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Intelligence officer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, intelligence officers don't need a college education. The most common degree for intelligence officers is bachelor's degree with 75% graduates, with only 13% intelligence officer graduates earning master's degree. Intelligence officers who decided to graduate from college often finish American University or United States Military Academy. Some good skills to have in this position include personnel security, sci and collection management.

Popular intelligence officer certifications include Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Intelligence Analyst Certified (IAC), or Human Intelligence (HUMINT). To improve intelligence officer qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in intelligence officer education paths.

What education do you need to become an intelligence officer?

What degree do you need to be an intelligence officer?

The most common degree for intelligence officers is bachelor's degree, with 75% of intelligence officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 75%
  • Master's, 13%
  • Associate, 8%
  • Doctorate, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an intelligence officer?

You should major in political science to become an intelligence officer. 16% of intelligence officers major in political science. Other common majors for an intelligence officer include criminal justice and business.

Best majors for intelligence officers

RankMajorPercentages
1Political Science16.3%
2Criminal Justice14.2%
3Business13.1%
4History8.3%
5Psychology6.2%

20 best online courses for intelligence officers

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1. An Introduction to Emotional Intelligence

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4. Intelligence Analysis (Comprehensive - Levels 1, 2 and 3)

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5. Level 1 Intelligence Analyst Certification

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Training in Critical Thinking & Descriptive Intelligence Analysis...

6. Level 3 Intelligence Analyst Certification

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18. Critical Thinking with Emotional Intelligence

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20. Recruitment, Interviewing, and Emotional Intelligence

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Average intelligence officer salary by education level

According to our data, intelligence officers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $105,638 annually. Intelligence officers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $88,738.
Intelligence officer education levelIntelligence officer salary
Master's Degree$105,638
Bachelor's Degree$88,738

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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