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CIA Agent
Everyone has head of a CIA agent, but most people do not know what someone in this profession actually does. CIA stands for Central Intelligence Agency, which is a branch of the government that monitors communications within the country. The CIA is responsible for making sure that national security is available at its highest, and it does this through teams of specially trained CIA agents. If you want to serve your country in a unique way, you may want to consider working as a CIA agent in the future. This is the kind of career that you can stick with your entire life, assuming that you like what you do. Here is an overview of what it takes to work as and become a CIA agent so you can make plans for your career.
CIA Agent Job Duties
Every day in the CIA is a little different. There are no two positions or two cases that are exactly alike. CIA agents have to adjust their approaches to cases on a day to day basis because they never know what they are going to have to do. This sometimes requires agents to think outside the box, but they are trained to do that. Some common job duties you may expect in the CIA include:
- Working undercover
- working alongside government officials
- Speaking to international agents
- Overseeing foreign communications
- Monitoring telecommunications
- Conducting investigations related to intelligence
- Collecting evidence for investigation
- Assessing paper documents
You may take on some slightly different work in your place of employment, but that list show you what you could potentially be doing in this career. Not everyone is cut out for this line of work, and there is nothing wrong with that. You just have to do some research to find out if you are or not.
CIA Agent Salary Levels
You may assume that there is a flat rate that all CIA agents make, but that is not the case. There are many factors that can influence your pay as a CIA agent, including your work experience, education, location, position, and much more. If you are good at your job and you live in affluent part of the country, you should be able to make some pretty good money in this career. Possible salaries for CIA agents include:
Salary by Experience
- Less than 1 year: $55,330 per year
- 1-4 years: $59,413 per year
- 5-9 years: $87,250 per year
- 10-19 years: $89,500 per year
- 20+ years: $134,846 per year
Salary by State
- California: $60,000 per year
- Maryland: $132,000 per year
- Florida: $91,000 per year
- District of Columbia: $72,386 per year
- Virginia: $83,627 per year
- North Carolina: $48,000 per year
- New York: $97,477 per year
Your salary may be slightly different when you finish your job training, but the statistics above should help you see approximately what you will be making in this career. If you think that is enough to support your lifestyle, you can move on to learning how to become a CIA agent in the future.
How to Become a CIA Agent
To become a CIA agent, you have to go through several extensive rounds of examination, which tests your criminal background, drug usage, trustworthiness, and knowledge of the criminal justice system. Before you can do this, you must have a minimum of a four year bachelor degree. The CIA does not specify which type of degree you have to hold, but special consideration is given to applicants from an of the following degree programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting
- Bachelor of Science in Sociology
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Commerce in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminology
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
- Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
If you pass all of the exams for your career, you will go through a training program to prepare you for work in the CIA. Then you will just have to find a job opening with an agency in your area. If everything goes well, you will soon be able to call yourself a CIA agent, just like you have always wanted.
