A career as a Secret Service Agent salary is an exciting vocation that can provide a stable and secure future for you. If you have the right mindset, you will be able to find ways to make the most of your new position.
Secret Service Agents are responsible for protecting the President, Vice President and their families, as well as other important government officials. They also provide protection for events of national significance such as presidential inaugurations, political party conventions and presidential/vice-presidential visits to embassies overseas.
A Secret Service agent’s salary can be roughly calculated. The U.S. Government uses a pay scale system which assigns pay based on the level of education and work experience of the individual. An average Secret Service agent made $63,000 per year as of 2012 with a possible range of $52,000 to $71,500
Salary For Secret Service Agent Overview
The U.S. Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency that protects the country’s leaders and their families. The agency also investigates crimes like counterfeiting, fraud, and credit card theft.
Secret Service agents earn about $55,000 per year. This salary can be raised with overtime pay and bonuses for hazardous duty assignments or service in high-risk areas.
Secret Service Agent Requirements
To become an agent with the Secret Service, you must be at least 21 years old and a United States citizen. You’ll need to pass a physical exam, background check and drug test before being hired as well as pass security clearance checks for the position you want to fill within the agency itself (such as counter-sniper positions). You will also have to complete training courses before being granted access to some of the most sensitive information in our nation’s history – such as presidential travel plans or secret service operations overseas – while still maintaining your ability to protect yourself against threats from abroad or within our own borders without compromising national security secrets.
U.S. Secret Service Overview
The United States Secret Service Uniformed Division is the security police force of the US Secret Service, similar to the US Capitol Police or DHS Federal Protective Service. The staff at U.S. Secret Service come from unusually diverse demographic backgrounds. The organization is 34.1% female and 40.9% ethnic minorities. U.S. Secret Service employees are slightly more likely to be members of the Republican Party than the Democratic Party, with 54.0% of employees identifying as members of the Republican Party. Despite their political differences, employees at U.S. Secret Service seem to be happy. The organization has great employee retention with staff members usually staying for 8.0 years. The average employee at U.S. Secret Service makes $42,236 per year, which is competitive for its industry and location. Some of its highest paying competitors, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Department of Justice, and U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement – ice, pay $51,636, $44,615, and $44,089, respectively.
What Are the Requirements to Become a Secret Service Agent?
Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old and younger than 37 at the time they receive a conditional offer of employment (or younger than 40 if they are veterans of the Armed Forces). They must qualify for at least the GL-07 level of law-enforcement employment, which requires a bachelor’s degree from a college or university with superior academic achievement, or at least one year of graduate school, or at least three years of specialized law-enforcement experience. In addition, candidates must have uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100, correctable to 20/20, and must be in excellent physical condition. Applicants must pass written and physical tests and a background check that includes drug screening and polygraph exams. They must be registered for the draft if eligible, have a valid driver’s license and cannot have visible tattoos or other body markings.
What are the qualifications for becoming a Secret Service Agent?
The following conditions need to be met:
- Be a United States Citizen
- Be at least 21 years old (at application) and younger than 37 (at application).
- Have uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100.
- Possess a Driver’s License
- Pass a written examination
- Pass an Application Physical Abilities Test
- Quality for a Top Secret Clearance. This includes
- A complete background investigation
- In-depth interviews
- Drug screening
- Medical examination
- Polygraph
- Must be registered with the Selective Service System
- No visible body markings, including tattoos and body art
What kind of compensation do Special Agent’s receive?
The compensation received by Federal government employees is determined by GS scales. There are 15 GS scales and 10 Steps per scale.