Katelyn chose to enlist in the military.
She’s considering college down the line, but right now she wants a career path that will help her avoid debt and give her a strong, broadly applicable skill set so she has lots of options in the future.
I might want to go to college eventually, but for now I want to keep my options open. I played basketball and volleyball in high school, and I like being on a team and pushing myself to keep getting better. I also want to be smart with money now, start saving and stay clear of debt. That way I can go wherever I want in the future.
With Money Path, I found out that a career in the military covers housing and has lots of other great benefits. I don’t have to worry about my living expenses, and I can learn skills that could help me in a bunch of different fields once I’m done serving. I get education benefits too. That means if I decide to go to college later I won’t have to take out any student loans. I can start saving now for the future I want, almost $6,000 a year. I’m excited about all the choices that this opens up for me.
| Military Data Points | Background |
|---|---|
| Career: Enlisted and work in Transportation and Material – Handling. I’m part of an aircraft crew that operates aircraft equipment. |
Narrowed my college choices to two schools, entered the financial aid package they awarded me and chose the option that left me with the lowest amount of student loan debt. |
| Starting Salary: $45,571 (Base Pay $25,927 + Housing & Subsistence Allowance $19,644) |
Starting out debt free and having great insurance benefits was a key driver in my decision. Additionally, the Military covers my housing, food and health insurance expenses. Plus, if I stay in the military for 6 years my pay will be $58,924 (Base Pay $39,280 + Housing & Subsistence Allowance $19,644). |
| My student loan debt: $0 Annual loan payments: |
I also qualify for education benefits if I choose to go to college in the future. |
| Annual amount I can save: $6,000 |
This allows me to super charge my savings for important future financial goals. |