Average Intelligence Research Specialist Salary in Washington D.C., United States for 2025

In this article, we will look at the average Intelligence Research Specialist salary for 2025 in Washington D.C. and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does an Intelligence Research Specialist Make in Washington D.C.?

An Intelligence Research Specialist working in Washington D.C. will typically earn around 151,800 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 76,000 USD to the highest average salary of 231,400 USD.

Average Annual Salary151,800 USD
Average Monthly Salary12,650 USD
Average Lowest Salary76,000 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary6,333 USD
Average Highest Salary231,400 USD
Highest Monthly Salary19,283 USD

These are average salaries for an Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for an Intelligence Research Specialist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Intelligence Research Specialist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Intelligence Research Specialist Salaries in Washington D.C.

So we've looked at the average salaries an Intelligence Research Specialist will earn in Washington D.C.. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that an Intelligence Research Specialist can earn between 76,000 USD and 231,400 USD on average in Washington D.C.. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for an Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. is 151,800 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 151,800 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 151,800 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Intelligence Research Specialist salary in Washington D.C., 25% of the population are earning less than 100,700 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 100,700 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 190,400 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 190,400 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Intelligence Research Specialist Salary by Experience Level in Washington D.C.

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average Intelligence Research Specialist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. An Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 91,700 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Intelligence Research Specialist salary would increase to 118,900 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as an Intelligence Research Specialist, the average salary would be 158,700 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 191,500 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. An Intelligence Research Specialist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 205,400 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For an Intelligence Research Specialist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 218,100 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years-
91,700 USD
2-5 Years+32%
118,900 USD
5-10 Years+34%
158,700 USD
10-15 Years+19%
191,500 USD
15-20 Years+8%
205,400 USD
20+ Years+7%
218,100 USD

Intelligence Research Specialist Salary by Education Level in Washington D.C.

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for an Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Bachelor's Degree. An Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 127,600 USD.
  • Master's Degree. An Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 201,000 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Bachelor's Degree-
127,600 USD
Master's Degree+58%
201,000 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Intelligence Research Specialist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Washington D.C., a male intelligence research specialist will earn an average of 157,600 USD, while a female intelligence research specialist will earn around 148,300 USD.

This means that a male intelligence research specialist earns approximately 6% more than a female intelligence research specialist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Washington D.C.

Male-
157,600 USD
Female-6%
148,300 USD

Intelligence Research Specialist Average Pay Raise in Washington D.C.

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for an Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. is around 10% every 20 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 10 ÷ 20 ) × 12  = 6%

What this means is that an Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C. can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 6% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Washington D.C. for 2025

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking-
4%
Energy-
8%
Information Technology-
3%
Healthcare-
7%
Travel-
2%
Construction-
6%
Education-
1%

Intelligence Research Specialist Bonus and Incentive Rates in Washington D.C.

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

An Intelligence Research Specialist is a low bonus based job, with 32% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

68% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3%.

Received Bonus-
32%
No Bonus-
68%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector-
98,800 USD
Private Sector-6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to an Intelligence Research Specialist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to an Intelligence Research Specialist in Washington D.C..

