Federal air marshal vs special agent

The differences between federal air marshals and special agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a federal air marshal and a special agent. Additionally, a special agent has an average salary of $60,916, which is higher than the $46,065 average annual salary of a federal air marshal.

The top three skills for a federal air marshal include federal air, surveillance detection and emergency situations. The most important skills for a special agent are professional work, national security, and local law enforcement.

Federal air marshal vs special agent overview

	Federal Air Marshal	Special Agent
Yearly salary	$46,065	$60,916
Hourly rate	$22.15	$29.29
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	2,188	46,232
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Federal air marshal vs special agent salary

Federal air marshals and special agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Federal Air Marshal	Special Agent
Average salary	$46,065	$60,916
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $78,000	Between $43,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	BNSF Railway
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between federal air marshal and special agent education

There are a few differences between a federal air marshal and a special agent in terms of educational background:

	Federal Air Marshal	Special Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Federal air marshal vs special agent demographics

Here are the differences between federal air marshals' and special agents' demographics:

	Federal Air Marshal	Special Agent
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6%	Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between federal air marshal and special agent duties and responsibilities

Federal air marshal example responsibilities.

Lead 70 felony-level investigations which ensure the safety and security of over 7K personnel and 3.4B in DoD resources.
Analyze and enter civil subpoenas for service throughout the district.
Update project status' weekly into DAPTIV a project management software available to the USMS.
Seize illegal drugs, firearms, and vehicles used in the commission of an offense.
Present formal and informal briefings within OPM and to other agencies ensuring a wide understanding of suitability matters.
Safeguard sensitive, classify information in accordance with DoD policies and regulations and interpret government, corporate or client policies.

Special agent example responsibilities.

Manage a team of field supervisors on a project to modernize and improve the ATF system of office inspection.
Conduct joint planning and manage AFOSI's criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations in northern Italy.
Follow up on tips receive from a variety of sources, including patrol officers, community members, and confidential informants.
Conduct detailed and precise SIU investigations involving insurance fraud.
Authore products highly praise by senior FBI and DOJ officials.
Interview witnesses, gather evidence and prepare cases for litigation.

Federal air marshal vs special agent skills

Common federal air marshal skills

Federal Air, 19%
Surveillance Detection, 8%
Emergency Situations, 6%
Firearms Proficiency, 6%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 6%
Air Carriers, 6%

Common special agent skills

Professional Work, 73%
National Security, 8%
Local Law Enforcement, 5%
Search Warrants, 2%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 2%
Counterintelligence Investigations, 1%