The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps is a three-year high school program that focuses on building citizenship, community service, personal responsibility, self-discipline and basic military skills in its participants. Congress established the JROTC under the 1916 National Defense Act. Public and private high schools can set up a JROTC program with the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Air Force. High schools employ JROTC instructors who typically are retired commissioned and noncommissioned officers.

JROTC Minimum Instructor Pay

JROTC Instructors are assured of earning a minimum instructor pay set by the U.S. Department of Defense. It is equivalent to the difference between their retirement pay and the basic pay plus allowances -- such as housing, food and clothing -- they would receive if they are on active duty. For example, suppose a retired military officer receives $4,000 in retirement pay, and he would receive $7,000 a month on active duty. Then the officer’s monthly pay as a JROTC instructor would be $3,000. The military reimburses schools for half of the minimum instructor pay. Some schools pay JRTOC instructors more than the required minimum pay. The military does not reimburse the school for the additional compensation.