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Department of Homeland Security salaries
Department of Homeland Security salary estimate
$50,636yearly
Department of Homeland Security Salary Overview
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers a range of salaries depending on job roles, locations, and departments. In 2025, the average salary stands at $50,636, providing competitive pay for various positions. Among the highest-paying jobs are roles in cybersecurity and emergency management, which tend to offer salaries well above the average.
Salary by Location
Salary levels can vary significantly based on geographic location, with metropolitan areas generally offering higher pay. For instance, roles in Washington, D.C., tend to command greater salaries compared to those in rural areas.
Department Breakdown
Understanding salary specifics by department can further inform your career choices. For example, positions within the cybersecurity sector often have higher compensation due to the critical nature of their work.
Highest paying jobs at Department of Homeland Security
The highest paying jobs at Department of Homeland Security are information technology specialist, emergency management specialist, federal agent, and program analyst. Information technology specialist jobs at Department of Homeland Security earn an average yearly salary of $92,079, Department of Homeland Security emergency management specialist jobs average $89,383, and Department of Homeland Security federal agent jobs average $89,126.
The lowest paying Department of Homeland Security roles include general clerk and internship. Department of Homeland Security general clerk average salary is $29,925 per year. So while the average Department of Homeland Security salary is $50,636 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at Department of Homeland Security
| Rank | Job title | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Information Technology Specialist | $92,079 | $44.27 |
| 2 | Emergency Management Specialist | $89,383 | $42.97 |
| 3 | Federal Agent | $89,126 | $42.85 |
| 4 | Program Analyst | $85,909 | $41.30 |
| 5 | Legal Extern | $85,625 | $41.17 |
| 6 | Federal Air Marshal | $83,194 | $40.00 |
| 7 | Service Officer | $83,137 | $39.97 |
| 8 | Program Management Analyst | $82,908 | $39.86 |
| 9 | Project Manager | $80,878 | $38.88 |
| 10 | Systems Administrator | $74,929 | $36.02 |
| 11 | Supervisor | $70,054 | $33.68 |
| 12 | Security Screener | $67,197 | $32.31 |
| 13 | Border Patrol Agent | $59,510 | $28.61 |
| 14 | Criminal Investigator | $51,105 | $24.57 |
| 15 | Administrative Assistant | $38,044 | $18.29 |
| 16 | Human Resources Assistant | $37,986 | $18.26 |
| 17 | Transportation Security Officer | $37,155 | $17.86 |
| 18 | Office Automation Clerk | $36,528 | $17.56 |
| 19 | Technician | $35,736 | $17.18 |
| 20 | Internship | $33,751 | $16.23 |
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Average Department of Homeland Security salary by state
Department of Homeland Security pays the highest salaries in Massachusetts due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.
| Rank | State | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $61,219 | $29.43 |
| 2 | New York | $58,955 | $28.34 |
| 3 | Maryland | $56,794 | $27.30 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $56,169 | $27.00 |
| 5 | California | $54,865 | $26.38 |
| 6 | Virginia | $54,826 | $26.36 |
| 7 | Georgia | $49,459 | $23.78 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $45,767 | $22.00 |
How much does Department of Homeland Security pay by location?
Highest paying Department of Homeland Security locations
| Rank | Location | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $61,030 | $29.34 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $58,984 | $28.36 |
| 3 | Newark, NJ | $57,605 | $27.69 |
| 4 | New Haven, CT | $57,054 | $27.43 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $56,932 | $27.37 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $56,078 | $26.96 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $55,286 | $26.58 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $55,020 | $26.45 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $53,919 | $25.92 |
| 10 | Manchester, NH | $53,550 | $25.75 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $53,390 | $25.67 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $53,094 | $25.53 |
| 13 | Fargo, ND | $52,260 | $25.13 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $52,175 | $25.08 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $51,811 | $24.91 |
| 16 | Burlington, VT | $51,699 | $24.86 |
| 17 | Anchorage, AK | $51,554 | $24.79 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,023 | $24.53 |
| 19 | Portland, ME | $50,913 | $24.48 |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $50,556 | $24.31 |
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Department of Homeland Security salaries by department
Salaries at Department of Homeland Security vary depending on the department you work in. Department of Homeland Security salaries in the healthcare department are the highest with an average salary of $84,176. Employees in the finance department at Department of Homeland Security receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $82,591 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Department of Homeland Security include the facilities and the administrative organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $38,486 and $41,394, respectively.
Average Department of Homeland Security salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healthcare | $84,176 | $40.47 |
| 2 | Finance | $82,591 | $39.71 |
| 3 | Engineering | $79,864 | $38.40 |
| 4 | Legal | $79,523 | $38.23 |
| 5 | IT | $78,106 | $37.55 |
| 6 | Marketing | $69,419 | $33.37 |
| 7 | Accounting | $64,897 | $31.20 |
| 8 | Non Profit/Government | $61,951 | $29.78 |
| 9 | Human Resources | $57,879 | $27.83 |
| 10 | Customer Service | $56,019 | $26.93 |
| 11 | Administrative | $41,394 | $19.90 |
| 12 | Facilities | $38,487 | $18.50 |
How much does Department of Homeland Security pay by department?
