I spent 1.5 years after separating from the Navy sending applications into a black hole. Zero callbacks. And the frustrating part was that I had real skills — I just had no idea how to get them onto paper in a way that made sense to anyone outside the military. Cybersecurity is one of those fields where veterans with hands-on technical experience are sitting on a goldmine, and many of them don't even know it because they assume a bachelor's degree is the price of admission.

It isn't. Not in 2026. The cybersecurity talent shortage is so severe that employers are dropping degree requirements left and right just to fill seats. If you held a security clearance, managed classified networks, ran COMSEC, or touched anything related to SIGINT, INFOSEC, or network defense — you already have experience that hiring managers are desperate for. The gap between where you are and where you need to be is smaller than you think.

This article breaks down exactly which cybersecurity jobs you can land without a four-year degree, which certifications actually matter, how to translate your military experience for civilian hiring managers, and where to find the openings that care about what you can do rather than what diploma you have.

Why the Cybersecurity Industry Stopped Caring About Degrees

The numbers tell the story. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects information security analyst roles growing 33% through 2033 — that's about 17,300 new positions per year. Meanwhile, there aren't enough qualified candidates to fill the roles that already exist. CyberSeek, a project funded by NIST and CompTIA, tracks the supply-demand gap in real time, and it consistently shows hundreds of thousands of unfilled cybersecurity positions across the country.

When demand outstrips supply that badly, employers get practical. They stop asking for a bachelor's in computer science and start asking for certifications, clearances, and demonstrated ability to do the work. Google, IBM, and the Department of Defense have all publicly moved toward skills-based hiring for cyber roles. The federal government formalized this through executive guidance on skills-based assessments for IT and cybersecurity positions.

What does this mean for you? If you have a CompTIA Security+, a TS/SCI clearance, and two years of hands-on network experience from your military service, you're already more qualified than half the applicants with a bachelor's degree and zero practical experience. Employers know this. The ones worth working for, anyway.

Military Experience That Maps Directly to Cybersecurity Roles

Your military occupational specialty might not have "cybersecurity" in the title, but the work translates. Here are specific examples across branches — and the civilian cyber roles they map to.

Army

• 25B (IT Specialist): Network administration, system configuration, help desk escalation. Maps to SOC Analyst, Network Security Administrator, or IT Security Specialist.
• 17C (Cyber Operations Specialist): Offensive and defensive cyber operations. Maps directly to Penetration Tester, Cybersecurity Analyst, or Incident Responder.
• 25D (Cyber Network Defender): Network monitoring, vulnerability assessment, intrusion detection. Maps to SOC Analyst, Vulnerability Analyst, or Cybersecurity Engineer.
• 35Q (Cryptologic Network Warfare Specialist): SIGINT collection, network exploitation. Maps to Threat Intelligence Analyst or Cyber Threat Hunter.

Navy

• CTN (Cryptologic Technician - Networks): Network warfare, digital forensics, real-time threat analysis. Maps to Cybersecurity Analyst, Digital Forensics Examiner, or Threat Intelligence Analyst.
• IT (Information Systems Technician): Network administration, COMSEC management, system security. Maps to Network Security Administrator, Systems Administrator, or Security Operations Analyst.

Air Force

• 1D7X1 (Cyber Defense Operations): Intrusion detection, incident response, vulnerability assessment. Maps to SOC Analyst, Incident Responder, or Cybersecurity Analyst.
• 1N4X1A (Network Intelligence Analyst): Signals analysis, network characterization. Maps to Threat Intelligence Analyst or Cyber Threat Hunter.

Marines

• 0689 (Cyber Security Technician): Network defense, SIEM monitoring, vulnerability scanning. Maps to SOC Analyst, Security Engineer, or Vulnerability Analyst.
• 0631 (Network Administrator): Network infrastructure, security configurations. Maps to Network Security Administrator or IT Security Specialist.

Even if your MOS isn't listed here, you might have more relevant experience than you realize. If you managed COMSEC material, enforced information security policies, administered SIPR or NIPR networks, or ran physical security for classified facilities — those are all cybersecurity-adjacent skills that employers value. Use the BMR career crosswalk tool to see exactly how your specific MOS translates to civilian cybersecurity roles.

