Steven Unger was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas and lives in Springdale, Arkansas. Unger served in the U.S. Navy from 1976 to 2015 and reached the rank of captain. He earned a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas in 1981, a graduate degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1990, and a graduate degree from the Marine Corps University Command and Staff College in 2002. Unger's career experience includes working as a hospital corpsman, surface warfare officer, and chaplain with the U.S. Navy. He served on the board of Bethany Christian Services.
