Study Shows Those with Security Clearance Earned Less Than Previous Year, but Show Little Concern over Potential Job Loss
According to the results of a recent study released today, the average earnings of security-cleared professionals slipped four percent from the previous year to $88,894. Overall, security-cleared salaries averaged $72,717 while other forms of compensation including overtime, danger pay and bonuses contributed another 18 percent, or $16,177, to total compensation. Nearly 8,500 security-cleared professionals that have a current, active federal security clearance and were employed at the time of the survey, participated in the study conducted by ClearanceJobs.com, an online career site.
As the Department of Defense begins efforts to constrain future defense spending as part of the government-wide push for fiscal austerity, security-cleared professionals are relatively unconcerned about any impacts to their careers, as only 23 percent of respondents indicated they are extremely concerned about “contract loss” or “loss of contract funding” in 2011. Additionally, only 20 percent of respondents were extremely concerned about lower salary increases, lower billing rates or position elimination, which is essentially the same as those who were extremely concerned last year.
“Although federal government budgets continue to be negotiated, defense and intelligence agency professionals with security clearance remain insulated and their career concerns are relatively limited,” added Mr. Lesser. “We continue to see security-cleared government contractors that are prepared to switch employers to further their career and increase their earnings potential. This is a workforce that is swift to move and is used to continuous change related to budgets, priorities and contracts.”
| Job Category | 2011 Salaries | 2011 Total Compensation | 2010 Total Compensation | Year/YearChange in Compensation |
| Info Tech – Software – Programming or Web Dev | $97,501 | $105,207 | $106,766 | -1% |
| Info Tech – Databases – Admin, Architect, or Data | $78,162 | $94,883 | $118,482 | -20% |
| Info Tech – Security – Network or System | $74,665 | $90,071 | $99,158 | -9% |
| Info Tech – Hardware – Admin, Architect, or Support | $67,018 | $83,187 | $85,994 | -3% |
| Program, Project Manager – Info Tech | $103,924 | $115,702 | $111,642 | 4% |
Total compensation for government contractors inched ahead to total $98,221, as compared to $98,088 last year. Nearly a quarter (22%) of government contractors with increased earnings indicated that changing employers was the primary reason, while another eight percent of contractors changed positions within their current employer.
Despite the decline in total compensation, cleared professionals continue to give high marks for job and salary satisfaction. More than half (58%) of security-cleared professionals were satisfied with their salaries. Of those content with their wages, on average their salaries were $81,509. The quarter of respondents (26%) who were dissatisfied reported much lower average salaries of $56,942.
As far as job satisfaction, 60 percent of cleared professionals expressed satisfaction with their current work, down slightly from 62 percent who were satisfied a year ago. Twenty-three percent reported dissatisfaction, a slight increase from 21 percent a year ago. By clearance level, Department of Energy clearance-holders report the lowest levels of job satisfaction (55%) and the highest levels of dissatisfaction (26%). This compares with job satisfaction for Department of Defense Confidential holders at 72 percent, while 23 percent were dissatisfied.
The Capital Region
Security-cleared professionals working in the Capital region (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) earn on average $94,512, down three percent from the $97,821 earned a year ago. In the region, base salaries totaled $83,037 this year. Security-cleared government contractors in the region report average earnings of $97,548, a nine percent premium to their government employee counterparts with clearance who earn $89,365 annually. The gap expands to 13 percent when looking at base salaries alone, for government contractors’ base salaries total $87,938, while government employees take home on average $78,176.
Outside of New Jersey ($99,443), Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. security-cleared professionals earn the most. Rounding out the top five, California-based security-cleared professionals reported $87,549 in total annual compensation. Followed by, Massachusetts ($86,749), Colorado ($85,594), Hawaii ($84,360), Arizona ($84,200) and New York ($82,344).
International Compensation
In the Middle East, security-cleared professionals earned on average $141,166, a five percent decrease from the $148,427 earned a year ago. Average base salaries in the Middle East are $79,732 and substantially surpass security-cleared professionals’ salaries in Europe ($65,947) and in the United States ($72,449). Middle East-based security-cleared professionals earn on average an additional $61,434 or 77 percent of their salaries in other compensation, while Europe-based professionals earn an additional $28,479 or 43 percent of their salaries. In the two war zones, salaries for security-cleared professionals in Iraq are $82,144, slightly ahead of their counterparts in Afghanistan at $81,501.
The 2011 ClearanceJobs Compensation Survey was administered online between October 2010 and January 18, 2011 with 8,461 respondents. Participants had to have a current, active federal security clearance and be currently employed.
The Full survey can be downloaded here. (PDF Download)
