Working for the CIA is very different than how it is shown in most TV shows and movies. However, a career with the CIA is still very exciting, fulfilling and more attainable than you think. The CIA is not looking for super humans, but rather, well educated people who are interested in the world around them. The CIA has intelligence analyst jobs available for people from a diversity of educational backgrounds.
CIA Intelligence Analyst Careers
The CIA hires civilians for various analytical jobs. Analytical jobs involve taking data collected by CIA collection agents, and analyzing their significance to US intelligence. According to the career listings at the CIA website, these jobs generally pay starting salaries from $46,460 to $90,698 depending on experience level. Some jobs that require more education, like a medical degree, pay more than that.
Qualifications and Education Needed for Intelligence Analyst Careers
Some types of analyst positions accept candidates with only an undergraduate degree, if the job applicant is especially skilled in their area, or possesses a skill that the CIA deems critical. Usually, that means that the applicant has foreign language or foreign area knowledge, in addition to their degree, which will help the CIA in their mission to gather intelligence.
Some examples of the many analyst careers include Economic Analyst, Leadership Analyst, and Medical/Health Analyst. These three positions show the diversity of skills that the CIA is looking for.
The CIA’s Economic Analyst position is meant for candidates with knowledge of economics in specific foreign countries, or in international economics in general. This is a good example of the type of position where candidates with only an undergraduate degree in economics or finance may be considered if they also possess some sort background in a foreign area. However, most applicants should have at least a master’s degree to qualify for the position. The master’s can narrow their educational focus within economics to a specific region of the world.
The Leadership Analyst position is intended for candidates with backgrounds in leadership studies, psychology, political psychology, sociology, or anthropology. Again, competitive candidates will have a graduate degree and international expertise.
The third example of the diverse skills the CIA is looking for in job applicants is the Medical/Health analyst. This intelligence analyst is needed to assess the health of foreign leaders, or assess the risk of global health issues. The average starting pay is higher for this position, but still depends on experience and level of education.
These are just a few of the intelligence analyst positions available. Many other skill sets are desired, but every position rewards foreign area expertise and foreign language skills.
Minimum Requirements to Become a CIA Intelligence Analyst
All applicants must complete a medical and psychological evaluation. They must be able to pass a background check and a polygraph interview (lie detector test.) Generally, applicants should not have used illegal drugs in the past year.
Analytical Positions, CIA.gov
