FBI agents have the difficult job of conducting national security investigations that can be extremely sensitive.
In addition, the job of an FBI agent requires an individual to enforce more than 300 federal statutes.
Some matters that an FBI agent may work on include cybercrime, foreign counterintelligence, terrorism, white-collar crime, organized crime, civil rights violations, public corruption, bank robberies, kidnapping, air piracy, drug trafficking, as well as other violations of federal law.
FBI Requirements
There is a specific set of criteria an individual must first meet before even being considered for a position with the FBI.
This includes:
- Must be a citizen of the United States or the Northern Mariana Islands
- Must be at least 23 years old, but no older than 37 at the time of being appointed as an agent. There are age waivers available for certain individuals who are veterans and are older than the age of 37.
- Must have a four-year degree from a college that is accredited in the United States by the Secretary of Education.
- Must have at least three years of work experience
- Must have a driver’s license that is valid in the United States
- Must be able to travel to any area of the FBI’s jurisdiction for work
According to FBIjobs.gov, there are five special agent entry programs a person may apply under: accounting, language, law, computer science, and diversified.
Accounting Entry Program
A person who is applying for a position in accounting with the FBI must be certified as a CPA.
In addition, they must have a bachelor’s degree in accounting and have worked in a professional accounting firm for at least three years before their application.
Language
In order to qualify for the language program, an individual must have a BS or BA in any area and be fluent in a language that meets the current needs of the FBI.
Some of the current qualifying languages include Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Hebrew, Spanish, Vietnamese, Urdu, Russian, Punjabi, and Pashto.
A candidate for this program will have to pass listening and reading tests and show a proficiency of higher than three on a speaking proficiency test.
Law
To be considered for the law entry program, a person must have a JD degree from a law school that is accredited and have worked for at least three years in any area of the law.
Computer Science
The computer science entry program requires an individual to have a degree related to information or computer technology or an electrical engineering degree.
A person who has a bachelor’s degree in another discipline may be accepted if they have a CCNP or CCIE
Diversified
To enter the diversified program, a person must have a bachelor’s degree in any area plus three or more years of full-time work experience.
An advanced degree, along with two years of full-time work experience, will be accepted as well.
After an individual qualifies for one of the five programs of entry, they will be prioritized in the hiring process based on the areas that the FBI is currently recruiting for.
U.S. Average Salary: $99,430
Salary Information by State
| State | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,340 | $79,070 | $38.01 | $150,780 | $43,060 |
| Alaska | 140 | $125,160 | $60.17 | $183,680 | $79,680 |
| Arizona | 5,250 | $100,000 | $48.08 | $142,380 | $60,590 |
| Arkansas | 560 | $68,840 | $33.10 | $144,890 | $41,380 |
| California | 12,610 | $121,530 | $58.43 | $165,510 | $78,280 |
| Colorado | 1,930 | $109,010 | $52.41 | $161,550 | $73,010 |
| Connecticut | 940 | $101,890 | $48.99 | $130,540 | $78,990 |
| Delaware | 140 | $117,730 | $56.60 | $164,510 | $65,830 |
| D.C. | 2,980 | $148,110 | $71.21 | $195,190 | $94,220 |
| Florida | 6,440 | $93,020 | $44.72 | $162,450 | $50,050 |
| Georgia | 5,070 | $78,140 | $37.57 | $149,030 | $46,790 |
