Reimagining Military Spouse Employment

Understanding the Employment Landscape and Advancing Economic Mobility

Military spouses are among the most capable and committed members of the American workforce. They bring strong educational backgrounds, relevant experience, and a consistent interest in employment, yet continue to face barriers to job access, career continuity, and advancement.

This series offers new insight into the military spouse employment landscape by drawing together federal data, sector analysis, and prior research. It focuses on where military spouses work, the roles they hold, and how employment patterns reflect broader structural dynamics.

The series begins with a comprehensive landscape report and a data brief on industry and occupational trends. Upcoming briefs will examine geographic variation, earnings gaps, policy constraints, and the cumulative effects of relocation and caregiving on employment outcomes.

The aim is to support employers, policymakers, researchers, and advocates with clear, actionable insights that can inform strategies to improve long-term outcomes for military spouses and the systems that shape their opportunities.

Introduction

Military spouses face employment barriers that set them apart from other segments of the workforce. Despite strong educational backgrounds and a clear desire to work, they are more likely to be unemployed, earn less than their civilian peers, and hold positions that do not reflect their skills or experience.

These challenges are not new, but their persistence points to a deeper issue. Too often, the conversation centers on job access rather than long-term career mobility. This work broadens that view by examining where military spouses are employed, the types of roles they occupy, and how those roles relate to income, stability, and advancement over time.

This series draws on national data to identify patterns in labor force participation, earnings, and occupational concentration. While factors such as relocation and caregiving shape these outcomes, the focus here is on what workforce data reveal—and how those insights can inform stronger policies and practices.

Forward

This initiative is part of a broader reframing effort. The challenges facing military spouses are not new, but their persistence calls for a shift in how we respond. Military spouse employment must move from being seen as a nice-to-have to being recognized as a strategic imperative with clear benefits for employers, communities, and the economy.

We need to connect long-recognized barriers with missed opportunities and begin identifying new and more coordinated solutions. While these issues have been studied for years, they are still too often addressed through fragmented programs or narrowly defined hiring goals. The ongoing gaps in earnings, advancement, and career continuity suggest the need for a more systemic approach.

This work highlights both areas where progress is needed and where promising practices are emerging. Across all findings, the emphasis remains on career mobility, income stability, and the alignment of talent with long-term opportunity.

Whether you are an employer looking to engage an adaptable and underleveraged workforce, a policymaker shaping economic strategies, or a community leader focused on local resilience, these insights provide a foundation for informed and practical action.

The aim is not only to improve outcomes for military spouses. It is to challenge legacy workforce practices, expand access to career-aligned roles for mobile professionals, and build systems that recognize the full range of skills, experience, and contribution.

Comprehensive Report

This report offers a comprehensive look at the employment conditions of active-duty military spouses. It examines labor force participation, income trends, occupational segmentation, employer hiring practices, and policy considerations. It also outlines a roadmap for shifting from short-term hiring solutions to long-term career development and workforce integration.

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Top Findings:

  • Military spouses have an unemployment rate 4x higher than civilian spouses.
  • They earn 42% less than civilian spouses, with income dropping further after relocation.
  • Despite similar workforce participation, military spouses often hold unstable, lower-paying jobs with limited advancement.
  • Frequent moves and childcare demands disrupt employment and stall long-term career growth.
  • Most military spouses work in low-growth sectors like Education, Retail, and Health Services, which offer low pay and few promotions.
  • Over 80 employers have launched hiring initiatives, but impact varies—greater transparency, job quality, and alignment with spouse needs are key to improving outcomes.

Research Briefs

As part of this ongoing initiative, IVMF will release a series of focused briefs that break down key dimensions of military spouse employment. Each brief is designed to deliver actionable insights supported by national and community-level data.

Available Now

Cover of where military spouses work brief

Brief #1: Where Military Spouses Work – Industries & Occupations

This brief provides a detailed view of the industries and occupations where military spouses are employed, including analysis of income, employment distribution, and gaps in sector advancement. It also highlights the unique role of federal employment and identifies high-potential career paths for long-term stability.

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Top Findings:

  • Military spouses experience unemployment rates that are 4Xs higher than their civilian peers. Unemployment is especially high in retail (13.4%) and service occupations (10.9%).
  • Military spouses earn 30% to 50% less than civilians, even in high-demand industries such as healthcare, finance, and professional services.
  • More than 60% of military spouses are employed in just three sectors: education, health and social services (37.8%), retail (9.8%), and professional services (10.4%). These sectors tend to offer lower wages and limited opportunities for career advancement.
  • Frequent relocations continue to disrupt careers. Military spouses move 3.6Xs more often than civilians, and those who relocated in the past year earn 32% less than their peers who did not move.
  • Military spouses are underrepresented in leadership and management roles and overrepresented in administrative and support positions. This imbalance limits upward mobility and contributes to long-term wage gaps.
  • The brief recommends shifting the focus from hiring to career continuity. Solutions should prioritize portable career paths, remote work options, leadership development, and work/compensation aligned with qualifications and job responsibilities.

Coming Soon

Brief #2: Understanding Military Spouse Employment – Trends & Insights

Demographic and labor force comparisons between military, civilian, and veteran spouses. Explores participation rates, unemployment patterns, and income differences across age and education.

