Also called: Investigative Specialist, Mobile Surveillance Team Member
An unarmed FBI employee who secretly follows and watches suspects in spy and terrorism cases.
Surveillance specialists work in teams, tailing targets by car and on foot, blending into crowds, taking photos, and reporting what they see, all without being noticed. It's a real-life spy job that doesn't require being a special agent.
Federal pay. 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; FBI training.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Criminal Justice, Psychology, International Studies.
Growing about average. Small, specialized workforce.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. City cameras and plate readers can replace some tailing; following targets unseen still needs people.
Classes: Driver's ed, Geography / map reading, Psychology, Theater.
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.