| Hawaii | 440 | $124,610 | $59.91 | $165,030 | $92,520 |
| Idaho | 630 | $81,570 | $39.22 | $125,550 | $53,120 |
| Illinois | 3,270 | $97,480 | $46.87 | $157,060 | $53,960 |
| Indiana | 1,280 | $77,610 | $37.31 | $127,790 | $45,480 |
| Iowa | 410 | $87,110 | $41.88 | $141,650 | $58,930 |
| Kansas | 1,060 | $78,750 | $37.86 | $114,030 | $49,610 |
| Kentucky | 720 | $86,900 | $41.78 | $149,280 | $51,640 |
| Louisiana | 1,740 | $71,160 | $34.21 | $131,730 | $39,020 |
| Maine | 550 | $92,920 | $44.67 | $120,430 | $63,290 |
| Maryland | 1,010 | $130,040 | $62.52 | $188,700 | $71,200 |
| Massachusetts | 1,300 | $118,130 | $56.80 | $179,030 | $76,150 |
| Michigan | 2,220 | $103,190 | $49.61 | $164,670 | $71,590 |
| Minnesota | 1,970 | $87,860 | $42.24 | $115,210 | $59,710 |
| Mississippi | 810 | $71,020 | $34.15 | $136,120 | $41,260 |
| Missouri | 1,600 | $85,720 | $41.21 | $151,720 | $49,190 |
| Montana | 500 | $93,800 | $45.10 | $144,000 | $58,670 |
| Nebraska | 290 | $103,850 | $49.93 | $155,210 | $68,900 |
| Nevada | 590 | $101,950 | $49.01 | $152,480 | $60,920 |
| New Hampshire | 290 | $104,670 | $50.32 | $174,050 | $74,690 |
| New Jersey | 3,080 | $116,540 | $56.03 | $165,570 | $73,100 |
| New Mexico | 2,020 | $84,880 | $40.81 | $111,970 | $47,480 |
| New York | 9,600 | $105,880 | $50.91 | $166,800 | $62,130 |
| North Carolina | 3,360 | $76,020 | $36.55 | $137,550 | $50,260 |
| North Dakota | 420 | $88,310 | $42.46 | $129,230 | $58,350 |
| Ohio | 2,140 | $90,600 | $43.56 | $151,200 | $56,840 |
| Oklahoma | 1,220 | $86,620 | $41.65 | $136,120 | $51,420 |
| Oregon | 520 | $113,430 | $54.53 | $158,060 | $81,990 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,370 | $101,760 | $48.93 | $154,360 | $63,770 |
| Rhode Island | 360 | $98,430 | $47.32 | $159,140 | $75,910 |
| South Carolina | 1,470 | $77,020 | $37.03 | $149,280 | $50,960 |
| South Dakota | 250 | $91,060 | $43.78 | $149,280 | $60,210 |
| Tennessee | 1,860 | $87,790 | $42.21 | $149,280 | $49,660 |
| Texas | 18,870 | $92,030 | $44.24 | $132,850 | $52,510 |
| Utah | 550 | $89,940 | $43.24 | $149,280 | $48,040 |
| Vermont | 190 | $104,220 | $50.10 | $153,670 | $65,690 |
| Virginia | 3,180 | $119,620 | $57.51 | $195,190 | $62,730 |
| Washington | 1,850 | $118,040 | $56.75 | $162,860 | $84,500 |
| West Virginia | 220 | $102,070 | $49.07 | $171,250 | $48,450 |
| Wisconsin | 1,640 | $90,620 | $43.57 | $103,130 | $70,060 |
| Wyoming | 170 | $91,890 | $44.18 | $149,280 | $62,230 |
| Puerto Rico | 620 | $86,120 | $41.41 | $153,670 | $38,020 |
Annual Average Salary: Top 10 States
District of Columbia tops the list in this field, with an average salary of $148,110.
These are the leading 10 states in terms of earnings in the field:
* Salary estimates are based on data from the May 2025 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Detectives and Criminal Investigators, (SOC Code 33-3021).* Employment opportunities may vary depending on your area.
Considering applying to be an FBI agent?
Be sure to read our list of pros and cons of being an FBI agent to learn more about this career path.
FBI can be intellectually stimulating and offer a sense of fulfillment, as employees contribute to safeguarding the nation’s safety and security.
Working for the FBI often involves collaborating with other law enforcement agencies, which can lead to exciting and high-impact investigations.
It’s a unique opportunity to work in the FBI. To serve your country by protecting national security and upholding the law.
Thanks for this! I was looking for more requirements to be able to get into the FBI. This is such a great help! Wish me luck.
Reading about the FBI careers made me realize it’s way more than just being an agent there are accounting, language, and tech paths that could really fit different strengths. It gave me real insight into what it takes and how competitive it is.