Best paying Department of Homeland Security facilities salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Security Screener | $67,197 | $32.31 |
| 2 | Transportation Security Officer | $37,155 | $17.86 |
| 3 | Technician | $35,736 | $17.18 |
Best paying Department of Homeland Security non profit/government salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Program Manager | $93,820 | $45.11 |
| 2 | Watch Officer | $92,354 | $44.40 |
| 3 | Task Lead | $91,268 | $43.88 |
| 4 | Federal Agent | $89,126 | $42.85 |
| 5 | Investigators Assistant | $84,159 | $40.46 |
| 6 | Programming Specialist | $83,550 | $40.17 |
| 7 | Motor Transport Operator | $83,339 | $40.07 |
| 8 | Special Investigator | $82,212 | $39.53 |
| 9 | House Adviser | $79,036 | $38.00 |
| 10 | Human Service Specialist | $61,242 | $29.44 |
| 11 | Border Patrol Agent | $59,510 | $28.61 |
| 12 | Police Officer | $58,664 | $28.20 |
| 13 | Center Manager | $55,975 | $26.91 |
| 14 | Criminal Investigator | $51,105 | $24.57 |
| 15 | Program Assistant | $44,356 | $21.33 |
| 16 | Intelligence Analyst | $41,908 | $20.15 |
Best paying Department of Homeland Security IT salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Department of Homeland Security salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enterprise Architect | $108,774 | $52.30 |
| 2 | Senior Systems Architect | $92,987 | $44.71 |
| 3 | Senior, Computer System Analyst | $92,159 | $44.31 |
| 4 | Information Technology Specialist | $92,079 | $44.27 |
| 5 | Security Administrator | $92,069 | $44.26 |
| 6 | Information Technology Project Manager | $91,725 | $44.10 |
| 7 | Network Engineer | $86,995 | $41.82 |
| 8 | Securities Consultant | $85,287 | $41.00 |
| 9 | Securities Analyst | $77,027 | $37.03 |
| 10 | Systems Administrator | $74,929 | $36.02 |
| 11 | Senior Technical Advisor | $74,575 | $35.85 |
| 12 | Security Manager | $74,466 | $35.80 |
| 13 | Network Technician | $65,068 | $31.28 |
| 14 | Support Specialist | $47,132 | $22.66 |
| 15 | Program Management Assistant | $44,819 | $21.55 |
| 16 | Technical Internship | $36,092 | $17.35 |
Department of Homeland Security competitors’ average salaries
Average salaries at Department of Homeland Security competitors, like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, South Carolina Emergency Management Division, and U.S. Secret Service, vary. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $62,012. The average salary at South Carolina Emergency Management Division is $58,014 per year, and the average salary at U.S. Secret Service is $56,431 per year.
Highest paying Department of Homeland Security competitors
| Rank | Company name | Zippia score | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | 4.5 | $62,012 |
| 2 | South Carolina Emergency Management Division | 3.9 | $58,014 |
| 3 | U.S. Secret Service | 4.4 | $56,431 |
| 4 | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | 4.5 | $56,024 |
| 5 | Tsa | 4.7 | $51,129 |
| 6 | US Citizenship and Immigration Services | 4.4 | $46,628 |
| 7 | Homeland Security | 3.8 | $44,172 |
Recently added Department of Homeland Security salaries
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immigration Services Analyst | Lees Summit, MO | 06/28/2025 | $75,145 |
| Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist (Mitigation) | Charleston, WV | 06/28/2025 | $105,383 |
| Emergency Management Specialist (Preparedness) | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $117,807 |
| CBP Officer | Tok, AK | 06/28/2025 | $100,204 |
| Paralegal Specialist | Dallas, TX | 06/28/2025 | $80,381 |
What employees say about salary at Department of Homeland Security
Mission and Team collaboration
Bureaucracy and Politics
Flex work schedule and hybrid schedules
Ability to work from home.
Work is not consistent.
There is none that stands out at the moment.
Saving lives making a difference everywhere that I possibly could.
Away from family being deployed
getting to live a health lifestyle day in and day out
Good people with a common goal helping people.
I liked the job. Needed to be with my family more.
Retirement and comradery.
health benefits, retirement benefits, and experience
politics
family flexibility
Job security and benefits
Long hours and odd work hours
Benefits and time off with family
Good benefits; opportunity for advancement
some cronyism
as an inspector, freedom
Pay..........................,
Confined to border
Pay/benefits...................
Excellent pay and benefits, opportunity to travel.
Long hours, uncontrolled shift changes, working holidays
Good Benefits, Overtime Opportunities, Swap Shifts (one or two way swaps), and opportunities to change locations (includes checkpoints and states)
Lack of organization, training on different equipment does not offer a pay increase, no hazardous pay dealing with chemicals and bodily fluids, and low moral
Free pre check and good health, vision, and dental
The unique career opportunities, challenges. Travel. And personnel.
Time away from family.
Travel
Frequently asked questions about Department of Homeland Security salaries
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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Department of Homeland Security, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Department of Homeland Security. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Department of Homeland Security. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Department of Homeland Security. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Department of Homeland Security and its employees or that of Zippia.
Department of Homeland Security may also be known as or be related to Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.s. Department Of Homeland Security.