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Federal Bureau of Investigation salaries
Federal Bureau of Investigation salary estimate
$61,790yearly
Understanding FBI Salaries
The Federal Bureau of Investigation provides a variety of roles, each with unique salary potentials. The average salary for FBI employees is approximately $61,790 per year, but this figure can vary significantly based on job function, experience, and location. For instance, positions in specialized fields often command higher wages. Additionally, administrative roles within the FBI tend to offer competitive pay, reflecting the importance of these positions in supporting the agency's mission.
Top-Paying Positions
Some of the highest paying jobs at the FBI can be found in areas like intelligence analysis and cybersecurity. Understanding the salary landscape by department and role can help prospective employees gauge their earning potential effectively. Furthermore, salaries can differ based on geographic location, with certain states offering higher compensation due to cost of living adjustments. Exploring these factors is crucial for those considering a career with the FBI.
Highest paying jobs at Federal Bureau of Investigation
The highest paying jobs at Federal Bureau of Investigation are computer scientist, program management analyst, legal extern, and senior team lead. Computer scientist jobs at Federal Bureau of Investigation earn an average yearly salary of $91,820, Federal Bureau of Investigation program management analyst jobs average $90,015, and Federal Bureau of Investigation legal extern jobs average $89,191.
The lowest paying Federal Bureau of Investigation roles include clerk typist and file clerk. Federal Bureau of Investigation clerk typist average salary is $30,084 per year. So while the average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary is $61,790 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at Federal Bureau of Investigation
| Rank | Job title | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Scientist | $91,820 | $44.14 |
| 2 | Program Management Analyst | $90,015 | $43.28 |
| 3 | Legal Extern | $89,191 | $42.88 |
| 4 | Senior Team Lead | $85,706 | $41.20 |
| 5 | Physical Scientist | $83,726 | $40.25 |
| 6 | Electronics Engineer | $82,452 | $39.64 |
| 7 | Program Manager | $80,879 | $38.88 |
| 8 | Chief Unit Forester | $76,773 | $36.91 |
| 9 | Legal Examiner | $76,206 | $36.64 |
| 10 | Intelligence Analyst | $75,301 | $36.20 |
| 11 | Project Manager | $74,633 | $35.88 |
| 12 | Forensic Accountant | $73,058 | $35.12 |
| 13 | Information Technology Specialist | $73,054 | $35.12 |
| 14 | Special Investigator | $73,016 | $35.10 |
| 15 | Investigative Specialist | $72,919 | $35.06 |
| 16 | Consultant | $72,718 | $34.96 |
| 17 | Team Leader | $71,838 | $34.54 |
| 18 | Writer And Editor | $70,789 | $34.03 |
| 19 | Section Chief | $70,587 | $33.94 |
| 20 | Senior Agent | $70,486 | $33.89 |
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Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary by state
Federal Bureau of Investigation pays the highest salaries in District of Columbia due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.
| Rank | State | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $75,760 | $36.42 |
| 2 | Maryland | $69,458 | $33.39 |
| 3 | New York | $67,610 | $32.50 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $67,532 | $32.47 |
| 5 | California | $67,255 | $32.33 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $66,579 | $32.01 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $66,168 | $31.81 |
| 8 | Washington | $64,714 | $31.11 |
| 9 | Virginia | $64,395 | $30.96 |
| 10 | Illinois | $62,935 | $30.26 |
| 11 | Colorado | $62,650 | $30.12 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $61,521 | $29.58 |
| 13 | Alaska | $61,319 | $29.48 |
| 14 | Oregon | $60,913 | $29.29 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $60,684 | $29.18 |
| 16 | Texas | $60,558 | $29.11 |
| 17 | Ohio | $60,422 | $29.05 |
| 18 | Michigan | $59,825 | $28.76 |
| 19 | Nevada | $59,272 | $28.50 |
| 20 | Missouri | $58,167 | $27.96 |
How much does Federal Bureau of Investigation pay by location?
Highest paying Federal Bureau of Investigation locations
| Rank | Location | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $75,839 | $36.46 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $69,588 | $33.46 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $67,929 | $32.66 |
| 4 | New Haven, CT | $67,569 | $32.49 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $67,101 | $32.26 |
| 6 | Newark, NJ | $66,515 | $31.98 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $66,099 | $31.78 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $64,756 | $31.13 |
| 9 | Quantico, VA | $64,724 | $31.12 |
| 10 | Providence, RI | $64,363 | $30.94 |
| 11 | Manchester, NH | $63,325 | $30.44 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $62,947 | $30.26 |
| 13 | Wilmington, DE | $62,921 | $30.25 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $62,644 | $30.12 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $61,623 | $29.63 |
| 16 | Anchorage, AK | $61,515 | $29.57 |
| 17 | Burlington, VT | $61,179 | $29.41 |
| 18 | Clarksburg, WV | $61,066 | $29.36 |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $60,868 | $29.26 |
| 20 | Philadelphia, PA | $60,811 | $29.24 |
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Federal Bureau of Investigation salaries by department
Salaries at Federal Bureau of Investigation vary depending on the department you work in. Federal Bureau of Investigation salaries in the legal department are the highest with an average salary of $79,302. Employees in the finance department at Federal Bureau of Investigation receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $77,636 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Federal Bureau of Investigation include the administrative and the facilities organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $41,738 and $49,584, respectively.
Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal | $79,302 | $38.13 |
| 2 | Finance | $77,636 | $37.33 |
| 3 | IT | $73,776 | $35.47 |
| 4 | Engineering | $70,075 | $33.69 |
| 5 | Non Profit/Government | $69,762 | $33.54 |
| 6 | Art/Design | $67,719 | $32.56 |
| 7 | Warehouse | $66,635 | $32.04 |
| 8 | Education | $63,876 | $30.71 |
| 9 | Research & Development | $63,268 | $30.42 |
| 10 | Marketing | $61,880 | $29.75 |
| 11 | Customer Service | $55,614 | $26.74 |
| 12 | Accounting | $54,154 | $26.04 |
| 13 | Human Resources | $52,653 | $25.31 |
| 14 | Facilities | $49,584 | $23.84 |
| 15 | Administrative | $41,739 | $20.07 |
How much does Federal Bureau of Investigation pay by department?
Best paying Federal Bureau of Investigation administrative salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Document Examiner | $69,985 | $33.65 |
| 2 | Files Supervisor | $66,035 | $31.75 |
| 3 | Records Manager | $60,519 | $29.10 |
| 4 | Latent Fingerprint Examiner | $60,204 | $28.94 |
| 5 | Word Processor | $57,507 | $27.65 |
| 6 | Records Analyst | $53,733 | $25.83 |
| 7 | Secretary | $53,529 | $25.74 |
| 8 | Evidence Technician | $51,639 | $24.83 |
| 9 | Data Entry Associate | $49,485 | $23.79 |
| 10 | Administrative Specialist | $48,123 | $23.14 |
| 11 | Office Services Supervisor | $46,409 | $22.31 |
| 12 | Record Management Specialist | $46,052 | $22.14 |
| 13 | Document Analyst | $42,726 | $20.54 |
| 14 | Fingerprint Technician | $42,467 | $20.42 |
| 15 | Student Internship | $38,382 | $18.45 |
| 16 | Administrative Assistant | $36,750 | $17.67 |
| 17 | Office Assistant | $34,883 | $16.77 |
| 18 | Data Entry Operator | $33,650 | $16.18 |
| 19 | File Clerk | $31,726 | $15.25 |
| 20 | Receptionist | $30,230 | $14.53 |
Best paying Federal Bureau of Investigation finance salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Program Management Analyst | $90,015 | $43.28 |
| 2 | Finance Manager | $86,985 | $41.82 |
| 3 | Contracts Specialist | $75,466 | $36.28 |
| 4 | Contracting Officer | $74,635 | $35.88 |
| 5 | Investigative Specialist | $72,919 | $35.06 |
| 6 | Consultant | $72,718 | $34.96 |
| 7 | Program Analyst | $72,315 | $34.77 |
| 8 | Supervisory Examiner | $69,617 | $33.47 |
| 9 | Assistant Director | $65,730 | $31.60 |
| 10 | Voucher Examiner | $64,156 | $30.84 |
Best paying Federal Bureau of Investigation non profit/government salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Federal Bureau of Investigation salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Program Manager | $80,879 | $38.88 |
| 2 | Acting Section Chief | $80,475 | $38.69 |
| 3 | Intelligence Analyst | $75,301 | $36.20 |
| 4 | Special Investigator | $73,016 | $35.10 |
| 5 | Forensic Investigator | $72,001 | $34.62 |
| 6 | Investigators Assistant | $69,889 | $33.60 |
| 7 | Forensic Computer Examiner | $69,661 | $33.49 |
| 8 | Polygraph Examiner | $68,708 | $33.03 |
| 9 | Criminal Investigative Agent | $65,913 | $31.69 |
| 10 | Programming Specialist | $64,439 | $30.98 |
| 11 | County Sheriff | $59,367 | $28.54 |
| 12 | Police Officer | $53,484 | $25.71 |
| 13 | Program Coordinator | $53,223 | $25.59 |
| 14 | Correction Officer | $43,038 | $20.69 |
Federal Bureau of Investigation competitors’ average salaries
Average salaries at Federal Bureau of Investigation competitors, like Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Department of State, vary. Central Intelligence Agency employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $72,102. The average salary at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is $62,012 per year, and the average salary at U.S. Department of State is $60,373 per year.
Highest paying Federal Bureau of Investigation competitors
| Rank | Company name | Zippia score | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Intelligence Agency | 4.5 | $72,102 |
| 2 | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | 4.5 | $62,012 |
| 3 | U.S. Department of State | 4.5 | $60,373 |
| 4 | United States Department of Justice | 4.6 | $59,882 |
| 5 | U.S. Secret Service | 4.4 | $56,431 |
| 6 | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | 4.5 | $56,024 |
| 7 | United States Postal Inspection Service | 3.8 | $53,398 |
| 8 | U.S. Department of the Treasury | 4.5 | $47,983 |
| 9 | USPS OIG | 4.0 | $45,118 |
| 10 | Homeland Security | 3.8 | $44,172 |
| 11 | Supreme Court of the U.S. | 4.3 | $43,676 |
| 12 | ATF | 4.5 | $41,905 |
| 13 | Career Connections | 3.9 | $39,349 |
Recently added Federal Bureau of Investigation salaries
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forensic Accountant | Providence, RI | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Forensic Accountant | Milwaukee, WI | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Forensic Accountant | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Forensic Accountant | Baltimore, MD | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Forensic Accountant | Des Moines, IA | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
What employees say about salary at Federal Bureau of Investigation
Ability to have many opportunities, pay and benefits
Political
Healthcare, travel to different cities, living overseas
Benefits and pay
Supervisors who don't have management skills
Health/Life Insurance
Work becomes life and if you love the work you do, it is not a bad thing.
Poor compensation, especially if you compare against the cyber career track in the private sector.
Great benefits, great pension plan.
Frequently asked questions about Federal Bureau of Investigation salaries
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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Federal Bureau of Investigation, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Federal Bureau of Investigation. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Federal Bureau of Investigation and its employees or that of Zippia.
Federal Bureau of Investigation may also be known as or be related to Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Federal Bureau-Investigation.