Anonymous wrote:Just curious - is a master's degree a standard requirement for getting into intel (assuming that you are non-military)?

depends on the desk and function.

I can only speak to CIA.

It really depends. on my group they took mostly master's students and not undergrads or Ph.D's.

Some functional groups wanted Ph.D's

many didn't care.

DST and NCS I saw more people that broke in post UG than in the DI.

I've posted here before, but it really is almost random (unless you are a top student in IR or something with 'on the ground' fluency in a tier 1 language...chinese, korean, farsi etc).

It isn't like recruiting for Goldman/Lazard/Carlyle (i.e. high finance) or MBB consulting where there's kind of a set 'path' and its easier to predict your chances of 'breaking in'.

Agree with PP re: CIA.

Anonymous wrote:Can't comment on the contracting aspect, but intelligence analysts who are USG are on the GS scale, and can be
anywhere from GS 9 to GS 15. Usually hired with a masters around the GS12 level, I think.

CIA started masters with a couple of years experience and tier 2 language fluency at around gs10 step 2

No way near gs 12.

Just curious - is a master's degree a standard requirement for getting into intel (assuming that you are non-military)?

I am a SME in my field, and did not see any significant change in salary when I got the SCI w/ CI POLY.

Agree that the jump from S to TS/SCI is not worth more money, especially if you've already been hired for the job. Full scope poly in the past was worth some real money.

In the current environment of sequestration, government shutdown, etc... you have to be very careful of being priced out of jobs. Being profitable to your company is a good thing right now.

Just be warned, right now the salary is $0.

Can't comment on the contracting aspect, but intelligence analysts who are USG are on the GS scale, and can be
anywhere from GS 9 to GS 15. Usually hired with a masters around the GS12 level, I think.

you need the clearance for the job so you are already getting paid for it.

You are not 'due' anything. It's not an achievement. You may be able to get a position with a higher salary since it's a requirement fewer people can fulfill, but your company is unlikely to give you more 'just because'. This are is full of people with high level clearances, and a TS/SCI isn't much. As a PP said, it's the TS/SCI/Full Scope LS that's a bit harder. But they won't necessarily pay you more when you're in the same company, you just may get a position that pays more.

Did you get an increase when you went from secret to TS? There is an overabundance of cleared personnel in the area so an increase would probably not be warranted but once you jump from TS to FSP you should get a raise and or bonus.

Anonymous wrote:What you are asking for is classified.

bwha ha ha ha -- genius.

What you are asking for is classified.

no

Hello, I am hoping I can get some real life feedback in an anonymous forum as asking colleagues in person is not possible. I have been in the intelligence field for five years. I have a masters from the Elliot school and have worked for the same mid-level contacting company for the past three years. I was recently added to a project that required SCI clearance , which I now possess. I'm curious if you are in this industry if you saw a jump in your pay grade once you received this clearance/what is the average salary in this field? I started out in my current company with a lower salary than I feel is normal, because I only possessed secret clearance at the time. As i have grown in experience and clearance levels I feel i am due an increase in salary, but am not sure what is acceptable. I would appreciate any help you can provide, thank you.