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Intelligence analyst education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an intelligence analyst. Intelligence analysts usually study criminal justice, intelligence operations, or business. 57% of intelligence analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 13,880 real intelligence analyst resumes to see exactly what intelligence analyst education sections show.
The most common colleges for intelligence analysts are the American University and the American University.
There are also many online intelligence analyst courses to help get the education required to be an intelligence analyst.
There are certain intelligence analyst certifications that you should consider. These intelligence analyst certifications include Intelligence Analyst Certified (IAC) and Certified Law Enforcement Analysts (CLEA).
What education do you need to become an intelligence analyst?
What degree do you need to be an intelligence analyst?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an intelligence analyst?
- Criminal Justice, 15%
- Business, 14%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for intelligence analysts
| Intelligence analyst common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| American University | 29.42% |
| University of Phoenix | 11.50% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 8.28% |
| Excelsior College | 5.63% |
| George Mason University | 5.14% |
Best majors for intelligence analysts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 15.4% |
| 2 | Intelligence Operations | 14.1% |
| 3 | Business | 13.8% |
| 4 | Political Science | 9.2% |
| 5 | General Studies | 4.9% |
Best colleges for intelligence analysts
The best colleges for intelligence analysts are Boston University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
An intelligence analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for intelligence analysts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become intelligence analysts.
1. York College of Pennsylvania
York, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$20,100
Enrollment
3,960
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
6. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Enrollment
9,394
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. Mercyhurst University
Erie, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$37,170
Enrollment
2,374
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
10. Point Park University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$31,450
Enrollment
3,170
20 best online courses for intelligence analysts
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10. Emotional Intelligence Training: EI in the Workplace
Emotional Intelligence Training. Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace. Emotional Intelligence Course...
11. Sales and Selling with Emotional Intelligence
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12. Critical Thinking with Emotional Intelligence
Smart Decision Making with Emotional Intelligence: Building Critical Thinking Skills Problem Solving with Empathy...
13. Emotional Intelligence Life Coach Certification (Accredited)
Emotional Intelligence: Help life coaching clients master emotions, reduce stress, and develop emotional intelligence...
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15. Emotional Intelligence: Gaining Control Over Emotions
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Top 10 most affordable universities for intelligence analysts
The most affordable schools for intelligence analysts are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for intelligence analysts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for intelligence analysts.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for intelligence analysts
The hardest universities for intelligence analysts to get into are Boston University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for intelligence analysts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for intelligence analysts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
7. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
8. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
9. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
10. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for intelligence analysts
The easiest schools for intelligence analysts to get into are Notre Dame College, nyack college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an intelligence analyst without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for intelligence analysts.
1. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Manor College
Jenkintown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
898
10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
Average intelligence analyst salary by education level
| Intelligence analyst education level | Intelligence analyst salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $86,797 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $69,914 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $83,873 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $73,833 |
Intelligence analyst education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025