Also called: DCSA investigator, Contract background investigator
Interviews people and checks records to decide whether someone can be trusted with a security clearance.
Investigators drive to neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools to interview an applicant's friends and coworkers, check police and credit records, and write detailed reports. The government processes millions of clearances. Many investigators are veterans or former police.
Estimate; federal GS pay higher than BLS private detectives (~$52k).
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 or equivalent experience; federal investigator training.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Criminal Justice, Psychology.
Growing about average. Demand follows clearance backlogs.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Continuous automated records checks replace many periodic investigations; fewer field interviews needed.
Classes: Psychology, English composition, Government / Civics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-9021.
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.