What is a Secret Service Agent?
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a secret service agent. For example, did you know that they make an average of $32.85 an hour? That's $68,318 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 37,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Secret Service Agent Do
There are certain skills that many secret service agents have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, empathy and good judgment.
How To Become a Secret Service Agent
If you're interested in becoming a secret service agent, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 68.8% of secret service agents have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 3.1% of secret service agents have master's degrees. Even though most secret service agents have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Average Salary for a Secret Service Agent
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Secret Service Agent
There are several types of secret service agent, including:
Service Agent
Role:
A service agent, sometimes called a customer service agent, helps customers resolve their issues in person or over the phone. They can work for any company that relies on a smooth customer experience in order to do business, from health insurance providers to airline companies. Service agents need to have excellent customer service skills in order to help customers with their questions and deescalate situations with frustrated clients. They know the ins and outs of their company so that they can resolve customer issues quickly while following relevant corporate or industry regulations. Service agents also need to have strong data entry skills in order to track customer interactions and ensure that their file contains accurate notes.
Service agents earn an average salary of $13.15 an hour, or $27,355 a year. This varies depending on minimum wage laws in their location.
Usually, service agents only need a high school diploma to find work, although some have a bachelor's degree. A year or two of experience in customer service roles, such as a cashier, is helpful when applying for jobs as a service agent.
- Average Salary: $29,769
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Special Agent
Role:
Being a Special Agent is probably one of the most thrilling careers you can think of. Most people confuse a secret agent with this title, but both are quite different. They are smart individuals who are involved in state security, investigation, and criminal justice. Criminals fear them, as agents keep their eyes on them for quite some time.
Special agents conduct investigations of various criminal activities, including extortion, kidnapping, fraud, cybercrime, white collar, and several financial crimes. They also investigate potential terrorist threats, interstate illegal activities, and international espionage. If needed, suspects are taken into custody by them on the order of the court. They can also issue arrest warrants on their own.
As a Special Agent, you can earn $26.80 per hour, which is $55,734 per year. A bachelor's degree is the primary educational requirement for this job. But you might also need relevant experience to get hired. They normally have to work 50 hours every week, including holidays and weekends.
- Average Salary: $60,916
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Child Support Officer
Role:
A Child Support Officer is a person who evaluates child support cases for a court to recommend the amount of financial aid they need. Upon approval by the court, they monitor the payments to ensure enforcement and compliance with child support laws. Also, they initiate administrative action to enforce child support laws. As a Child Support Officer, you find absent parents, interview them about the case and collect information.
A Child Support Officer must be able to communicate effectively and conduct interviews. You'll have to have extensive knowledge on all things child support, including the laws, policies, procedures, etc. Entry-level positions typically only require a high school diploma. However, to build a career, you need at least a bachelor's degree in social welfare, psychology, or any related area. You must also have experience in social work. The job pays an average base salary of $36,439. The salary ranges from $31,713 to $41,434 a year.
- Average Salary: $36,446
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Secret Service Agent Jobs
Number Of Secret Service Agent Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 2,518 | $86,872 |
| 2 | Texas | 1,762 | $68,614 |
| 3 | Florida | 1,534 | $60,689 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 1,401 | $78,804 |
| 5 | Ohio | 1,273 | $72,054 |
| 6 | New York | 1,114 | $89,143 |
| 7 | Illinois | 969 | $71,767 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 899 | $83,042 |
| 9 | Michigan | 887 | $74,902 |
| 10 | Arizona | 839 | $75,515 |
| 11 | Missouri | 821 | $59,739 |
| 12 | Georgia | 744 | $56,425 |
| 13 | Virginia | 615 | $85,924 |
| 14 | Colorado | 609 | $63,328 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 586 | $58,207 |
| 16 | Washington | 566 | $70,297 |
| 17 | New Jersey | 555 | $89,591 |
| 18 | Indiana | 545 | $60,846 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 530 | $71,159 |
| 20 | Oregon | 512 | $71,843 |
| 21 | North Carolina | 506 | $61,171 |
| 22 | Minnesota | 487 | $68,453 |
| 23 | Alabama | 461 | $57,189 |
| 24 | Kentucky | 442 | $58,537 |
| 25 | Maryland | 440 | $115,062 |
| 26 | South Carolina | 426 | $48,526 |
| 27 | Utah | 419 | $55,938 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 394 | $57,336 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | 349 | $56,616 |
| 30 | Arkansas | 301 | $53,906 |
| 31 | Nebraska | 289 | $57,314 |
| 32 | Mississippi | 265 | $55,214 |
| 33 | Nevada | 262 | $77,084 |
| 34 | Kansas | 250 | $63,172 |
| 35 | Connecticut | 235 | $87,754 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | 179 | $85,119 |
| 37 | Idaho | 168 | $46,602 |
| 38 | Montana | 161 | $69,435 |
| 39 | New Mexico | 161 | $68,816 |
| 40 | Delaware | 151 | $85,319 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | 129 | $87,100 |
| 42 | South Dakota | 107 | $74,326 |
| 43 | West Virginia | 104 | $83,680 |
| 44 | Vermont | 95 | $78,191 |
| 45 | Maine | 95 | $74,866 |
| 46 | North Dakota | 88 | $70,099 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 76 | $70,111 |
| 48 | Wyoming | 76 | $48,010 |
| 49 | Iowa | 49 | $53,449 |
| 50 | Alaska | 21 | $87,496 |
Secret Service Agent diversity
Secret Service Agent Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among secret service agents, 28.6% of them are women, while 71.4% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among secret service agents is White, which makes up 71.2% of all secret service agents.
- The most common foreign language among secret service agents is Spanish at 66.7%.
Online Courses For Secret Service Agent That You May Like
1. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...
2. Service-Oriented Architecture
Based on an understanding of architectural styles, you will review architectures for web applications, then explore the basics of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) in two approaches: Web Services (WS*) and Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. In the Capstone Project you will connect a Java-based Android application with Elasticsearch, a web service with a REST application programmer interface (API). After completing this course, you will be able to: • Describe SOA...
3. Your Customer Service Toolbox: Best Practices for Beginners
Excel as a front-line customer service agent using problem-solving & relationship-building skills, etiquette, and more...
How Do Secret Service Agents Rate Their Jobs?
Top Secret Service Agent Employers
Most Common Employers For Secret Service Agent
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Secret Service | $91,516 | $44.00 | 7 |
| 2 | Department of Homeland Security | $91,313 | $43.90 | 2 |
| 3 | Law.com | $74,671 | $35.90 | 1 |
| 4 | U.S. Department of the Treasury | $73,149 | $35.17 | 1 |
| 5 | Gavin de Becker & Associates | $63,523 | $30.54 | 1 |
| 6 | Federal Law Enforcement Training Center | $59,764 | $28.73 | 1 |
| 7 | Seacret Direct | $55,585 | $26.72 | 5 |
| 8 | The White House | $50,009 | $24.04 | 1 |
| 9 | Ashley HomeStore | $36,025 | $17.32 | 1 |