate. Your active clearance is worth $20,000-$60,000/year in salary premium. Apply to cleared positions before you separate. Use ClearanceJobs.com ↗ to start searching now.
The MOS Translator maps your military specialty to specific defense contractor roles with salary data and required certifications.
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