What Is the Current Veteran Unemployment Rate?

As of February 2026, the veteran unemployment rate stands at 3.9%, according to the Department of Labor's VETS latest numbers page. That is below the non-veteran unemployment rate of 4.3% for the same month. Veterans are getting hired at a higher rate than the general civilian population — and that has been the trend for every month of available data since January 2025.

But a national average only tells part of the story. Behind that 3.9% number are significant differences by gender, race, disability status, and geography that affect individual veterans in very different ways. If you are actively job searching, the overall rate matters less than what is happening in your specific demographic and industry.

Here is what the real data says, where the gaps are, and what it means for your transition.

How Does Veteran Unemployment Compare to Civilian Unemployment?

Veterans have consistently outperformed the broader civilian labor force on unemployment for the past several years. Here is how the numbers have tracked, using BLS Series LNS14049526 data:

The gap has been anywhere from 0.2 to 1.7 percentage points in veterans' favor throughout 2025. September 2025 marked the lowest point at 2.7% — nearly half the civilian rate. The annual average for 2024 was 3.0%, and the trend is rising modestly into 2026, tracking the broader economic softening that is lifting all unemployment numbers.

What this means for you: the veteran labor market is tight. Employers are hiring veterans, and the data proves it. But "low unemployment" does not mean "easy job searches." It means more veterans are eventually finding work — not that the process is fast or painless.

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Where Are the Gaps? Gender, Race, and Disability Breakdown

The 3.9% headline number hides real disparities. The DOL VETS data from February 2026 breaks it down:

Gender

Male veterans: 3.9%. Female veterans: 5.2%. That 1.3-point gap matters — female veterans are unemployed at a higher rate than both male veterans and female non-veterans (4.4%). Women make up a growing share of the veteran population, and this gap has persisted across multiple years of data. Part of the challenge is that military occupational specialties held by women are more concentrated in certain fields, and the civilian job market does not always have direct equivalents in the same geographic areas where military spouses and families settle.

Race and Ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino veterans face the highest unemployment at 6.6% — nearly double the rate of Asian veterans. Black veterans at 5.4% also sit significantly above the overall veteran average. These are not small differences. If you are a minority veteran, the national average does not reflect your reality. Targeted resources like the DOL's JVSG (Jobs for Veterans State Grants) program specifically funds staff at state workforce agencies to serve veterans who face significant employment barriers.

Disability Status

Here is where veteran employment data gets encouraging. Over the 12-month average ending February 2026: veterans with disabilities have a 5.5% unemployment rate, compared to 8.3% for non-veterans with disabilities. Veterans without disabilities sit at 3.3%, versus 4.0% for non-veterans without disabilities.

In both cases — with and without a disability — veterans are getting hired at higher rates than their civilian counterparts. For disabled veterans specifically, programs like the VA's Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program and 30% Disabled Veteran Hiring Authority for federal jobs provide direct pathways that civilian job seekers do not have access to.

What Is Driving These Numbers?

Three factors explain why veteran unemployment remains lower than civilian unemployment, and why it is rising modestly in 2026.

Employer demand for veteran skills remains strong. The DOL's HIRE Vets Medallion Program — the only federal-level award recognizing employers who hire veterans — continues to grow. Companies are not just hiring veterans for goodwill; they are hiring them because military training produces workers who show up on time, follow processes, lead teams, and handle pressure. Those are not soft skills. Those are operational requirements in logistics, healthcare, IT, project management, and dozens of other fields.

Federal hiring preferences give veterans an edge. Veterans' preference in federal hiring is not a participation trophy — it is a legally mandated scoring advantage. A 5 or 10-point preference on a 100-point scale can be the difference between getting referred and getting passed over. With 17.57 million veterans in the U.S. and 8.44 million in the labor force, federal employment absorbs a significant share. Our guide to the 5 federal hiring paths for veterans walks through each option.

The broader economy is softening. Civilian unemployment has risen from 4.0% in January 2025 to 4.3% in February 2026. Veteran unemployment has tracked upward too, from a 3.0% annual average in 2024 to 3.9% in February 2026. When the overall economy cools, veteran unemployment rises — it just rises less than the civilian rate. This pattern held during the COVID recession too: veteran unemployment spiked to 12.1% in April 2020 but recovered faster than the civilian rate.

What Government Resources Are Available Right Now?

Whether you are actively separating or have been out for years, these programs are funded and operating in 2026:

TAP (Transition Assistance Program): Mandatory for separating service members, TAP serves over 200,000 transitioning members annually. The DOL Employment Workshop (DOLEW) is a two-day intensive focused on resume writing, interview prep, and job search strategies. The Career and Credential Exploration (C2E) track adds another two days on certification and training pathways. These workshops run at every major installation. The DOL VETS TAP page has the full curriculum details.

VA Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (PCPG): Free career counseling and resume review for veterans and dependents. You get assigned a counselor who knows the veteran employment landscape. Apply through VA Careers and Employment using Form 28-8832. This is one of the most underused VA benefits — most veterans do not know it exists.