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The Certifications That Actually Get You Hired (No Degree Required)

Certifications are the currency of cybersecurity hiring. They carry more weight than degrees for entry-level and mid-level positions because they prove you know the material right now, not that you passed an exam four years ago. Here are the ones that matter for veterans trying to break in without a degree.

Entry-Level (Get These First)

• CompTIA Security+: This is the baseline. It meets DoD 8570/8140 requirements, which means it qualifies you for both federal and defense contractor positions. If you only get one cert, make it this one. Many veterans earned this during active duty — if you did, you're already ahead.
• CompTIA Network+: Validates networking fundamentals. Useful if your background is more network admin than pure security. Stacks well with Security+.
• CompTIA CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst): One step above Security+. Focuses on threat detection and incident response. Good for targeting SOC Analyst roles specifically.

Mid-Level (After You Have 1-2 Years of Civilian Cyber Experience)

• CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker): Well-recognized for penetration testing roles. Some employers list it as required, others as preferred — either way, it opens doors.
• GIAC certifications (GSEC, GCIH, GPEN): These are expensive but carry serious weight, especially in government and defense contracting. SANS Institute courses are among the best in the industry.
• AWS Security Specialty or Azure Security Engineer: Cloud security is the fastest-growing sub-field. If you want to future-proof your career, add a cloud security cert to your stack.

For a deeper breakdown of which certs to prioritize based on your target role and timeline, check out our cybersecurity certifications guide for veterans.

One thing worth knowing: many of these certs are covered by GI Bill, VET TEC, VR&E (Chapter 31), or employer-sponsored training programs. CompTIA also offers a military discount. Don't pay full price if you don't have to.

7 Cybersecurity Jobs You Can Land Without a Degree

These are real positions being hired for right now in 2026 — not theoretical career paths. I pulled these from actual job postings and salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and CyberSeek.

1. SOC Analyst (Security Operations Center)

Salary range: $55,000 - $85,000
What you do: Monitor security alerts, investigate incidents, escalate threats. You're the first line of defense watching dashboards and SIEM tools all day.
Why veterans fit: Watch-standing mentality. If you stood watch in any capacity — bridge, CIC, network operations center — you understand sustained alertness and escalation procedures.
Certs that get you in: Security+, CySA+

2. Vulnerability Analyst

Salary range: $65,000 - $95,000
What you do: Run vulnerability scans, analyze results, prioritize remediation. You find the holes before the bad guys do.
Why veterans fit: Anyone who conducted security assessments, ran ACAS scans, or performed STIG checks in the military is already doing this work.
Certs that get you in: Security+, CySA+, CEH

3. Incident Responder

Salary range: $70,000 - $105,000
What you do: Respond to security breaches, contain threats, conduct forensic analysis, write after-action reports.
Why veterans fit: After-action reports, damage assessment, rapid response under pressure. The military drills this into you. The tools are different, the mindset is identical.
Certs that get you in: CySA+, GCIH, CEH

4. Network Security Administrator

Salary range: $60,000 - $90,000
What you do: Configure and maintain firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection systems. Keep the network locked down.
Why veterans fit: If you managed NIPR/SIPR networks, configured Cisco routers, or maintained network infrastructure on a military installation, this is your lane.
Certs that get you in: Network+, Security+, CCNA

5. Cybersecurity Consultant

Salary range: $75,000 - $120,000
What you do: Assess client security postures, recommend improvements, help organizations meet compliance requirements (NIST, CMMC, FedRAMP).
Why veterans fit: Military compliance culture — NIST 800-171, RMF, DIACAP. If you lived in a compliance framework, you understand how to audit against one.
Certs that get you in: Security+, CISA, CISSP (associate level)

