Since the terrorist attacks in September of 2001, the federal government has been on a national security hiring binge. It started with the consolidation of disparate federal departments into the broader Department of Homeland Security and accelerated with the initiation of two foreign wars, sustained foreign drone strikes, and intense monitoring of both known and suspected terrorist activities around the world. Today, the Department of Homeland Security is the leading employer of criminal justice graduates, lawyers, and others who prefer public service to the private sector. Salaries are appropriately generous for most workers, and are dictated in such a way that prevents gender discrimination or other forms of salary-based discrimination.
The Pay Schedule: Aspiring Public Service Workers Need to Get Familiar
Government jobs at all levels, whether they’re with local agencies, state organizations, or federal departments, virtually all come with a pay schedule that dictates minimal compensation, maximum annual salaries, and the type of annual raises that candidates can expect. The pay schedule is split into different classes, based on the qualifications a job applicant needs in order to perform a given task. Positions that require more education generally are placed higher on the scale, paying more initially and granting more generous raises. Positions that require little education, or far less training and experience, pay less on average.
Within the Department of Homeland Security, positions are generally divided into a traditional pay scale for non-executive workers and a separate scale for those in executive positions within the broader organization. Typically, those subject to the more conventional pay scale can expect an average starting salary of about $49,000 per year. Raises are granted annually, with most workers maxing out their total federal compensation within 15 to 25 years of the year they were hired. At the high end of this pay scale, workers can earn between $90,000 and $115,000 per year. This is based on the person’s position, years of experience, and qualifications.
An entirely different scale applies to high-ranking executive workers. These positions are reserved for senior officials and those with vast experience in a narrow field of expertise. Typically, the Department of Homeland Security starts these positions at about $120,000 per year. The pay scale maxes out just above $179,000 per year, making these highly coveted positions among the most lucrative in the federal government. Only elected officials make more. In fact, some make less.
Salaries are Based on Education and Position
When an employer adheres to a pay scale rather than a system of merit-based compensation, all applicants would do well to consider earning master’s degrees, professional degrees, and even doctoral degrees in a very specific field. Doing so will qualify the applicant for a higher starting position within the department, leading to higher annual raises and a better maximum annual salary at the high end of the pay scale.
No matter the position being filled, however, those graduates with relevant education, training, and experience, have a great shot at being hired and promoted within the Department of Homeland Security. As long as terrorist threats remain a major risk to American safety and peace of mind, these positions will continue to be absolutely the most important within the defense industry. In fact, they will remain among the most important within the entire federal government.
Related Resource: How Can I Get Job in Homeland Security?