Also called: Watchlist Analyst, Terrorist Screening Analyst
Works around the clock checking whether a traveler or visa applicant matches someone on the government's terrorism watchlist.
When a border officer or police officer gets a possible watchlist hit, they call the screening center. Analysts compare names, birthdays, photos and records to decide fast whether it's really the person, then tell the officer what to do. Other analysts review whether people should be added or removed from the list.
Federal GS pay with DC-area locality, 2026 estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's degree and a security clearance; analysis or law enforcement experience helps.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Criminal Justice, Intelligence Studies, Political Science.
Growing about average. Steady demand at a few federal centers (approx.).
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Identity-matching software does more of the first pass; humans decide hard matches and list changes.
Classes: Government, Statistics, A foreign language.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-3021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.