The secret world of spies, codebreakers, and analysts who protect the country and warn its leaders.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Intelligence Operations Officer: Recruits foreign sources who secretly provide information to the United States. Typical pay $115k.
Cryptanalyst: Uses advanced math and computing to break codes and protect U.S. communications. Typical pay $125k.
Government Cyber Operations Specialist: Defends government networks and conducts authorized cyber operations against foreign adversaries. Typical pay $125k.
Presidential Daily Briefer: Personally delivers the top-secret daily intelligence briefing to the President or senior officials. Typical pay $165k.
Wargame Designer & Analyst: Designs realistic war and crisis simulations that military and government leaders play to test strategies. Typical pay $120k.
Science & Technology Intelligence Officer: Uses engineering and science to figure out foreign weapons, nuclear programs, and new technologies, or to build spy tools. Typical pay $125k.
Leadership Analyst: Studies foreign presidents, generals, and dictators so U.S. leaders understand their personalities, health, and likely next moves. Typical pay $110k.
CFIUS Case Analyst: Reviews foreign companies buying American businesses to decide whether the deal could hurt national security. Typical pay $135k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
All-Source Intelligence Analyst: Pieces together secret and public information to explain threats and warn U.S. leaders. Typical pay $100k.
Geospatial Intelligence Analyst: Studies satellite and drone images to spot military movements, weapons sites, and disasters. Typical pay $95k.
Signals Intelligence Analyst: Analyzes intercepted communications and electronic signals from foreign targets. Typical pay $98k.
Intelligence Language Analyst: Translates and analyzes foreign-language intercepts and documents for intelligence agencies. Typical pay $92k.
Targeting Analyst: Maps terrorist and adversary networks to identify key people and weak points. Typical pay $100k.
Counterterrorism Analyst: Tracks terrorist groups and threats to help stop attacks. Typical pay $100k.
Open-Source Intelligence Analyst: Finds intelligence in public information like social media, satellite photos, flight trackers, and news. Typical pay $88k.
Intelligence Collection Manager: Decides which satellites, sensors, and sources should gather what information to answer the questions leaders need answered. Typical pay $105k.
Intelligence Agency Security Protective Officer: Armed officers who guard intelligence agency headquarters and facilities, controlling who gets in and responding to threats. Typical pay $75k.
Declassification Reviewer: Reads old secret government documents line by line and decides what can now be released to the public and historians. Typical pay $85k.
Threat Screening Analyst: Works around the clock checking whether a traveler or visa applicant matches someone on the government's terrorism watchlist. Typical pay $85k.
Personnel Security Assistant: Processes paperwork, fingerprints, and badges for people getting security clearances. Typical pay $50k.
Cleared Security Escort: Holds a security clearance and watches uncleared workers, like electricians or movers, inside classified facilities. Typical pay $47k.
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.