FBI agent salary and payscale: What are the requirements to become one?

FBI agent salary and payscale: What are the requirements to become one?

Is becoming an FBI agent your objective? Do you have the necessary qualifications that suit the position? Briefly delights in providing you with the requirements for becoming one. The role of an FBI agent is among the most respected jobs in the United States. Read on to find out the exclusive FBI agent salary and what various roles are played in the organisation.

FBI agent salary and payscale
An FBI agent uses binoculars at work. Photo by: Stock photo
Source: Getty Images

An FBI agent is a person who works for the federal bureau as an investigator. His tasks are to pinpoint case issues and evidence based on complaints, charges, and allegations of violation among others. Read on to get an exclusive look at the FBI agents' salaries here.

FBI pay scale

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is divided into several departments based on your skill levels and the work that you do. Every department has a pay scale. The table below provides a range of the pay scale for the employees under the Feds organisation yearly.

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FBI agent salary and payscale: What are the requirements to become one?
FBI agent salary and payscale: What are the requirements to become one? Photo: by author
Source: Original

FBI agent salary per hour

The saying time is money is undoubtedly very applicable when it comes to the role of a Federal Bureau of Investigations officer. Investigations need to be time-bound to obtain reliable information from the accused or witnesses at a crime scene.

The hourly pay for a federal officer ranges from $12 - $51. On average, an agent receives $25. From the reviews obtained from an Information Technology Specialist in Falls Church, Virginia:

  • Pros: The opportunity to do real good and get hands-on experience in my field.
  • Cons: The pay is not fair and there is no opportunity for advancement if you are not a Special Agent.
FBI agent salary and payscale: What are the requirements to become one?
A federal officer is entitled to investigation tools such as binoculars for work efficiency. Photo by: Stock photo
Source: Getty Images

What is the salary of an FBI agent?

The General Schedule, (a payscale supervised by the office of personnel management) determines the base pay for employed Federals. A General Schedule (GS) has 15 grades. GS-1 is the lowest-paid grade, while GS-15 is the highest. Each grade has 10 steps that are grounded on employee service and performance.

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As of 2011, locality adjustments ranged from 11% to 28.7% of base pay. For a GS-10 Step 1 officer, that meant a monthly rate of $4,375 to $5,073, whereas for a GS-13 Step 10 officer, a monthly rate of $8,620 to $9,995. A GS-10 Step 1 agent, after locality and availability adjustments, makes $5,469 to $6,342 a month, while a GS-13 Step 10 officer can make $10,774 to $12,493 a month.

If you are not aware of how much an FBI agent makes a year, they approximately make $ 77k per year. But, of course, it all depends on the officer's scale and the service they offer to the organisation.

FBI agent salary and payscale: What are the requirements to become one?
Envelope with a floppy disk, American flag, and stack of US money. Photo by: Stock photo
Source: Getty Images

How much do US FBI agents make?

US FBI agents receive an average of $66,359 per year. It varies depending on the ranking of an officer and the work they do in the organisation. A special agent's salary is way higher. They get about $145,000 per year.

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What is the highest paid FBI agent?

According to indeed.com, the Senior Special Agent is the most highly paid, with a salary of $171,958 per year. The second-highest-paid Federal officer is the Criminal Investigator who earns $97,562 per year. When your rank is high, your salary is high. As a federal officer, your performance matters. Competency is vital in getting better deals with the FBI.

How to become an FBI agent

TV shows and movies may portray an unrealistic image of a Federal Bureau of Investigations officer; however, the Bureau executes compelling and potentially menacing works that make it indifferent to most typical careers. The excitement is not the same, and some cases take decades to decode and arrest the perpetrators.

Law enforcement, which includes agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigations, is a high-demand field; hence there is plenty of potential for good income if you become a federal officer. An FBI agent carries out different tasks based on their skills. Various types of officers in the bureau include;

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  • Surveillance investigator
  • Linguist
  • Intelligence analyst
  • Special agent
  • Forensic accountant
how much does an FBI agent make a year?
Officers engaged in conversation while Standing Around Digital Touch Screen Table and Tracking suspects. Satellite Surveillance Operation in the Monitoring Room. Photo by: Stock photo
Source: Getty Images

Each case can lead to taking on different tasks. There is no typical day as there is always something new to the job. Nonetheless, you can encounter some relatable duties in a role at the FBI. These include;

  • Testifying in court
  • Collaborating with other officers on various tasks
  • Conducting surveillance
  • Working with sources to follow leads on crimes
  • Monitoring online activities
  • Making arrests
  • Gathering and analysing data
  • Paperwork

Do you have what it takes to be an FBI agent?

Being a federal officer calls for your time and great dedication. It is favourable to the suitable candidates who have the required qualifications. It is also a noble task to serve the nation and protect it from criminals who instil fear and insecurity. Being compassionate about human lives is priceless, and that is what it takes to be a federal officer.

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Being an officer in the Federal Bureau is a job that involves sacrifice, dedication and risk of one's life. It is not a job to get into half-heartedly and it is clear that those who go into this profession do it for more than just the good FBI agent salary.

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Briefly.co.za published a story about types of lawyers in demand in South Africa. Lawyers worldwide are regarded as the brains behind the legal running of every working system in society.

Whether you are an undergraduate studying toward obtaining a degree in the legal profession or still contemplating the idea, this profession is one of the most prestigious. However, it does not end there; it allows you to earn a good amount of money to fund whatever lifestyle you desire. Read more!

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Lynn Kandie avatar

Lynn Kandie Lynn Kandie is a reporter with 5 years of experience in writing. Before joining the team in 2018, Lynn wrote for Kenyan media platforms and several other websites. She graduated from the University of Nairobi in 2019 with honours after pursuing a BSc. in Meteorology. She is currently studying for a Master's degree in the same field. Lynn specialises in writing celebrity biographies, listicles and teasers for popular TV shows. Contacts; +254707596322, lynnkandie27@gmail.com