Introduction
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the FBI Agent Salary In United States Department of Justice, the FBI is also a member of the U.S.
Intelligence Community and reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. A leading U.S. counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes.
What is Federal Bureau of Investigation?
Although many of the FBI’s functions are unique, its activities in support of national security are comparable to those of the British MI5, the New Zealand GCSB, and the Russian FSB. Unlike the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which has no law enforcement authority and is focused on intelligence collection abroad, the FBI is primarily a domestic agency, maintaining 56 field offices in major cities throughout the United States, and more than 400 resident agencies in smaller cities and areas across the nation. At an FBI field office, a senior-level FBI officer concurrently serves as the representative of the Director of National Intelligence.
FBI Agent Rank structure:
The following is a listing of the rank structure found within the FBI:
Field agents:
- New agent trainee
- Special agent
- Senior special agent
- Supervisory special agent
- Assistant special agent-in-charge (ASAC)
- Special agent-in-charge (SAC)
FBI management:
- Deputy assistant director
- Assistant director
- Associate executive assistant director
- Executive assistant director
- Associate deputy director
- Deputy chief of staff
- Chief of staff and special counsel to the director
- Deputy Director
- Director
What Do FBI Agents Do?
The FBI is the law enforcement organization in the United States charged with the duty of investigating federal crimes. An FBI agent is a person who works for this group and is an investigator. He or she collects evidence, interviews persons who may have knowledge of the crimes committed, and analyze this data with other personnel and FBI resources. When necessary, an FBI agent also helps to arrest and detain persons suspected of federal crimes, until such time as those individuals can stand trial. The FBI officially serves as the investigative arm of the US Department of Justice.
The largest role for an FBI agent is typically serving as an investigator. FBI agents are typically assigned to field offices around the United States, but they may also serve at large regional headquarters, such as the FBI building in Washington DC. Agents can be assigned to general investigatory roles, based on the field office to which they are detailed. They can also be detailed to work with specific criminal investigations, based on individual backgrounds and interests.
Most FBI agents have at least a bachelor’s degree in a criminology-related field. Agents are typically required to participate in and pass rigorous physical training. FBI agents typically work in a law enforcement office environment. They should expect irregular, long hours on the job, fieldwork, and travel as regular parts of their career.
FBI Agent Educational Requirements:
- Computer Science & Information Technology
- Law Enforcement
- Science
- Finance
- Foreign Language
You must be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 23 and 37 years to apply for a spot in the FBI’s training program. You’ll also need at least a bachelor’s with a 3.0-grade point average and three years of related work experience. Many applicants have a master’s degree or higher in law, criminal justice, political science, computer science, or a similar subject. The admission process is arduous and involves fitness tests, exams, psychometric tests, and interviews. If you get through those, you’ll receive orders to report to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, to be trained as an agent trainee.
FBI agent salaries are paid according to the General Schedule, a pay system that covers the majority of white-collar federal employees. The General Schedule has 15 grades, GS-1 (lowest) to GS-15 (highest). An FBI agent starts on pay grade GS-10, which ranges from $48,289 to $62,787 annually in 2018.
General Schedule used by FBI:
FBI agents enjoy a highly structured salary progression through the General Schedule system. Each level is divided into 10 steps and to move up a level, you must obtain all 10 steps. It could take anywhere between a few months and two years to progress through each step.
Here’s the General Schedule used by the FBI in 2018:
- GS-10: $48,289-$62,787
- GS-11: $54,062-$68,983
- GS-12: $63,600-$82,680
- GS-13: $75,628-$98,317
- GS-14: $89,370-$116,181
- GS-15: $105,123-$136,659
In addition to their basic salary, FBI agents may receive a 25 percent bonus for unscheduled duty.
How much does an FBI Agent make?
The average FBI agent in the US makes $80,195. FBI Agents make the most in San Francisco at $120,973, averaging total compensation 51% greater than the US average.
