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Becoming An Air Force Officer

Air Force ROTC prepares you to become an Air Force officer. And being an officer in the Air Force carries a high level of responsibility, accountability and professionalism. If you can make it in Air Force ROTC and the Air Force, you can make it anywhere in life.

With ROTC you can get a degree in the field of your choice and the education and experience you need to succeed. The leadership and management experience that you'll gain, combined with a degree, is sure to prepare you for a promising future in either the Air Force or the business world. And when you graduate from ROTC, you’ll dive right into a management-level position within the Air Force, well ahead of your non-ROTC college peers.

You may be asking yourself “What’s the difference between Air Force Officers and Enlisted Airmen? There are some distinct differences between these two career paths.

Pay
The contrast in pay between officers and enlisted is probably one of the most noticeable differences you'll find.

Officer: A 2nd Lieutenant (Officer) with less than 2 years of military experience will receive around $2,300 per month base pay, plus possible a housing and subsistence allowances.

Enlisted: An enlisted Airman 1st Class with less than 2 years military experience will receive around $1,450, plus possible a housing and subsistence allowances.

This $850 monthly difference between the pay of a 2nd Lieutenant officer and an Airman 1st Class enlisted member increases with each rank.

Benefits
Other benefits of being an officer include:

A Military commission (requires college degree)
Appointed by the President of the United States
Greater level of responsibility
Only officers can be Air Force pilots
Greater career opportunities after service

Career Options
Air Force ROTC Graduates enjoy a wide range of career options in new and exciting career fields and specialties. Visit the Officer Career Paths page to learn more.

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