Brief #3: Employment Initiatives in the Private and Public Sectors

A review of current hiring programs. Highlights where military spouse-friendly jobs exist, where gaps remain, and what lessons can be drawn from leading organizations and coalitions.

Brief #4: Strategies for Change – Employer and Ecosystem Recommendations

This brief synthesizes employee-focused recommendations from prior research. It highlights best practices in recruitment, retention, and advancement, and outlines actionable steps to support long-term career development and economic mobility.

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Questions?

This four-part series is designed to inform ongoing efforts across government, industry, and nonprofit sectors—and to strengthen the case for investing in military spouse talent as a national workforce asset.

Questions or partnership inquiries? Contact us at vets@syr.edu

Acknowledgement

USAA logo

This research series is made possible through the generous support of USAA. The findings and recommendations presented are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAA.

Check Out More Research on Military Spouse Employment

Force Behind the Force Series

There are unique employment challenges for military spouses due to frequent relocation and limited access to career enhancing opportunities as a result of these relocations. While veteran employment has improved over recent years due to hiring, recruiting, and retention employment initiatives, military spouse unemployment has not been similarly impacted. There are unique differences between veterans and military spouses, but proactively treating military spouses as distinct from veterans requires knowledge on the part of the employer.

Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA)

Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) are multilateral or bilateral peacetime agreements that define the legal status of U.S. Department
of Defense (DoD) personnel, activities, and property in the territory of another nation. They also set forth rights and responsibilities between the United States and the host government. The United States has some form of SOFA agreement with more than 100 nations, about half under the NATO or the Partnership for Peace SOFAs.

A Portability Roadmap for Military Spouses and Their Employers

Emotional well-being, fnancial-readiness, and economic opportunity are among the many positive consequences of sustained employment. Within military families, military spouse employment also positively impacts service member retention. Like their civilian counterparts, military spouses often want and need to work. But, unlike most civilians, military spouses may relocate overseas where their employment options are infuenced by diplomatic agreements called Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs).

Military Spouse Entrepreneurs

The 2022 National Survey of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs provides detailed insights into the experiences and challenges of military spouse entrepreneurs. This term encompasses spouses and partners of active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members, as well as veterans and retirees. Based on data from 243 current business owners who self-identify as military spouses, 80% of whom are female, the findings reveal robust entrepreneurial activity alongside critical support needs to ensure their success in the business landscape.

IVMF Programs

Onward to Opportunity

Onward to Opportunity (O2O) is a free career training program that provides professional certification and employee support services to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses.

Learn More

Entreprenuership

Whether you are just formulating the idea in your head and don’t know where to start, or if you are on your third year and are ready to take that next big step, IVMF’s entrepreneurship will arm you for success in entrepreneurship.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What makes this research different from previous military spouse employment studies?

    This series offers a more integrated and comparative view of military spouse employment than many prior efforts. It includes a detailed analysis of the industries and occupations where military spouses work, placing greater emphasis on how employment patterns relate to income, job stability, and career progression. The research uses nationally representative data and applies a consistent methodology to compare active-duty military spouses with both civilian and veteran spouses, allowing for clearer benchmarking across groups. In addition, the series incorporates findings from earlier studies and employer initiatives, identifying best practices while also outlining where gaps remain and what steps may be needed to advance more durable, long-term solutions.

  • Why does this report show a different unemployment rate than other sources?

    The unemployment rate in this report comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). In 2023, the unemployment rate for active-duty military spouses was 8.83 percent. Other sources, such as Department of Defense surveys, often report higher rates due to different methods of data collection. The ACS allows for comparison across population groups using consistent definitions, which is useful for evaluating military spouses alongside civilian and veteran spouses.

  • If labor force participation is similar to civilians, what makes military spouse employment different?

    While participation rates are comparable, employment outcomes differ. Military spouses are more likely to work in lower-wage sectors, face frequent job interruptions due to relocation, and encounter difficulty progressing into roles that reflect their skills or education. These challenges contribute to persistent earnings gaps and fewer opportunities for long-term advancement.

  • What industries and occupations are most common for military spouses?

    Military spouses are most often employed in education, health care, retail, and administrative roles. These sectors are typically more portable and offer flexible scheduling, but they also tend to provide lower wages and fewer structured opportunities for promotion. This concentration limits upward mobility and contributes to long-term income disparities.

  • Do federal and public sector jobs improve employment outcomes?

    Federal employment has offered stability for some military spouses, supported by military spouse hiring preferences and an increase in remote-friendly roles. However, these jobs represent only a small share of overall employment among military spouses. Most continue to work in the private sector, where career pathways are less defined and hiring practices vary widely.

  • How does relocation affect income and career continuity?

    Relocation has a direct impact on both income and long-term career development. In 2023, military spouses who had moved in the past year earned an average of $31,222, compared to $45,793 for those who had not moved. Each move also requires rebuilding professional relationships, adapting to new local labor markets, and reestablishing momentum—factors that can delay or disrupt career progression.

  • What types of careers offer better alignment with military spouse needs?

    Careers that support remote work or flexible progression models tend to be more compatible with the demands of military life. Fields such as health care, education, finance, public administration, and technology offer more stable opportunities. Entrepreneurship and self-employment are also growing areas of interest, though they often require better access to training, networks, and capital.