Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Intelligence Analyst is a professional role within the function in the Protective Service job family.
Typical experience: 0 to 3 years at the Analyst / Associate level, per widely used corporate career-level norms (Radford, Mercer, and SHRM career-level frameworks). Actual expectations vary by function, industry, and company size.
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.
Top skills:Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem Solving
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Intelligence Analyst pay by experience level
Entry level$57,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$72,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$97,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$124,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$166,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-0.7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
7,800
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Intelligence Analyst salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
113,700 workers
$103,000
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
48,770 workers
$86,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
41,230 workers
$132,000
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
23,700 workers
$86,500
Postal Service (Federal Government)
400 workers
$126,000
Postal Service (Federal Government)
400 workers
$126,000
Educational Services
260 workers
$83,000
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
260 workers
$83,000
Educational Services, State Government Owned
150 workers
$79,000
Educational Services, Privately Owned
110 workers
$88,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $86,940 to $93,790.
+7.9% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$57,500
Early career25th percentile
$72,000
Median50th percentile
$97,000
Experienced75th percentile
$124,500
Top earners90th percentile
$166,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem Solving
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Varies (typically Exempt if salaried) · Depends on duties and pay basis
Entry-level roles paid on a salary basis above the threshold typically qualify for the Professional or Administrative exemption. Roles paid hourly are Non-exempt regardless of duties. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$103,000
2027$106,500
2028$110,500
2029$114,000
2030$118,000
2031$122,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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The median market pay for a Intelligence Analyst in the United States is about $103,000 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Intelligence Analyst?
Most Intelligence Analyst pay falls between about $72,000 (25th percentile) and $124,500 (75th percentile), with top earners above $166,000.
What does a Intelligence Analyst do?
Core responsibilities include: validate known intelligence with data from other sources; and gather, analyze, correlate, or evaluate information from a variety of resources, such as law enforcement databases.
Is pay for Intelligence Analyst roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $86,940 in 2020 to $93,790 in 2025, a change of +7.9% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Intelligence Analyst pays 46% above the average across 28 roles in the Protective Service job family (family average $70,500).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Intelligence Analyst make?
The average base salary for a Intelligence Analyst in the United States is $103,000 per year, or about $49.52 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $71,500 and $124,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Protective Service roles?
The Protective Service job family averages $70,500 across 28 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Intelligence Analyst pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
