How to hire an intelligence analyst

How to hire an intelligence analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step intelligence analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an intelligence analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new intelligence analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an intelligence analyst do?

Post an intelligence analyst job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your intelligence analyst job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an intelligence analyst for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect intelligence analyst also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of intelligence analyst salaries for various roles:

   Type of Intelligence Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Intelligence Analyst	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$27-50
   Deputy	The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat... Show more	$14-43
   Correction Officer	A correction officer is responsible for monitoring the daily activities of individuals serving time in prison, enforcing the standard rules and regulatory procedures to maintain safety and security within the premises. Correction officers' duties include searching for restricted items, inspecting the facilities' condition, observing unusual and suspicious behaviors, generating incident reports, and providing assistance during counseling and trial schedules... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Government Agencies
   • National Security
   • ISR
   • Combat
   • Intelligence Analysis
   • Intelligence Community
   • Security Clearance
   • DOD
   • Reconnaissance
   • All-Source Intelligence Products
   • Threat Analysis
   • Visualization
   • PowerPoint
   • Google Earth

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Collaborate with the ITC and J2 to offer new ideas to accomplish overall mission successes.
   • Lead development team integrating this pivotal crew position into the AF DCGS weapon system construct.
   • Recruit best-in-class suppliers, utilizing the RFP process and negotiate contracts to achieve cost improvements while meeting stake-holder needs.
   • Develop, coordinate, and manage OSINT products by using a team of local-national subject matter experts throughout the AO.
   • Lead RFx process gathering functional requirements, identifying potential suppliers, and executing bidding, evaluation, and supplier selection.
   • Communicate with higher level echelons to distribute and manage non-organic ISR assets.

   More intelligence analyst duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your intelligence analyst job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An intelligence analyst salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, intelligence analysts' average salary in indiana is 53% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level intelligence analysts earn 46% less than senior-level intelligence analysts.
   • Certifications. An intelligence analyst with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an intelligence analyst's salary.

   Average intelligence analyst salary

   $77,752yearly

   $37.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level intelligence analyst salary

   $57,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average intelligence analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$101,457	$49
   2	Washington	$98,824	$48
   3	District of Columbia	$98,455	$47
   4	Maryland	$90,543	$44
   5	Virginia	$78,575	$38
   6	New York	$78,168	$38
   7	Massachusetts	$77,394	$37
   8	Ohio	$77,370	$37
   9	Arizona	$76,515	$37
   10	Pennsylvania	$74,211	$36
   11	Colorado	$74,054	$36
   12	Texas	$71,603	$34
   13	Illinois	$71,188	$34
   14	Missouri	$69,565	$33
   15	Alabama	$66,232	$32
   16	Hawaii	$65,047	$31
   17	South Carolina	$60,878	$29
   18	Nebraska	$59,399	$29
   19	North Carolina	$59,042	$28
   20	Georgia	$58,500	$28

   Average intelligence analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$126,983	$61.05	21
   2	Google	$121,885	$58.60	19
   3	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	$111,706	$53.70	1
   4	Bloomberg	$107,716	$51.79
   5	Point72	$103,277	$49.65	1
   6	Genentech	$98,607	$47.41
   7	Thumbtack	$97,706	$46.97
   8	DLA Piper	$97,117	$46.69	11
   9	Salesforce	$97,109	$46.69	5
   10	AbbVie	$96,595	$46.44	4
   11	Qualtrics	$96,057	$46.18
   12	Cedars-Sinai	$95,999	$46.15	4
   13	Mandiant	$95,816	$46.07
   14	Arrow Electronics	$95,091	$45.72	1
   15	Texas Instruments	$94,603	$45.48
   16	Cradlepoint	$93,491	$44.95
   17	BMO Capital Markets	$93,113	$44.77	1
   18	Ralph Lauren	$92,735	$44.58
   19	Pitney Bowes	$92,237	$44.34
   20	Chevron	$91,100	$43.80	1

4. Writing an intelligence analyst job description

   A good intelligence analyst job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an intelligence analyst job description:

   Intelligence analyst job description example

   On the battlefield, success depends on accurate and timely intel. As an Army National Guard Intelligence Analyst, you will play a key role in the interpretation and exploitation of information gathered from or about the threat. Intelligence Analysts provide Guard personnel with information about enemy forces and potential battle areas, and use information derived from all intelligence disciplines to determine changes in enemy capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable courses of action. You'll gain Military Intelligence training, education, and a security clearance that could open doors to rewarding career opportunities with other intelligence agencies.
   
   Specific duties of the Intelligence Analyst may include: preparing all-source intelligence products; providing Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Synchronization support; processing incoming reports and messages; determining the significance and reliability of incoming information; establishing and maintaining systematic, cross-referencing intelligence records and files; integrating incoming information with current intelligence holdings; and preparing and maintaining enemy situational graphics.
   Preparing all-source intelligence products to support the combat commander Assessing the significance and reliability of incoming intelligence collection Establishing and maintaining systematic, cross-reference intelligence records and files
   Some of the Skills You'll Learn
   Critical thinking The ability to use sophisticated mapping tools, intelligence networks, and systems to identify the evolving threat on the battlefield Gather information utilizing premier digital and analytical tools to create products for the Commander
   Helpful Skills
   Analytical thinking; gathering information, and understanding of relevancy Interest in reading maps and charts
   More than any other branch of service, the Army National Guard offers a wide range of intelligence-related positions. Through your training, you will develop skills and experience to create opportunities for a civilian career with federal agencies like the National Security Agency.
   
   Earn While You Learn
   
   Instead of paying to learn these skills, get paid to learn. In the Army National Guard, you will learn these valuable job skills while earning a regular paycheck and qualifying for tuition assistance and certifications. Job training for an Intelligence Analyst consists of 10 weeks of Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills, and 13 weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT) and on-the-job instruction, including practice in intelligence gathering. You'll learn in the classroom and gain experience in the field. Completion of your initial entry training in the Army National Guard could also lead to additional college credit.
   
   Benefits/Requirements
   
   Benefits
   Paid training Earn a security clearance A monthly paycheck Montgomery GI Bill Federal and State tuition assistance Retirement benefits for part-time service Low-cost life insurance (up to $400,000 in coverage) 401(k)-type savings plan Student Loan Repayment Program (up to $50,000, for existing loans) Health care benefits available VA home loans Bonuses, if applicable
   Most non-prior service candidates will initially earn between $200 and $250 per drill weekend, subject to change.
   
   Requirements
   Military enlistment in the Army National Guard Must be at least a junior in high school, or have a high school diploma or GED certificate Must be between the ages of 17 and 35 Must be able to pass a physical exam and meet legal and moral standards Must meet citizenship requirements (see NATIONALGUARD.com for details)
   Requires military enlistment. Programs and benefits are subject to change. Ask your Army National Guard recruiter for the most up-to-date information. Actual MOS assignment may depend on MOS availability.
   
   Other Job Information
   
   Job Category: Intelligence
   Age Requirements: Must be between the ages of 17 and 35 researcher

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find intelligence analysts for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your intelligence analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit intelligence analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting intelligence analysts requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new intelligence analyst

   Once you've found the intelligence analyst candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new intelligence analyst first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an intelligence analyst?