How much free time do you normally have as an FBI agent?
Since I was a2a, as others have stated, most federal criminal investigators are expected to work an average of 50 hours per week, for which they are paid incrementally more than comparable grade federal employees working the standard 40 hour week. And the retirement system provides a more lucrative retirement annuity, but there is a mandatory retirement age of 57. Certain cases require considerably more work hours than the mandatory 50 per week, but there is no further remuneration. I recall a few months where I worked more than 100 overtime hours (exceeding the 40/mo required), most of which involved extensive surveillance of suspects, use of informants, or undercover operations. Although being fairly independent, it is possible to “pencil-in” a few overtime hours on the required forms during some months. My agency (Customs subsumed by DHS) had a designated duty agent assignment that rotated amongst all special agents in order to handle after hours emergent situations, and all S/As were required to be available for call-out after hours. Vacation and sick leave were the same as other government employees.(comments based on the situation extant at my retirement, but current conditions should be publicly available online)
What is it like working overtime and odd hours for the FBI? Is it often that they make you do this?
As with any other law enforcement job, you may be called to work outside of typical office hours at any time. I have personally called out FBI agents in the middle of the night to assist with arrests made on board aircraft that had traveled between states, or to respond to a burglar alarm at their own resident agency office. I am sure they sit on stakeouts, have to monitor wiretaps, or investigate crime scenes after hours or on weekends.One night, very late, I once pulled over a car for speeding. I immediately recognized the driver as the local special agent in charge of what was then our local Immigration and Naturalization Service office, as he had been one of the instructors in my police academy. He told me he was needed to attend a situation in a small city about 150 miles away, where a group of illegals and deportees were being held by the local cops. I told him to be safe and wished him well. I don’t think it was especially unusual for him to get called out to situations like this.Most federal agents receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP), which amounts to 25% above their base. They typically work 50-hour weeks (minimum) to justify this, charted and logged on a duty roster. There are times they will put in many more hours, although they won’t get paid more for doing it.If the notion of working something other than Monday-Friday, 0800–1700 is offensive to you, you need to choose some other career that is more predictable.
What gets paid more a police detective or an FBI agent?
It all depends. I’d say there are at least three variables that influence whether a police detective earns more or less than an FBI agent: 1) The locality; 2) Years of tenure; and 3) Overtime worked by the detective. As a very general rule, FBI agents earn more than many of their police counterparts in their cities, but there are certainly exceptions. FBI agents tend to ramp up to a six figure income faster than detectives do, often in four or five years. In many towns and cities across America, that level of income may not be attainable within the ranks of a police department - at least not as base salary. You should explore and compare the typical speed of salary increases over time. In major cities and counties however, police detective salaries can be comparable and even exceed FBI salaries depending on the seniority of the agent and the officer. The FBI does have cost of living salary adjustments for high-cost cities like NYC or San Francisco. I think the more interesting question centers on the quality of life in a given city based on the salary of the detective compared to the agent. I hope this helps.
Do F.B.I agents have time for their families (family meals, or being a part of their children's routine)?
One of my instructors at the FBI National Academy once told me he had 15 years with the agency before his adolescent son knew the “F” in FBI meant Federal.Like others in law enforcement (and other professions as well), work schedules can conflict with family obligations. Even as a uniformed police officer assigned to street patrol on a specific shift, I missed many birthdays, kids’ baseball games and school plays, anniversaries and holidays. I even missed my own birthday party once when I was called out for a hostage situation.It happens. I knew it would be like that when I took the job.Most police families adjust to the crazy shift hours. I came home for “lunch” at 8 PM on nights that I worked 6PM to 4 AM (about 18 of my 24 years on the street).We just did our best to focus on family when we could. The kids didn’t know any other lifestyle. They all turned out well adjusted professionals in their fields.But at the end of the day, it all goes by so fast. I wish I could have some of that time back when they were little. But what parent doesn’t?
Could you become rich as an FBI agent?
This would depend on your definition of “rich.” FBI agents are paid reasonably well, as government employees go. A journeyman agent might be making around $100K per year, including incentive and locality payments. There is a “thrift” program, essentially a separate retirement account, that most federal employees can contribute to, and those contributions may be matched to a limited extent. A special agent who contributed regularly to this plan might have $1 million in it by the time they retired, plus their federal pension.In some ways, FBI agents are more constrained on income than are local law enforcement officers. Local cops can often work overtime assignments and may have side businesses. These opportunities are not generally available to FBI agents. I’d still estimate that the typical FBI agent is better paid than the typical local police officer.Having a million dollars in the bank may not qualify as being “rich” by modern standards, but most Americans are not remotely that well off.
