Approximately 4.2 million Americans hold active security clearances (ODNI Annual Report, most recent data). Of those, roughly 1.3 million hold Top Secret or higher access. For cleared professionals — particularly veterans, intelligence community alumni, and defense industry workers — a security clearance is one of the most valuable career assets in the United States labor market, commanding salary premiums that compound significantly at each clearance tier.
US security clearance levels explained
Security clearances exist on three tiers defined by Executive Order 13526, with additional access control layers above the base clearance levels:
- Confidential: The lowest level. Covers information whose unauthorized disclosure could cause damage to national security. Entry-level clearance — relatively common in defense and government. Adds approximately $5,000–$10,000/year over non-cleared equivalents in the same role.
- Secret: The most common clearance level — approximately 80% of all cleared workers hold Secret. Covers information that could cause serious damage if disclosed. Investigation: Tier 3 (T3) Background Investigation. Adds approximately $10,000–$20,000/year over non-cleared positions. Average cleared Secret role in the DC area: $93,748/year (ZipRecruiter, July 2026).
- Top Secret (TS): Covers information whose disclosure could cause exceptionally grave damage. Tier 5 (T5) Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) — significantly more thorough than T3. Adds $15,000–$30,000/year over non-cleared equivalents. TS roles at GS-13 in DC locality: approximately $122,000–$158,000/year (OPM 2026).
- TS/SCI (Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information): Not a separate clearance level but an additional access control layer — a "read-in" to specific intelligence programs and compartments. Access is granted for each specific SCI program separately. TS/SCI professionals earn an average $131,907/year nationally; $149,398 in Washington DC (ZipRecruiter, 2026). Premium over Secret: approximately 40.6%.
- TS/SCI with Polygraph: Full Scope Polygraph (FSP, also called "lifestyle poly") or Counterintelligence Polygraph (CI Poly) adds another $45,000–$65,000 premium over non-polygraph equivalents. Concentrated in NSA, CIA, NGA, NRO, and their contractors. Average: $148,314/year nationally (CyberSecJobs, 2026).
The clearance salary premium — 2026 data
| Clearance level | Annual salary premium over non-cleared | Average national salary (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Confidential | +$5,000–$10,000 | Varies by role |
| Secret | +$10,000–$20,000 | $93,748 (DoD Secret average) |
| Top Secret | +$15,000–$30,000 | $115,000–$130,000 (TS average) |
| TS/SCI | +$30,000–$45,000 | $131,907 national average |
| TS/SCI + Polygraph (CI) | +$45,000–$65,000 | $148,314 national average |
Sources: ZipRecruiter July 2026, CyberSecJobs March 2026, OPM 2026 GS Pay Tables (DC locality), BestMilitaryResume April 2026.
Why clearances command such premiums
The premium is driven by supply constraint, not skill premium alone. When a defense contractor wins a government contract requiring 50 engineers with active TS/SCI clearances, they cannot hire from the global talent pool — they must find people who already hold that clearance, because new clearance investigations take 12–18+ months and cost $10,000–$30,000+. An applicant with an active clearance saves the contractor time, money, and contract performance risk. Some defense contractors value an active TS at $50,000 or more in avoided investigation costs and lost contract time (BestMilitaryResume, 2026).
Clearance centers — where to find cleared jobs
- ClearanceJobs.com: The largest US job board exclusively for security-cleared professionals. Employers on the platform verify that they genuinely require clearance. Best for TS and TS/SCI positions.
- USAJOBS.gov — Filter by clearance required: Federal positions requiring clearance at all levels
- LinkedIn — Cleared jobs: Growing segment; use keywords like "TS/SCI," "TS clearance required," "Active Secret required"
- Cleared Defense Contractors: Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics IT, Leidos, SAIC, CACI, Booz Allen Hamilton, ManTech — all have dedicated cleared hiring portals
Clearance hubs — geography matters
| Location | Primary agencies/contractors | TS/SCI average salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC metro (McLean, Bethesda, Reston, Arlington) | CIA, NSA, NGA, DIA, DoD, IC contractors — the densest cleared market in the world | $149,398/year |
| San Antonio, TX | NSA Texas, JBSA, 25th Air Force | $95,000–$135,000/year |
| Colorado Springs, CO | NORAD, Space Command, Schriever SFB, Peterson SFB | $90,000–$130,000/year |
| Huntsville, AL | Redstone Arsenal, missile defense community, Boeing, Northrop Grumman | $85,000–$125,000/year |
| Tampa, FL | SOCOM (Special Operations Command), CENTCOM, MacDill AFB | $100,000–$135,000/year |
Clearance lifetime — don't let it lapse
An active security clearance depreciates rapidly if unused. The general rule: clearances are considered "active" for approximately 2 years after last use. Beyond 24 months without a cleared position, you will likely need a full new investigation — losing the premium entirely until it completes. Veterans in particular should prioritize finding cleared employment within 12–18 months of separation to preserve clearance value (BestMilitaryResume, 2026).
Sources: ODNI Annual Workforce Statistics; ZipRecruiter DoD Secret and TS/SCI salary data (July 2026); CyberSecJobs Cybersecurity Salary Guide (March 2026); OPM 2026 GS Pay Tables — DC locality; BestMilitaryResume Security Clearance guide (April 2026); ClearedPathway — Salary by clearance level (July 2026)
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