Security & Investigations · Senior · 10 to 18 years typical
Counter-Intelligence Specialist Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 257 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $155,000 | $205,000 | $275,000 | $330,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $145,000 | $190,000 | $255,000 | $305,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $140,000 | $180,000 | $245,000 | $295,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $140,000 | $180,000 | $245,000 | $295,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $135,000 | $180,000 | $240,000 | $290,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $130,000 | $175,000 | $235,000 | $280,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $130,000 | $175,000 | $235,000 | $280,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $125,000 | $165,000 | $225,000 | $270,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $115,000 | $150,000 | $205,000 | $245,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $110,000 | $145,000 | $195,000 | $235,000 |
Time to fill 20 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
Small but growing private sector market. FBI opens a new China-related counter-intelligence case every 12 hours. Major cases demonstrate the threat: Xiaoqing Zheng stealing GE turbine technology via steganography (2018-2022), Volkswagen hidden cameras in meeting rooms (2017), Boeing engineer sentenced to 16 years for aerospace secrets theft for China (2010). Corporate espionage costs hundreds of billions annually per FBI estimates. Approximately 70% of the $80B US intelligence budget flows to private sector contractors, creating the revolving door that populates firms like Hakluyt (former MI6), Black Cube (former Israeli military intelligence), Soufan Group (former FBI CT), and Diligence LLC (former CIA). Washington Post documented at least 91 upper-level CIA managers left for private sector in the decade following 9/11. No alternative training path to government CI schools creates permanent supply constraint.
What does a Counter-Intelligence Specialist do?
The Counter-Intelligence Specialist operates providing executive protection, threat assessment, and security operations for high-net-worth families, corporate principals, or private organizations. Professionals in this role typically bring 10 to 18 years of relevant experience. Classified at the Senior level, this position draws from a very tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 25-70 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.
What drives Counter-Intelligence Specialist compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a Counter-Intelligence Specialist is $145,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $110,000 to $195,000. The 59% spread between P25 and P75 reflects significant pay variation driven by principal risk profile, domestic vs. international travel requirements, team size managed, security clearance level, and specialized training in surveillance detection or threat mitigation. Demand for this role is trending upward with 10% year-over-year growth, which is putting upward pressure on compensation at all levels.
Counter-Intelligence Specialist career path
Professionals who move into Counter-Intelligence Specialist roles most commonly come from military special operations, federal law enforcement, intelligence agencies, or corporate security departments. From this position, the typical trajectory leads toward director of security for large family offices, corporate security leadership, or independent security consulting. The average tenure in this role is approximately 4 years, with an annual turnover rate of 15%.
Hiring a Counter-Intelligence Specialist?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.