Value of TS clearance

[Anonymous]

I am eligible to retire from my Fed job and I have TS/SCI clearance. How is the market for cleared jobs? Or should I stay put?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am eligible to retire from my Fed job and I have TS/SCI clearance. How is the market for cleared jobs? Or should I stay put?

You would never survive in the real world. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any useful input?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am eligible to retire from my Fed job and I have TS/SCI clearance. How is the market for cleared jobs? Or should I stay put?

You would never survive in the real world. Good luck.

Jealous?

[Anonymous]

There is a surplus of cleared experienced folks for 2026 - because so many Feds took the 2025 buyouts and early retirements.

[Anonymous]

It depends on what skills you have, and you can't really know without job searching. Which you should definitely try, and you can always stay where you are if you don't find something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a surplus of cleared experienced folks for 2026 - because so many Feds took the 2025 buyouts and early retirements.

Good to know, thanks!

[Anonymous]

I don’t think there is a surplus of TS folks- more secret than normal. It really depends on your other skills but without knowing that an active TS is valued at about $50k to a company

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think there is a surplus of TS folks- more secret than normal. It really depends on your other skills but without knowing that an active TS is valued at about $50k to a company

The real value is it can’t be outsourced, H1B’d, and not yet fully handed over to AI (though that last bit is uncertain).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am eligible to retire from my Fed job and I have TS/SCI clearance. How is the market for cleared jobs? Or should I stay put?

You would never survive in the real world. Good luck.

why?

[Anonymous]

Because you think the "value" will show up in a lump sum in your offer.
Even if worth $50k the company will amortize that and can always get another person when you leave.

[Anonymous]

It depends on your field. A TS by itself isn’t going to lead to something but pairing it with something in demand definitely can.

[Anonymous]

Like any position, it depends on the number of job openings and if your experience aligns with the position. Companies are more likely to hire someone who has a TS for a TS position then an equally good candidate, maybe even better candidate, without a TS clearence. Hiring someone who has the clearance already saves them money and time.

Contracting positions want people who have the requisite skills for the job because many contracts limit the training that the client will provide. Your clearance does nothing for the company if you don't have the training that they need.

It is just like any other job except you have one more hurdle to jump to be hired, having a TS clearance.