Also called: Army 35D, Air Force 14N, Navy Intelligence Officer 1830, Marine 0202
Leads teams of analysts and briefs commanders on what the enemy is likely to do next.
An intelligence officer pulls together reports from satellites, intercepted signals, and human sources, then stands up in front of a general with a 10-minute briefing. They manage analysts, protect classified information, and argue for their assessments. After service, a security clearance opens doors at the CIA, DIA, FBI, and defense contractors.
RMC (base pay + housing/food allowances + tax advantage) for officers O-1 (2nd Lieutenant/Ensign) to O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/Commander), 2026 estimate. A 20-year career also earns a lifetime pension starting right after retirement.
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 commission, then the ~5-month Military Intelligence Basic Officer Leader Course (or service equivalent). A Top Secret clearance is required. 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, 4-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: International Relations, Political Science, History, Data Science.
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.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI fuses sensor feeds and drafts assessments, so smaller analyst teams; briefing commanders stays human.
Classes: World history, Government / Civics, A foreign language, Statistics.
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.