Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
Special Agent salary
Average special agent salary
$60,916
How much does a special agent make?
The average special agent salary in the United States is $60,916. Special agent salaries typically range between $43,000 and $85,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for special agents is $29.29 per hour.
Special agent salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Special agents earn the highest average salary in Hawaii.
Level up your salary
Let Zippi find your next Special Agent job
Level up your salary
Let Zippi find your next Special Agent job
Where can a Special Agent earn more?
Special Agent salary estimates from across the web
Average special agent salary by state
Highest paying states for special agents
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $71,729 | $34.49 |
| 2 | South Dakota | $71,349 | $34.30 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $62,763 | $30.17 |
| 4 | Maryland | $72,198 | $34.71 |
| 5 | Arizona | $61,690 | $29.66 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $62,737 | $30.16 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $71,690 | $34.47 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $65,329 | $31.41 |
| 9 | Michigan | $61,397 | $29.52 |
| 10 | Delaware | $62,613 | $30.10 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $66,161 | $31.81 |
| 12 | Maine | $64,805 | $31.16 |
| 13 | Colorado | $64,849 | $31.18 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $73,307 | $35.24 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $76,632 | $36.84 |
| 16 | Oregon | $63,730 | $30.64 |
| 17 | Texas | $62,710 | $30.15 |
| 18 | Nevada | $59,763 | $28.73 |
| 19 | Illinois | $63,148 | $30.36 |
| 20 | Alaska | $72,334 | $34.78 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $63,212 | $30.39 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $60,091 | $28.89 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $66,135 | $31.80 |
| 24 | New York | $65,289 | $31.39 |
| 25 | California | $68,464 | $32.92 |
| 26 | Virginia | $65,537 | $31.51 |
| 27 | Ohio | $58,581 | $28.16 |
| 28 | Vermont | $59,446 | $28.58 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $63,775 | $30.66 |
| 30 | Missouri | $58,968 | $28.35 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $60,932 | $29.29 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $62,183 | $29.90 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $56,916 | $27.36 |
| 34 | Kansas | $59,294 | $28.51 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $57,939 | $27.86 |
| 36 | Washington | $64,485 | $31.00 |
| 37 | Idaho | $55,995 | $26.92 |
| 38 | Iowa | $58,247 | $28.00 |
| 39 | Utah | $53,918 | $25.92 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $49,276 | $23.69 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $52,701 | $25.34 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $49,670 | $23.88 |
| 43 | Alabama | $51,809 | $24.91 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $51,763 | $24.89 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $49,905 | $23.99 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $48,868 | $23.49 |
| 47 | Florida | $50,259 | $24.16 |
| 48 | Georgia | $50,976 | $24.51 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $42,978 | $20.66 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $51,167 | $24.60 |
| 51 | Indiana | $45,130 | $21.70 |
Highest paying cities for special agents
The highest-paying cities for special agents are Washington, DC, Urban Honolulu, HI, and Anchorage, AK.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $76,727 | $36.89 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $73,301 | $35.24 |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $72,293 | $34.76 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $72,206 | $34.71 |
| 5 | New Orleans, LA | $72,200 | $34.71 |
| 6 | Richmond, CA | $69,183 | $33.26 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $66,206 | $31.83 |
| 8 | Norfolk, VA | $65,723 | $31.60 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $65,315 | $31.40 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $64,911 | $31.21 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $64,618 | $31.07 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $63,803 | $30.67 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $63,768 | $30.66 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $63,740 | $30.64 |
| 15 | New Haven, CT | $63,335 | $30.45 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $63,277 | $30.42 |
| 17 | Saint Paul, MN | $62,230 | $29.92 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,719 | $29.67 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $61,505 | $29.57 |
| 20 | Milwaukee, WI | $60,964 | $29.31 |
Special Agent salary details
A special agent's salary ranges from $43,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $85,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a special agent's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| Average | $60,916 | $5,076 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
Highest paying special agent jobs
The highest paying types of special agents are asset protection manager, intelligence analyst, and senior investigator.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officer | $52,506 | $4,376 | $25.24 | 114,267 |
| Military Police Officer | $38,080 | $3,173 | $18.31 | 122,487 |
| Deputy | $53,682 | $4,473 | $25.81 | 56,150 |
| Police Officer | $52,638 | $4,386 | $25.31 | 116,287 |
| Law Enforcement Officer | $39,219 | $3,268 | $18.86 | 105,817 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | $38,684 | $3,224 | $18.60 | 62,658 |
Which companies pay special agents the most?
Special agent salaries at BNSF Railway and National Insurance Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average special agent salary at companies like Norfolk Southern and Integral Consulting are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BNSF Railway | $71,643 | $34.44 |
| 2 | National Insurance Services | $68,230 | $32.80 |
| 3 | Norfolk Southern | $67,074 | $32.25 |
| 4 | Integral Consulting | $66,555 | $32.00 |
| 5 | City of Baltimore | $66,034 | $31.75 |
| 6 | Federal Bureau of Investigation | $65,992 | $31.73 |
| 7 | Pacific Architects and Engineers | $64,975 | $31.24 |
| 8 | Tennessee Valley Authority | $64,048 | $30.79 |
| 9 | Washington State University | $63,649 | $30.60 |
| 10 | CSX | $62,230 | $29.92 |
| 11 | BTS Software Solutions | $59,891 | $28.79 |
| 12 | U.s.government | $59,389 | $28.55 |
| 13 | United Ground Express | $58,985 | $28.36 |
| 14 | Scoular | $58,716 | $28.23 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $58,715 | $28.23 |
| 16 | Prescient Edge | $58,657 | $28.20 |
| 17 | Minnesota State Fair | $57,768 | $27.77 |
| 18 | Clark County | $57,564 | $27.68 |
| 19 | My Florida Regional Mls | $54,655 | $26.28 |
| 20 | State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission | $48,312 | $23.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Special Agent salary trends
The average special agent salary has risen by $10,629 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average special agent earned $50,287 annually, but today, they earn $60,916 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for special agents over the last decade.
Compare special agent salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average special agent salary over time
Compare special agent salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Special Agent salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,900 | $29.29 | +4.3% |
| 2024 | $58,300 | $28.02 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $57,400 | $27.60 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $56,000 | $26.94 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $54,700 | $26.32 | +1.2% |
Recently added special agent salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criminaljusticeonlineblog | FBI Special Agent | New York, NY | 12/16/2024 | $51,043 |
| Azstatejobs | Special Agent | Phoenix, AZ | 12/16/2024 | $77,991 |
| Arizona Department of Administration | Special Agent | Phoenix, AZ | 12/15/2024 | $77,991 |
| Department of Justice | Special Agent-Cybersecurity/Technology Background | Enon, VA | 12/15/2024 | $77,840 |
| State of Arizona | Special Agent | Phoenix, AZ | 12/14/2024 | $77,991 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | FBI Special Agent: Systems Integration & Network Security Expertise | New Orleans, LA | 12/14/2024 | $97,300 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | FBI Special Agent: Systems Integration & Network Security Expertise | Detroit, MI | 12/14/2024 | $97,300 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | FBI Special Agent: Systems Integration & Network Security Expertise | Memphis, TN | 12/14/2024 | $97,300 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Company | SR Special Agent-LOS Angeles, CA 1 | Los Angeles, CA | 12/13/2024 | $100,000 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | FBI Special Agent: Risk Management & Threat Analysis Expertise | Jacksonville, FL | 12/12/2024 | $97,300 |
Special Agent salary FAQs
Search for special agent jobs