- U.S Average: $80,195
- Base Salary: $80,195
- Bonus: N/A
- Get Bonus: N/A
FBI Agent Roles & Salaries:
FBI Special Agent salaries – 123 salaries reported $1,50,694/yr Special Agent salaries – 106 salaries reported $1,49,115/yr Supervisory Special Agent salaries – 79 salaries reported $1,80,880/yr Intelligence Analyst salaries – 78 salaries reported $1,04,519/yr Management and Program Analyst salaries – 47 salaries reported$1,13,643/yr IT Specialist salaries – 19 salaries reported $72,000/yr
Operational Support Technician salaries – 16 salaries reported $52,922/yr Forensic Accountant salaries – 16 salaries reported $1,09,243/yr Unit Chief salaries – 16 salaries reported $1,78,918/yr Analyst salaries – 15 salaries reported $1,08,128/yr Intern salaries – 14 salaries reported $36,316/yr Staff Operations Specialist salaries – 14 salaries reported $98,592/yr Supervisory Intelligence Analyst salaries – 14 salaries reported $1,52,691/yr Agent salaries – 12 salaries reported $1,23,433/yr Assistant Special Agent In Charge salaries – 12 salaries reported $1,81,464/yr Program Manager salaries – 10 salaries reported $1,50,428/yr Section Chief salaries – 9 salaries reported $1,97,780/yr Investigative Specialist salaries – 9 salaries reported $84,048/yr Intern – Hourly salaries – 7 salaries reported $37,386/yr Assistant General Counsel salaries – 7 salaries reported $1,60,224/yr
FBI Years of experience:
Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as an FBI special agent, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your FBI special agent salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
How to increase your FBI special agent salary:
- Strengthen your skills Use of Force
- Case Management
- Report Writing
- Investigative Techniques
- Use of Force
How do FBI Agents Rate Their Jobs?
Common Health Benefits for an FBI Agent:
- Medical 88%
- Dental 62%
- Vision 59%
- None 12%
Gender Breakdown for FBI Agents:
- Male 71.1%
- Female 28.9%
FAQs about FBI Agent Salary In United States:
What is the highest pay for FBI Agents?
Our data indicate that the highest pay for an FBI Agent is $115k / year
What is the lowest pay for FBI Agents?
Our data indicate that the lowest pay for an FBI Agent is $41k / year
How Do I Become an FBI Agent?
First, earn at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and work for two years in an area of specialty. Meet all the basic requirements for applicants, and once accepted, go through about 20 weeks of New Agent Training with the FBI at Quantico.
Basic FBI Agent Requirements?
Be between the ages of 23 and 37, possess U.S. citizenship, and have lived at least three years in America prior to applying. Complete a background check, lie detector check, drug tests, and a rigorous physical fitness test.
FBI Education Requirements?
A bachelor’s degree to a Ph.D. in one of the many specialized fields the FBI seeks. The most popular fields are science, computer technology, law enforcement, and finance, but the FBI will accept many different possible undergraduate degree majors.
Do I Need to Know a Foreign Language?
Knowing a foreign language is one of the most desirable skills in the FBI. To increase your chances of being chosen, taking foreign languages is highly recommended.
What to Expect Working as an FBI Agent?
FBI Special Agents have physically and mentally challenging careers where they may be posted to different domestic field offices or overseas locations. Travel is often required, and agents are expected to work a minimum of 50 hours per week, on-call for the job 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
How can FBI Agents increase their salary?
Increasing your pay as an FBI Agent is possible in different ways. Change of employer: Consider a career move to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills. Level of Education: Gaining advanced degrees may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions. Managing Experience: If you are an FBI Agent that oversees more junior FBI Agents, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.
Conclusion:
The career of an FBI Agent Salary In United States is waiting for dedicated, capable applicants. Just to be considered for the job, agents must meet some of the most stringent requirements in the country. When the rigorous process of education, applying, training, and testing is complete, agents have
a career that allows them to serve the country and their fellow citizens every single day. From the office to the field, the life of an FBI agent is exciting, challenging, and rewarding.
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