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Veterans' Preference Explained

How military service translates into hiring advantages for federal jobs, from preference points to special appointing authorities.

Key Takeaway

Veterans' preference is one of the most significant advantages in federal hiring. Eligible veterans receive 5 or 10 additional points on competitive examination scores, and disabled veterans with 30%+ ratings can be hired non-competitively at any grade level. Approximately one-third of the federal workforce are veterans, a proportion far higher than the civilian labor force, reflecting the cumulative impact of these hiring preferences.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management FedScope dataset (June 2026), the federal civilian workforce numbers 1,953,300 employees across 126 agencies; veterans' preference shapes who is hired into it. This guide explains the point system, eligibility, and where preference does and does not apply - see our methodology.

The History and Purpose of Veterans' Preference

The federal government has granted hiring preference to military veterans since the Civil War. The Veterans' Preference Act of 1944, passed during World War II, established the modern framework still in use today. The principle is straightforward: the nation owes a debt to those who served, and federal employment is one way to honor that obligation, especially for veterans who sacrificed career advancement years while in uniform.

Today, veterans make up roughly 31% of the federal civilian workforce, more than double their share of the overall labor force (about 6%). This concentration is highest in agencies like the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Homeland Security, where veterans comprise over 40% of employees. The preference system, combined with special hiring authorities, is a primary driver of this overrepresentation.

Explore the demographics data to see veteran representation across agencies and grades on PlainGovJobs.

Types of Veterans' Preference

Veterans' preference comes in two tiers, determined by service history and disability status:

5-Point Preference (TP)

Available to veterans who served on active duty during a designated war period, campaign, or expedition and were separated under honorable conditions. Service in the reserves or National Guard counts only if it includes active duty under a call-up order. Five points are added to the veteran's passing examination score.

10-Point Preference (XP, CP, CPS, SSP)

Available to disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, and certain family members. Ten points are added to the examination score, with additional protections:

  • XP: Disability rated less than 30% - 10 points added
  • CP: Disability rated 30% or more, 10 points added, plus "float to the top" on competitive certificates
  • CPS: Disability rated 30%+ with compensable service-connected disability, strongest protections
  • SSP: Sole survivorship preference, for veterans who were the only surviving child in a family

The practical impact is significant. In a competitive examination where three candidates score 92, 90, and 88, a veteran with 5-point preference who scored 88 would be adjusted to 93, leapfrogging both non-veteran candidates. A 10-point preference veteran scoring 85 would be adjusted to 95.

1. 10-point veteran (raw 85)95 pts2. 5-point veteran (raw 88)93 pts3. Non-veteran A92 pts4. Non-veteran B90 pts5. Non-veteran C88 pts
Effective examination scores after preference points, the two veterans (raw 85 and 88) leapfrog higher-scoring non-veterans. Worked example; competitive-examination scoring per 5 U.S.C. 3309.

Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans

Beyond preference points, several authorities allow agencies to hire veterans directly, without competitive examination:

  • Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA): Agencies can appoint eligible veterans at any grade up to and including GS-11 without competition. The initial appointment is for two years, after which conversion to a permanent position is automatic if performance is satisfactory. VRA is one of the most commonly used veteran hiring paths.
  • 30% or More Disabled Veteran Authority: Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher can be appointed non-competitively to any position at any grade level, including GS-12 and above where VRA does not apply. The initial appointment can be temporary or permanent.
  • VEOA (Veterans Employment Opportunities Act): Allows eligible veterans to apply to internal merit promotion announcements, job postings that would otherwise be restricted to current federal employees. This effectively gives veterans access to positions that the general public cannot see or apply for.
  • Schedule A (Disabled Veterans): Agencies can hire any veteran with a 30%+ disability rating under excepted service Schedule A authority, which bypasses the competitive process entirely.

Where Veterans' Preference Does Not Apply

Veterans' preference is powerful but not universal. It does not apply to:

  • Internal merit promotions: When current federal employees compete for higher-graded positions within the competitive service, veterans' preference does not add points.
  • Senior Executive Service (SES): The government's top career executives are selected through a separate process that does not use veterans' preference points.
  • Legislative and judicial branches: Congressional offices and federal courts have their own hiring systems.
  • Certain excepted service positions: Some intelligence community and law enforcement positions follow agency-specific hiring rules.

