Intelligence Analyst
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.
Also called: Anti-Terrorist Analyst · Crime Analyst (Criminal Analyst) · Crime Intelligence Analyst (Criminal Intelligence Analyst) · Crime Research Specialist (Criminal Research Specialist) · Crime and Intelligence Analyst (Criminal and Intelligence Analyst) · Intel Analyst (Intelligence Analyst) · Intel Research Specialist (Intelligence Research Specialist) · Investigative Intel Analysts (Investigative Intelligence Analysts)
O*NET-SOC 33-3021.06 (Intelligence Analysts)
Intelligence Analyst salary
Wages for intelligence analysts across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $45.09.
Intelligence Analyst pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $78,280 | $124,840 | $165,510 |
| Texas | $52,510 | $90,510 | $132,850 |
| Florida | $50,050 | $77,060 | $162,450 |
| New York | $62,130 | $101,240 | $166,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,770 | $97,580 | $154,360 |
| Illinois | $53,960 | $91,190 | $157,060 |
| Ohio | $56,840 | $79,300 | $151,200 |
| Georgia | $46,790 | $65,430 | $149,030 |
| North Carolina | $50,260 | $63,280 | $137,550 |
| Michigan | $71,590 | $90,650 | $164,670 |
Intelligence Analyst job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 120,500 jobs in 2025 to 120,700 in 2035 (0% change).
- About 7,800 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Below Average.
How to become an intelligence analyst
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years work experience
- On-the-job training
- 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma.4%
- High school diploma or equivalent8.2%
- Some college, no degree19%
- Associate's degree8.8%
- Bachelor's degree44.1%
- Master's degree17.5%
- Doctoral or professional degree2.1%
Related training programs
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Criminal Justice/Police Science
- Criminalistics and Criminal Science
- Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation
- Geospatial Intelligence
- Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis
- Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management
- Maritime Law Enforcement
What does an intelligence analyst do?
Common tasks
- Validate known intelligence with data from other sources.
- Gather, analyze, correlate, or evaluate information from a variety of resources, such as law enforcement databases.
- Evaluate records of communications, such as telephone calls, to plot activity and determine the size and location of criminal groups and members.
- Gather intelligence information by field observation, confidential information sources, or public records.
- Analyze intelligence data to identify patterns and trends in criminal activity.
- Collaborate with representatives from other government and intelligence organizations to share information or coordinate intelligence activities.
- Prepare comprehensive written reports, presentations, maps, or charts, based on research, collection, and analysis of intelligence data.
- Link or chart suspects to criminal organizations or events to determine activities and interrelationships.
- Establish criminal profiles to aid in connecting criminal organizations with their members.
- Identify gaps in information.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Intelligence Analyst certifications
The certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- Defense Intelligence Agency PMO · Core
- CertNexus · Core
- Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security · Advanced
- McAfee Institute · Advanced
- Department of Defense · Advanced
- McAfee Institute · Advanced
- The Data Warehouse Institute · Core
- International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts · Advanced
Intelligence Analyst jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more intelligence jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Intelligence jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
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More intelligence careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Intelligence Analysts. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.