6. Threat Intelligence Analyst

Salary range: $80,000 - $115,000
What you do: Research threat actors, analyze attack patterns, produce intelligence reports that drive security decisions.
Why veterans fit: Intelligence analysis is intelligence analysis. If you came from the 35 series (Army), CT ratings (Navy), or 1N career fields (Air Force), you're already trained in the analytical methodology.
Certs that get you in: Security+, GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence (GCTI), CEH

7. GS-2210 (Federal IT Specialist - Information Security)

Salary range: $60,000 - $130,000+ (GS-9 through GS-13)
What you do: Federal information security — everything from FISMA compliance to incident response to security architecture, depending on the grade level.
Why veterans fit: Veterans preference, existing clearances, and familiarity with federal IT frameworks. The GS-2210 series is the single largest federal hiring pipeline for cybersecurity talent.
Requirements: For federal positions, your resume needs to be formatted differently — hours per week, supervisor contact information, detailed duty descriptions. Keep it to 2 pages max. The BMR federal resume builder handles this formatting automatically.

How to Write a Cybersecurity Resume That Surfaces to the Top

Your resume is where the translation happens. The work you did in uniform was real — but if a hiring manager reads "maintained COMSEC accountability for 47 CCI items" and doesn't understand what that means, your resume sinks to the bottom of the pile.

From the hiring side of the table, I can tell you that cybersecurity resumes get about 6 seconds of initial screening. That's it. If your military experience isn't translated into terms the reader understands immediately, they're moving on to the next one.

Here's what actually works for translating military cyber experience:

• Replace military acronyms with civilian equivalents. "COMSEC" becomes "cryptographic security" or "encryption key management." "ACAS" becomes "vulnerability scanning using Nessus/Tenable." "RMF" stays "RMF" because the civilian cybersecurity world uses that term too. Know which terms translate and which ones already work. Our military terms translation glossary covers the most common ones.
• Lead with tools and platforms. Hiring managers scanning cyber resumes look for specific tools: Splunk, Wireshark, Nessus, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto, Cisco ASA. If you used the military equivalent, find out what the civilian version is called and list both.
• Quantify your scope. "Secured a network" tells me nothing. "Administered network security for 2,400 users across 3 installations, maintaining 99.7% uptime with zero successful intrusions over 18 months" — that gets my attention.
• Match the job posting's language. Pull keywords directly from the posting. If they say "SIEM administration" and your resume says "security event monitoring," you're describing the same thing but your resume will rank lower in the ATS because the exact terms don't match. Mirror their language.

For a full walkthrough on building a cyber-focused resume, check out our IT veterans resume guide for 25 Series and 17C.

Where to Find No-Degree Cybersecurity Jobs in 2026

Knowing which jobs exist is only half the equation. You need to know where to look. Some of the best opportunities for veterans without a degree won't show up on Indeed or LinkedIn.

Federal Government (USAJOBS)

Search for GS-2210 series positions. Filter by "open to the public" or "veterans" hiring paths. Federal cybersecurity roles at GS-7 through GS-9 often accept equivalent experience in place of a degree — your military service counts. And your clearance is a massive advantage. A TS/SCI clearance alone can add $15,000-$30,000 to your salary compared to the same role without one.

Defense Contractors

Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, Leidos, Raytheon, ManTech, General Dynamics IT — these companies hire thousands of cybersecurity professionals every year, and they specifically recruit veterans. They value clearances and military IT experience, and many of their contracts require cleared personnel. They tend to be more flexible on degree requirements than commercial companies.

SkillBridge Programs

If you're still on active duty, SkillBridge is the single best path into cybersecurity. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Accenture Federal, and Booz Allen all run SkillBridge programs with cybersecurity tracks. You work for the company during your last 180 days of service, and many participants get hired full-time before they even separate.

VET TEC Program

The VA's VET TEC program pays for cybersecurity training at approved providers and gives you a housing allowance while you train. It doesn't use your GI Bill benefits — it's separate funding. Approved training providers include SANS Institute, Fullstack Academy, and Galvanize, among others. This is one of the most underused veteran benefits for cybersecurity specifically.

