For Educators: Military Resources
Military Human Intelligence Specialists
Median Salary
90,602
Workforce Count
9,633
Overview
What are the responsibilities of this role?
Human intelligence specialists identify adversarial elements, strengths, dispositions, tactics, equipment, personnel, and capabilities through collecting information from people. HUMINT specialists screen documents and other materials to identify potential source leads. They conduct and oversee interviews, interrogations, screenings, and debriefings in English, and work with translators when necessary. They also exploit information found in a variety of media. HUMINT specialists may also plan and implement psychological operations to control and influence groups through persuasive communications.
What is the work environment like?
Human intelligence specialists work in offices on land and aboard ships, and in tents when in the field.
How many people have this role in the Military?
9,633
Compensation
Understanding How Military Pay is More Than Just a Salary
Base pay is the standard income you’ll earn as a service member, providing a stable foundation to start achieving your financial goals.
- Always fixed based on rank and service time.
- Distributed monthly.
What is the typical salary range?
Salary by Years of Service
$112,896
2 Years
$84,426
6 Years
$112,896
10+ Years
Median Salary
Military Details
What Service Branches offer this role?
Is this a staff or leadership role?
Enlisted service members execute vital tasks, support operations alongside officers and develop role-specific skills to achieve mission success.
Learn More About Enlisted and Officer PathsWhat does the training for this role entail?
All enlisted service members complete basic military training, which includes time spent in a classroom and in the field, and covers tactical and survival skills, physical training, military life and customs, and weapons training. Human intelligence specialists in the Military will gain skills through classroom study and on-the-job experience. Job-specific training may include:
- Planning imagery and geospatial data from satellite and airborne systems
- Preparing intelligence reports, maps, and charts
- Analyzing aerial, satellite, and radar imagery
- Using computer systems
- Foreign language training
- Target identification and operational patterns
- Analyzing communications information using technical references
- Screenings, debriefings, and interrogations
- Human intelligence analysis
Education
What level of education do professionals in this role have?
Which college majors best prepare you for this role?
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
- Criminalistics and Criminal Science
- Criminal Justice/Police Science
- Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation
- Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis
- Geospatial Intelligence
- Signal/Geospatial Intelligence
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
Learn About How Military Can Pay for 100% of your College Degree
The Military has several programs that cover college costs — so you can pursue your education with little to no debt.
Learn More About Paying For CollegeSkills and Interest
What knowledge is essential to bring to the table?
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- Law and Government
- Psychology
- English Language
What personality traits help people thrive in this role?
Investigative
You love figuring out how things work and researching subjects that interest you.
Conventional
You like structure, staying organized, and working with systems to get things done efficiently.
Realistic
You love hands-on work and solving practical problems — like fixing things and building stuff.
RIASEC represents six broad interest areas—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional—helping individuals identify careers that match their skills and preferences.
Take the RIASEC Test