Also called: Army 35L, Air Force OSI, Navy NCIS (civilian)
Investigates spies, insider threats, and foreign intelligence efforts aimed at the U.S. military.
CI agents interview people, run surveillance, review travel records, and brief units on how foreign spies recruit. They often work in plain clothes. Civilian careers follow at the FBI, NCIS, and corporate security teams.
RMC (base pay + housing/food allowances + tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-7 ranks, 2026 estimate, plus the special-duty, hazardous-duty, or skill pays this specialty usually earns. Enlistment/reenlistment bonuses for this field can be $10k-$50k+.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 2 years after high school. Usually a few years in the military first, then the ~4-month Counterintelligence Special Agent Course. Top Secret clearance. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Criminal Justice, International Relations, Psychology.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Low risk for 10 years. AI scans records for insider-threat signs; interviews, surveillance and spy cases stay human.
Classes: Psychology, A foreign language, Government / Civics.
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.