Got Clearance? Earn More
Mar 11 2010
Nearly 20% Indicate Increases in Compensation Due to Changing Employers
Professionals holding active federal security clearances maintained a compensatory advantage with average earnings of $92,368, according to ClearanceJobs.com, the leading online career resource for professionals with active federal security clearance. Compensation is defined as including salary, overtime, “danger pay,” and bonuses. However, 19 percent of defense industry workers who received pay increases attribute the gain to changing employers – suggesting a high turnover rate among professionals with security clearance.
“Government agencies and their contractors are vying for the same talent pool of security-cleared professionals and the poaching goes both ways,” said Evan Lesser, founder & Director of ClearanceJobs. “Continued increases in defense and homeland security needs drive both the strong job market and healthy compensation. However, government agencies and contractors should take note of the turnover issue which isn’t new, but indicates a level of competition to fill key security-cleared positions not seen in other industries.”
Domestic vs. Abroad Clearance Makes a Difference
Across the country, California, Virginia and Washington, DC earned on average at least $98,500. While cleared professionals based in Florida report average compensation of $81,034, below the average, they were the most satisfied stateside respondents with their compensation.
The top 10 highest average earnings for cleared professionals by state/district are:
2010
- California $98,968
- Virginia $98,658
- Washington, DC $98,542
- Maryland $94,398
- Ohio $90,948
- Colorado $85,395
- New Jersey $83,808
- Florida $81,034
- Alabama $79,990
- New York $77,391
Nearly one-quarter of security-cleared professionals working in the Capital region (Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia) attributed their compensation increases to changing employers, above the national average. In addition, the region boasts the richest concentration of respondents (39%) with current polygraphs creating an earnings edge.
Nationally, security-cleared professionals with current polygraphs earned approximately 20 percent more than those without a polygraph. Topping six-figures, their compensation averaged $105,785.
Please visit www.clearancejobs.com/files/salary.htm for the full survey results, including reports and analysis on compensation by location including a specific break-out of the Capital region, clearance level, polygraph level, employer type, war zone, satisfaction, job category, and salary premiums for cleared technology professionals.