Job TitleCategorySalary
Accreditation CoordinatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire79,600 USD
Accreditation ManagerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire114,300 USD
AdvocateLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire69,800 USD
Armed Security OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire68,200 USD
Company GuardLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire34,000 USD
Control Room OperatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire32,200 USD
Correctional OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire53,300 USD
Criminal InvestigatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire105,200 USD
Facility MonitorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire60,600 USD
Fire ChiefLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire100,700 USD
Fire DispatcherLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire49,700 USD
Fire Education SpecialistLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire88,500 USD
Fire Extinguisher TechnicianLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire31,800 USD
Fire FighterLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire54,100 USD
Fire InspectorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire103,600 USD
Fire InvestigatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire93,600 USD
Fire Prevention EngineerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire89,400 USD
Fire Prevention OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire72,800 USD
Fire Protection SpecialistLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire88,400 USD
Forensic InvestigatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire95,300 USD
Forensic Science TechnicianLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire99,700 USD
Fraud ExaminerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire107,700 USD
Fraud and Forensic SpecialistLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire100,700 USD
Grants SpecialistLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire127,700 USD
Intellectual Property AssociateLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire88,600 USD
InvestigatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire100,700 USD
Jail OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire45,000 USD
Juvenile Probation OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire69,700 USD
Juvenile Supervision OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire72,700 USD
Lock-SmithLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire29,100 USD
Parole OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire50,000 USD
Police CaptainLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire124,500 USD
Police Communications OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire76,000 USD
Police OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire54,900 USD
Police Patrol OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire51,400 USD
Prison OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire43,800 USD
Prisoner Custody OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire35,300 USD
Private Detective / InvestigatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire102,700 USD
Security AdviserLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire95,200 USD
Security GuardLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire26,900 USD
Security Management SpecialistLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire142,100 USD
Security ManagerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire147,900 USD
Security OfficerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire33,300 USD
Security SupervisorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire80,300 USD
Security Systems InstallerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire79,000 USD
Security TechnicianLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire30,200 USD
Surveillance OperatorLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire39,600 USD
Traffic ControllerLaw Enforcement / Security / Fire58,600 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

CityAverage Salary
Atlanta142,100 USD
Austin158,900 USD
Baltimore142,300 USD
Boston156,200 USD
Bristol118,900 USD
Chicago183,900 USD
Cincinnati130,400 USD
Cleveland130,500 USD
Dallas167,100 USD
Denver158,700 USD
Detroit151,800 USD
Honolulu123,800 USD
Houston172,100 USD
Indianapolis160,700 USD
Iowa City125,400 USD
Jacksonville165,900 USD
Kansas City140,700 USD
Kent130,500 USD
Las Vegas142,300 USD
Long Beach142,300 USD
Los Angeles176,300 USD
Memphis146,900 USD
Miami137,100 USD
Minneapolis142,300 USD
New Orleans134,100 USD
New York176,300 USD
Oakland134,700 USD
Oklahoma City148,300 USD
Orlando132,000 USD
Philadelphia175,200 USD
Phoenix184,700 USD
Sacramento141,000 USD
San Antonio177,200 USD
San Diego175,200 USD
San Francisco169,700 USD
San Jose163,800 USD
Seattle163,800 USD
Tampa137,100 USD
Vancouver128,200 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

StateAverage Salary
Alabama151,800 USD
Alaska141,000 USD
Arizona158,700 USD
Arkansas157,600 USD
California169,700 USD
Colorado148,300 USD
Connecticut151,800 USD
Delaware134,700 USD
District of Columbia140,700 USD
Florida165,900 USD
Georgia172,100 USD
Hawaii140,200 USD
Idaho134,700 USD
Illinois169,700 USD
Indiana153,700 USD
Iowa153,800 USD
Kansas146,700 USD
Kentucky158,700 USD
Louisiana153,800 USD
Maine134,100 USD
Maryland160,700 USD
Massachusetts152,900 USD
Michigan168,700 USD
Minnesota152,900 USD
Mississippi153,800 USD
Missouri157,600 USD
Montana130,400 USD
Nebraska146,700 USD
Nevada140,200 USD
New Hampshire142,300 USD
New Jersey160,700 USD
New Mexico151,800 USD
New York167,100 USD
North Carolina156,200 USD
North Dakota137,100 USD
Ohio160,700 USD
Oklahoma152,700 USD
Oregon146,900 USD
Pennsylvania172,200 USD
Rhode Island137,100 USD
South Carolina161,300 USD
South Dakota139,100 USD
Tennessee152,700 USD
Texas172,200 USD
Utah140,200 USD
Vermont140,700 USD
Virginia161,300 USD
Washington169,700 USD
West Virginia142,300 USD
Wisconsin151,800 USD
Wyoming137,100 USD

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