However, even in agencies that do not use standard veterans' preference, executive orders and agency policies often establish separate veteran-friendly hiring programs. Veterans should always check the specific job announcement for applicable authorities.

Practical Tips for Veterans Applying to Federal Jobs

  1. Claim your preference on the application. USAJobs requires you to self-identify as a veteran and select your preference category. Upload your DD-214 (Member-4 copy) and, if applicable, your VA disability letter.
  2. Know which authority to use. If you have a 30%+ disability, ask the hiring agency about direct appointment authority, it may be faster than the competitive examination route.
  3. Look for VEOA openings. On USAJobs, filter for "Merit Promotion" announcements that are also open to VEOA-eligible veterans, these have less competition than announcements open to the general public.
  4. Translate military experience to GS equivalents. Use OPM's qualification standards to map military ranks and MOS/AFSC codes to GS grade levels and occupational series.
  5. Check agency veteran employment pages. Many large agencies (VA, DoD, DHS) have dedicated veteran hiring coordinators and programs beyond what appears on USAJobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is veterans' preference in federal hiring?

Veterans' preference is a statutory hiring advantage that applies to competitive examining appointments in the federal government. Eligible veterans receive additional points on their examination scores (5 or 10 points depending on disability status) and, in some cases, must be selected over non-veterans with equal or higher scores. The preference was established after the Civil War and has been expanded after every major US conflict since. It applies to initial appointment, not to internal promotions, transfers, or reassignments within the federal workforce.

Who qualifies for 5-point preference versus 10-point preference?

Five-point preference (TP) applies to veterans who served on active duty during a designated war period or campaign and were discharged under honorable conditions. Ten-point preference applies to disabled veterans (with a service-connected disability rating from the VA), Purple Heart recipients, and spouses, widows, widowers, or mothers of certain deceased or disabled veterans. The 10-point preference has several subcategories: XP (disability rated 10%+), CP (disability rated 30%+), CPS (disability rated 30%+ with compensable service-connected disability), and SSP (sole survivorship preference).

How does veterans' preference actually work in the hiring process?

In a competitive examination process, agencies score all applicants and rank them on a certificate of eligibles. Veterans with 5-point preference get 5 points added to their passing score; those with 10-point preference get 10 points added. Under the "rule of three," agencies select from the top three available candidates, and 10-point compensable disabled veterans float to the top of the certificate regardless of numerical score. An agency may not pass over a preference-eligible veteran to select a non-veteran without written justification and approval from OPM.

Does veterans' preference apply to all federal jobs?

Veterans' preference applies to competitive examining (external) appointments in the executive branch. It does not apply to positions in the excepted service that are not covered by veterans' preference statutes, positions filled through merit promotion (internal competition among current federal employees), positions in the Senior Executive Service (SES), or positions in the legislative and judicial branches. Some agencies, notably the FBI, CIA, and certain intelligence community organizations, have separate hiring authorities that may not follow standard veterans' preference rules.

What special hiring authorities exist for veterans beyond preference points?

Several special hiring authorities allow agencies to appoint veterans non-competitively, meaning without going through the full competitive examination process. The Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) allows agencies to hire eligible veterans at any grade up to GS-11 without competition, with conversion to permanent status after two years. The 30% or More Disabled Veteran authority allows direct appointment at any grade level for veterans with a 30%+ disability rating. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) gives veterans access to internal merit promotion announcements that would otherwise be limited to current federal employees.

Continue Exploring

Sources

  • OPM, Veterans' Preference in Federal Employment (Vet Guide)
  • OPM, FedScope Employment Data (June 2026)
  • Veterans' Preference Act of 1944, as amended (5 U.S.C. § 2108)
  • Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-339)
  • OPM, Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or employment advice. Veterans' preference rules are governed by federal statute and OPM regulations, which may change. Verify current guidance at opm.gov.

PlainGovJobs is rendered directly from OPM FedScope federal-workforce data, figures are sourced from published program rules and verified against primary sources. This guide explains veterans preference; point values and eligibility rules reflect published OPM/VA program rules, not this portal's employee database. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.