DVOP Specialists at American Job Centers: The Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) places trained specialists at American Job Centers nationwide. They provide one-on-one employment assistance with a focus on veterans who face significant barriers — disability, homelessness, long-term unemployment. But any veteran can walk in and get help.

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): For veterans with service-connected disabilities that limit employment, VR&E (Chapter 31) provides job training, resume help, and a subsistence allowance during participation. Five tracks cover everything from rapid job placement to self-employment to independent living for those with severe disabilities.

The 5-Year Trend: Where Veteran Employment Has Been and Where It Is Heading

Looking at annual averages tells a clearer story than any single month:

2020: COVID hit the veteran workforce hard. The unemployment rate spiked to 12.1% in April 2020, mirroring the broader economic shutdown. Service-industry veterans and those in hospitality, retail, and transportation were hit hardest. Annual average landed around 6.6%.

2021: Recovery was faster for veterans than civilians. The annual average dropped to roughly 4.3%. Defense contractors, logistics companies, and healthcare systems resumed hiring at pace, and veterans with security clearances and technical training were in high demand.

2022-2023: The veteran labor market hit its tightest point in modern history. Annual averages dropped to approximately 2.8% — well below the civilian rate and below pre-pandemic levels. Employers across industries were competing for workers, and veteran hiring programs expanded significantly during this period.

2024: The annual average ticked up to 3.0%, still historically low. The total veteran labor force stood at 8.44 million, with 8.19 million employed.

Early 2026: At 3.9% in February, the trend is modestly upward. This tracks the broader economic cooling — not a veteran-specific problem. Interest rate uncertainty, federal spending debates, and tech-sector adjustments are affecting the entire labor market. Veterans are still outperforming the civilian rate by a meaningful margin.

The pattern is clear: veteran unemployment rises and falls with the economy, but it consistently stays below the civilian rate. Military training, security clearances, leadership experience, and a strong work ethic are assets that employers value regardless of economic conditions. The question is not whether veterans can get hired — it is whether individual veterans are positioning themselves to be found.

Which Industries Are Hiring Veterans Right Now?

National unemployment rates do not tell you where the jobs actually are. Based on DOL data and employer hiring patterns, these sectors are actively recruiting veterans in 2026:

Defense and Aerospace: Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing have veteran hiring targets and actively recruit from transition programs. Security clearances are a massive advantage here — a TS/SCI clearance alone can be worth $10,000-$15,000 in additional salary because employers do not have to sponsor the investigation. Use our career crosswalk tool to match your MOS to specific defense contractor roles.

Healthcare: The VA healthcare system is the largest integrated healthcare system in the country and employs over 400,000 people. Veterans with medical MOSs (68-series Army, HM Navy, 4N Air Force) have clinical experience that transfers directly. Beyond VA, civilian hospitals and emergency services value the composure and training that combat medics and corpsmen bring.

Information Technology and Cybersecurity: Military signal, cyber, and IT MOSs map directly to civilian IT roles. The BLS projects IT occupations to grow 13% through 2030, and veterans with CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or AWS certifications are in particularly high demand. Federal agencies like NSA, DHS, and CYBERCOM hire heavily from the veteran pool.

Logistics and Supply Chain: Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and Maersk have formal veteran hiring programs. Military logistics experience — managing supply chains under pressure, tracking millions of dollars in equipment, coordinating multi-vehicle movements — maps almost directly to civilian supply chain management roles.

Skilled Trades: Electricians, HVAC technicians, welders, and heavy equipment operators are in critical shortage. Veterans with engineering, construction, or maintenance MOSs can often get civilian credentials through accelerated programs. The VA careers and employment page lists apprenticeship programs that accept GI Bill benefits.

What Should You Actually Do With This Data?

Numbers are useful for context, but they do not write your resume or land your interviews. Here is how to use this data strategically.

If you are a male veteran with a clearance and tech skills, you are in the strongest position the data reflects. Your unemployment rate is near 3.9% nationally and likely lower in defense-heavy metros like D.C., San Antonio, San Diego, and Hampton Roads. Focus your search on roles that value your clearance — it is a competitive advantage that takes 6-12 months and thousands of dollars for an employer to sponsor from scratch.

If you are a female veteran, the data shows a meaningful gap (5.2% vs. 3.9% for men). Networking matters more in this scenario. LinkedIn strategies for veterans can help you build visibility with employers who actively recruit women veterans. Organizations like the Women Veterans Alliance and FourBlock run programs specifically for women transitioning out of service.

If you are a veteran with a disability, your employment rate is already better than non-veterans with disabilities (5.5% vs. 8.3%), and you have access to hiring authorities that civilians do not. The disabled veteran resume guide covers how to handle disclosure, employment gaps, and Schedule A hiring on your resume.

If you are concerned about the federal hiring freeze, the data shows that federal positions still employ a significant share of veterans. Even during freezes, certain agencies and positions remain exempt. Our federal hiring freeze guide explains which roles are affected and how to position yourself for when hiring resumes.