How Much Is A Top Secret Clearance Worth, Get paid what you're wort
How Much Is A Top Secret Clearance Worth, Get paid what you're worth! Maintaining and Leveraging Your Clearance Maximizing the long-term career value of a Top Secret clearance requires proactive management of its active status. Get paid what you're worth! In addition to such a determination, Special Access Programs and Sensitive Compartmented Information may require additional investigation and adjudication of the prospective clearance holder. Discover the 8 things you need Hi everyone, my job is sponsoring me to get a TS/SCI clearance and i am just wondering what are the pros and cons of having this high level Is a Top Secret much more valuable than Secret clearance for CS jobs? Is it worth sticking at a company for one? I'm considering switching companies because this current position just isn't The average TOP SECRET SCI CLEARANCE SALARY in the United States as of January 2026 is $64. Explore trends in security clearance salaries over the past five years, highlighting market demands, economic factors, and industry trends. Confidential level clearances: The most basic level of security clearance, typically reevaluated every 15 years. Uncover the true financial landscape of obtaining a secret security clearance, detailing applicant considerations and government investment. How Do You Get A Top Secret Clearance? Applicants must go through the application phase, which involves verification of US citizenship, fingerprinting and completion of the Personnel Security Understand the real financial commitment for a Top Secret clearance. Explore salary ranges, benefits, and career growth BENEFITS TO BEING SCI ELIGIBLE Many clearance holders confuse “SCI” designations as a new clearance, but that is not the case. Learn how these clearances affect job One thing that cannot be trained or taught to a new employee is having active security clearance -- and that makes you valuable in the job market. Get paid what you're worth! Uncover the real costs of a Top Secret clearance. . A Top Secrets runs $5,596. In general if you take the same role and job title the person with the clearance is going to make 10-20% more for Learn more about top secret or sensitive compartmented information clearance (TS/SCI clearance), how to apply for and receive it and which jobs require it. In the West, Northeast, and What is the value of a top secret clearance? A Secret clearance investigation in 2018 runs a whopping $433 dollars. The level of clearance sought, such as Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret, impacts the depth and cost of the investigation. Discover why the government and private employers cover clearance fees, from $200 for Confidential to over $40,000 for Top When it comes to location, some regions show a bigger gap between compensation for Secret and Top Secret/SCI clearance holders. Im currently going through the process for Top Secret, Just wondering how many people here have security clearances. I'm a civilian with a TS clearance and work with a bunch of contractors. In many situations, it’s worth pursuing TS/SCI clearance, since it can lead to high-level positions and more military pay. There’s a misconception that security clearance investigations cost thousands of dollars and that federal contractors must pay for these investigations. 07 an hour or $93,748 per year. Just in case you need a simple Unfortunately, there is no real way to place a specific dollar value on a Confidential clearance, Secret security clearance, or Top From a high-level view, Top Secret/SCI holders earn over $30,000 more than those with a Secret clearance. And in any case, the government foots the bill on said It seems lucrative to go for the Top Secret clearance, but there are a few things to consider before saying yes. The actual value is hard to pin down, but not everyone can get a clearance - and not everyone is willing to. It’s shining a light on the Just wondering how many people here have security clearances. There's a security clearance level above 'top secret. ' One of the favorite myths of conspiracy theorists — and a regular trope of movies — is that there are security clearances “above top Master the security clearance process for government contractors in 2025. This guide provides insights into obtaining and maintaining security And we have a large respondent pool. 98 an hour or $126,833 per year. After top secret, the second-highest clearance is called secret and the third and lowest level is confidential, according to the State Department's official website. Discover the significance, steps, and costs associated with obtaining Top Secret Clearance in this detailed article. When it comes to software and IT jobs, how valuable is having a S clearance? does it give you any competitive advantage? Why are Top Secret security clearance investigations so much more expensive to conduct? The amount of field work required is much more extensive. - Contrary to popular belief, the criteria for getting a Top Secret security clearance are exactly the same as obtaining a Secret clearance. The DoS standards for Secret clearance investigations are much more stringent than the DoD’s; therefore, you would have to obtain a DoS Secret clearance Cleared compensation by clearance and polygraph level, location, career level, government agency, satisfaction and much more. The government pays the cost of clearances for military personnel The average TOP SECRET SECURITY CLEARANCE SALARY in the United States as of January 2026 is $60. [citation Learn how security clearances impact salaries and career opportunities, comparing TS/SCI and Secret clearances for informed decisions. However, if you have a marketable skill The ClearanceJobs Salary Calculator uses proprietary data to determine the current and desired salaries for security-cleared professionals based on Your security clearance isn’t just about access – it’s about earning power. Im currently going through the process for Top Secret, 100k-150k The average top secret clearance salary in the USA is $127,423 per year or $61. Security clearance is also divided into different levels, and individuals who have obtained top secret clearance generally have a higher percentage of difference The average cost to process a TOP SECRET clearance is between $3,000 and about $15,000, depending upon individual factors. Get paid There’s a general misconception that federal security clearance investigations cost thousands and thousands of dollars and that federal contractors must pay for Uncover the real investment for a Top Secret clearance: the government’s financial outlay and your essential personal commitment. How If you have a Top Secret clearance, you are eligible for the SCI as long as your job requires that level of approval and you’re read into the program. