Intelligence Analysts Salary: $93,580 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 110,790 intelligence analysts work nationally, and $93,580 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 8% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 2.2% annual growth.
Intelligence Analysts: what the data shows
Common questions about intelligence analysts careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a intelligence analysts?
Intelligence Analysts is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 33-3021.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 110,790 workers.
What does a intelligence analysts do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Documenting/Recording Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Communicating with People Outside the Organization, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a intelligence analysts make?
BLS national median annual wage: $93,580 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $124,368 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $81,606 |
| 25th percentile | $102,349 |
| Median (50th) | $125,613 |
| 75th percentile | $140,124 |
| 90th percentile | $169,928 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, and knowledge areas including Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is intelligence analysts in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.2% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 11.7%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 24.8%.
Current U.S. headcount: 110,790.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do intelligence analystss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 110,790 | 16.7% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 110,670 | 16.6% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 110,020 | 16.5% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 110,020 | 16.5% |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 46,750 | 7.0% |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 46,740 | 7.0% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Intelligence Analysts in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Airfield Operations Specialists | 16,640 | $56,750 |
| Information Security Analysts | 179,430 | $124,910 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 964,530 | $37,230 |
| Pest Control Workers | 96,110 | $44,730 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 46,920 | $74,690 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Intelligence Analysts workforce.
Employment Over Time
110,790 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Intelligence Analysts grew from 33,300 in 2009 to 47,480 in 2025 (42.6%).
Historical employment for Intelligence Analysts from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$93,580 Median pay (BLS national)
Intelligence Analysts earn $93,580 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Intelligence Analysts.
Salary distribution for Intelligence Analysts.
Employment Growth Projections
2.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
53,046 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 11.7%
59,265 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 24.8%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.2% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Intelligence Analysts.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Intelligence Analysts and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Intelligence Analysts employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Intelligence Analysts.
Wage Trends by Industry
0.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Intelligence Analysts.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Intelligence Analysts.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 18,020 employees, $91,250 avg wage
- CA: 11,900 employees, $120,930 avg wage
- NY: 9,410 employees, $106,280 avg wage
- FL: 6,310 employees, $94,360 avg wage
- AZ: 5,220 employees, $98,670 avg wage
- GA: 4,820 employees, $76,520 avg wage
- PA: 3,390 employees, $102,050 avg wage
- NC: 3,240 employees, $75,320 avg wage
- VA: 3,170 employees, $117,280 avg wage
- IL: 3,100 employees, $97,900 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Intelligence Analysts.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 7,460 employees, $114,030 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 4,760 employees, $144,050 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 3,070 employees, $126,210 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 2,950 employees, $76,580 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: 2,780 employees, $119,830 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2,170 employees, $104,140 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 2,100 employees, $110,980 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 2,030 employees, $114,880 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,850 employees, $98,070 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 1,830 employees, $103,930 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Intelligence Analysts.
Diversity
Demographic information on Intelligence Analysts in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Intelligence Analysts is about 110,790 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Intelligence Analysts.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Intelligence Analysts.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Intelligence Analysts.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Intelligence Analysts in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Intelligence Analysts.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Intelligence Analysts workers.
Education level distribution for Intelligence Analysts.
Skills
Intelligence Analysts need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness.
Required skills for Intelligence Analysts.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Intelligence Analysts.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Intelligence Analysts include Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology.
Knowledge areas required for Intelligence Analysts.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Intelligence Analysts include Oral Comprehension, Inductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression, Deductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Intelligence Analysts.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Intelligence Analysts.
Daily Activities
Intelligence Analysts spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Documenting/Recording Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public.
Most important work activities for Intelligence Analysts.
About
Intelligence Analysts
Intelligence Analysts earn $93,580 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
33-3021 - Intelligence Analysts
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Intelligence Analysts reports an average salary of $124,368, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 110,790 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.