Veteran-Specific Job Boards

ClearedJobs.net, ClearanceJobs.com, and the Hiring Our Heroes job board all skew heavily toward roles that value military experience and clearances. These aren't general job boards flooded with entry-level postings — they're targeted, and the employers on them already understand military backgrounds.

For a realistic look at how long the job search takes and how to plan your timeline, see our breakdown of how long it actually takes veterans to get hired.

The Clearance Advantage (And How to Keep It)

If you separated with an active security clearance, you're holding one of the most valuable assets in the cybersecurity job market. A TS/SCI clearance can take 6-12 months and cost the employer $5,000-$15,000 to sponsor from scratch. When you already have one, you skip that entire line.

But clearances don't last forever in an inactive status. After separation, your clearance stays in the system for up to 24 months — after that, it lapses and you'd need to be re-investigated. If cybersecurity is your target, getting into a cleared position within that 24-month window should be a priority. Every month you wait, that asset depreciates.

Some practical steps to protect your clearance value:

• Start your job search 6 months before separation if possible. Use SkillBridge or start networking with defense contractors while you're still in.
• Target cleared positions first. Even if the role isn't your dream job, getting into a cleared position keeps your clearance active while you build civilian experience.
• Keep your SF-86 information updated. You'll need it for periodic reinvestigations.
• Don't let it lapse if you can avoid it. Re-investigation is possible but it's expensive for the employer and time-consuming for you. A lapsed clearance is still easier to reinstate than starting from zero, but an active one is worth significantly more.

Building Experience Without a Degree: Practical Steps

If you don't have direct cyber experience from your military service — maybe you were infantry, logistics, or a different specialty entirely — you can still break into cybersecurity without a degree. It takes more deliberate effort, but veterans do it regularly.

Home Lab

Set up a virtual lab environment. Download VirtualBox, spin up Kali Linux, and start practicing with tools like Wireshark, Nmap, and Metasploit. Hack The Box and TryHackMe are online platforms that let you practice penetration testing and defensive security in a legal, structured environment. This is how you build verifiable skills without a formal education.

Open-Source Contributions

Contributing to security-focused open-source projects (OWASP, Snort, Security Onion) gives you real experience you can reference on your resume and in interviews. It also shows initiative — which, coming from the military, you already have in abundance.

Volunteer Work and CTFs

Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions are free and available year-round. National Cyber League, PicoCTF, and OverTheWire are good starting points. Some veterans volunteer for VetSec, a community of veteran cybersecurity professionals that provides mentorship and networking.

Stack Certifications Strategically

A cert stack of Security+ plus CySA+ plus one cloud security cert (AWS or Azure) puts you ahead of many candidates with a bachelor's degree. Employers see current, validated knowledge rather than a degree that might be outdated. Build this stack over 6-12 months while using GI Bill or VET TEC to cover costs.

If you need help figuring out which direction to take based on your specific military background, run your MOS through the MOS to civilian job chart to see all your options laid out.

What to Do Next

The cybersecurity industry in 2026 cares about what you can do, not where you went to school. Your military experience — the clearances, the compliance mindset, the hands-on network administration, the discipline to learn complex systems under pressure — that's exactly what this industry needs.

Here's your action plan:

1. Check your MOS translation. Use the BMR career crosswalk tool to see which cybersecurity roles align with your specific military experience.
2. Get Security+ if you don't have it. This is the single most important certification for breaking into cybersecurity as a veteran. It's the DoD baseline and virtually every employer recognizes it.
3. Build your resume around cyber keywords. Translate your military experience into civilian cybersecurity language. The BMR resume builder handles this translation automatically and ensures your resume ranks at the top of the stack.
4. Apply to cleared positions first if you have an active clearance. That's your biggest competitive advantage — use it before it expires.
5. Look into VET TEC for free, funded cybersecurity training that doesn't touch your GI Bill.

I built BMR because I went through 1.5 years of getting ignored by hiring systems after I separated. Cybersecurity is one of the few fields where the demand is so high and the skills gap so wide that veterans can compete — and win — without a traditional degree. But you still have to translate your experience correctly and put it in front of the right people. That's the part where many veterans get stuck, and that's exactly what we help with.