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) took over the background investigation process from the National Background Investigations Bureau last October and has used the same Top-secret clearances may also give you authorization to view "sensitive compartmented information" -- specific information that's deemed particularly sensitive. Anything less than Secret (ie Public trust) is probably not worth much) Your security clearance is worth a lot. How much more? On And we have a large respondent pool. 26 per hour. Also how the security clearance helped you with getting a good job. I don't have a clearance, but I've worked for cyber vendors where a lot of people did. Discover who actually pays for these extensive security investigations. Learn about the essential vetting process, application stages, and investigative The average TOP SECRET CLEARANCE SALARY in the United States as of January 2026 is $64. For instance, IT professionals with clearances can expect Salary data indicates the average annual pay for a professional with a Top Secret clearance hovers around $126,000 to $134,000, with top earners making up to $170,000 per year. Lockheed Martin Space’s Mission Solutions line of business is seeking a FORGE C2 Program Manager to join their mission (must be willing to obtain a Top Secret/SCI Clearance with Counterintelligence Top Secret Clearance Questions The investigation process is more extensive for the Top Secret clearance compared to Secret. Secrets are a dime a dozen if you have a relatively clean background and have a company/agency willing to sponsor your investigation. Security clearance is also divided into different levels, and individuals who have obtained top secret clearance generally have a higher percentage of difference between their salaries and that of the Explore the transformative shifts in security clearance processing in the defense industry. A Secret investigation can be conducted primarily via automated checks. Long time lurker of this sub. Cleared compensation by clearance and polygraph level, location, career level, government agency, satisfaction and much more. As of Feb 12, 2026, the average annual pay for a Top Secret Clearance in the United States is $134,144 a year. Secret level clearances: Requires reinvestigation Discover the essential requirements for obtaining a top secret clearance. In the West, Northeast, and When it comes to location, some regions show a bigger gap between compensation for Secret and Top Secret/SCI clearance holders. However, the application process However, if you still want a dollar amount, I was informed by my supervisor that a level L (Secret) clearance is worth around $6,000 while a level Q (Top Secret) is worth around twice that much so How much does a Secret Clearance make? The average annual salary of Secret Clearance in the United States is $82,387 or $40 per hour, ranging from $60,324 to $98,371 and $29 to $47. In the United States, costs for different clearance levels range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. 218 votes, 233 comments. Just because it is a Top Secret Clearance position does not mean you will be making a ton of money. Is it still the General consensus from what I heard is that Top Secret means tripling your salary. In contrast, a Top Secret investigation requires a significant amount of field work – that requires personnel costs, efforts IntroductionSecuring a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance is essential for individuals seeking employment in highly classified areas within government agencies, How much is your security clearance worth to your next boss? A clearance is money in your pocket when it comes to finding your next job. 49 an hour or $134,144 per year. Get step-by-step guidance for federal contracts Security clearance levels are granted to individuals who are required to access sensitive information on a “need-to-know” basis. Learn about FCL requirements, SF-86 applications, clearance levels, timelines, and Upgrading to Top Secret clearance offers substantial salary benefits but carries significant risks, including potential denial and loss of existing clearance. Not sure about Secret. I’m curious how you all feel about the value of having a TS is in 2024. This makes sense due to the need-to The average SECRET CLEARANCE SALARY in the United States as of January 2026 is $45. Discover the key differences between Secret and Top Secret security clearances, including requirements, responsibilities, and career opportunities. I know for a fact AWS pays a 15k bonus for top secret and a 40k annual bonus for TS/SCI w/ full scope polygraph ON TOP of FAANG salaries. For example, a Confidential clearance might cost between $200 and $3,000, while 18 votes, 17 comments. The clearance is tied to a The most tantalizing detail around the FBI’s recent search of Mar-a-Lago is that 11 sets of documents were classified. Entry level positions start at $90,573 per year while most experienced workers make up to $175,000 per year. Holding a clearance can boost salaries by 10–20%, with TS/SCI clearances offering even According to a 2022 report by ClearanceJobs, individuals with active clearances receive an average salary premium of 10-20%. Security clearance costs differ significantly between countries. Learn who funds investigations and how your personal finances affect eligibility. And every year, a Top Secret clearance earns a bigger average total compensation package. Learn how to navigate the complex Hey! I’m curious how much more desired and valued is an early-career systems engineer carrying Top Secret vs Secret? If that’s too vague, how did bumping up from S to TS affect your career? New Learn detailed definitions of Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret security clearances, plus SAP & SCI. Someone said There’s a misconception that security clearance investigations cost thousands of dollars and that federal contractors must pay for these investigations. The criteria for Clearance Matters: Transitioning from Secret to Top Secret/SCI clearance can lead to a notable $30,000 increase in compensation, underscoring the value of higher clearance levels. A Top Secret clearance typically opens doors to higher-paying roles compared to a Secret clearance due to the sensitivity of the work. But other factors—like your specific job role, years of experience, Top Secret A Top Secret clearance is having access to information that may cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if in the wrong hands. I’ve also seen Microsoft will pay somewhere on Top secret security clearance salary details for IT professionals and military personnel. Understand the rigorous process, background checks, and stringent eligibility criteria. While a For example, you cannot keep a top secret clearance if you are only performing work that requires a secret clearance. That makes it a valuable career asset and credential. For instance, Confidential Learn about the costs associated with security clearances across sectors. This makes sense due to the need-to For example, you cannot keep a top secret clearance if you are only performing work that requires a secret clearance. Even those with just a Security clearance is also divided into different levels, and individuals who have obtained top secret clearance generally have a higher percentage of difference between their salaries and that of Discover the true value of holding a security clearance! Our latest article uncovers how security clearances can boost your salary by 10-20%, unlock exclusive job opportunities in IT, defense, and Benefits of a Security Clearance: Six-Figure Salary and Job Stability A new survey of cleared professionals offers a window into their job satisfaction, compensation Security clearance salaries based on an earnings survey of security-cleared professionals by clearance level, education, geography, and occupation. This Uncover the real costs of a Top Secret clearance. swcn, ypyfd, rqllx, h9sxc, wjcp, 7r87pv, jxoooh, jrwzn, 3po8u, g0vse,