What is the salary of an FBI agent?
FBI New Agent Trainees (NATs) start as GS-10 Step 1. There are 15 grades in the General Schedule (GS) with 10 steps within each grade. Journeyman level in the FBI is GS-13. Grades 14 and 15 are supervisory special agents. Anything above that (Special Agent in Charge or SAC, Deputy Director, etc) are within the Senior Executive Service, which has its own compensation schedule. In addition, GS-1811 Special Agents-Criminal Investigators receive Availability Pay of 25% in lieu of overtime, which is calculated after the addition of Locality Pay. (Locality Pay is based on what employees in the private sector of a Locality Area are paid. Depending on how recently the Locality Tables were updated, it may have next to nothing to do with the cost of living in a given area.) Locality pay varies from 15.37%% (Rest of CONUS) to 39.28% (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland CA.)A GS-10/1 has an annual base pay of $47,630. With availability pay, that comes to $59,537.50. A GS-13/10 receives $96,958, or $121,197.50 with availability. Availability pay is calculated after the addition of locality pay. The General Schedule Pay and Locality Pay charts may be found here: General Schedule.Federal employees are also subject to a pay cap equal to Level IV of SES pay by statute (5 U.S.C. 5304 (g)(1)), currently $164,200 .A brand-new GS-1811-10/01 assigned to the San Francisco Field Division would make $84,085. A GS-1811–15 Assistant Special Agent in Charge assigned to San Francisco would be pay-capped at $164,200.**UPDATED 7 DEC 18 with CY-2019 salaries and locality pay.
Should I be an FBI agent? I am afraid I will not have time for kids or a family.
Well, in order for me to make a proper determination, could you tell me some of your background? For example: educational background, personal background (not too detailed), etc.Yes, it is true that FBI Special Agents work long hours and long work weeks. An FBI Special Agent is never really “off-duty,” if their supervisor needs them somewhere, that Special Agent is there. An FBI Special Agent works a minimum of a 50 hour week. FBI Special Agents work 5–6 days a week. If they have to work overtime or come in during days off, then they get paid in compensation. An FBI Special Agent gets 10 paid federal holidays a year as well as 2–3 weeks off a year. The FBI understands how much you work, they are more than prepared to give you proper time off.When you become an FBI Special Agent, they sit you and your spouse down for a talk on how to maintain this type of lifestyle. I’m not going to lie, government jobs have a higher divorce rate. You can’t really talk about your job that much, which can be tough on any marriage. However, if your spouse knows how much you want this job, I believe that they will be willing to work it out with you. Don't let all this discourage you though, plenty of FBI Special Agents have a happy/successful marriage with or without kids.When the time comes, talk about it with your husband or wife and your kids (if they're old enough to understand). Get their opinion on the job and what all has to be done. Remember though, this is your life. Not theirs. If you want to become an FBI Special Agent, then you will see it through to the end.
How do people get government jobs?
In most states, by Civil Service law, tests must be given, even if your chances of getting a job are slim, plus it depends on how many openings there are in a given job title. Some lists for some job titles move slowly, due to available openings (not enough people took the higher-level test for that particular title, creating openings; some move fast due to many openings. Check out your county, and/or state's Civil Service website; also check out your county/state's Judicial website. Increase your odds by taking as many tests as you qualify for. Try not to go in as an Appointee (no test). If there are layoffs, they're the first to go. They have no senority, nor bump rights. You're better off going in as a Certified (test taken) where you can build up senority rights, and take Promo tests either within your job series (i.e. Clerk, Clerk I, II, III, depending on your state's job title series) or outside of it, if you're qualified. "Bumping" means being bumped down by someone with more senority who's within your job title series, to a lower title you held before your present one. I.e. NYS just had Judicial layoffs. Some Court Clerks (high salary) were bumped down to Office Assistants - a huge cut in salary. Sr. Court Reporters were bumped down to Court Reporters - again, huge salary cut. I took a test for my title, Law Stenographer, then Court Reporter (wasn't part of the Law Steno job title series). I retired 4 yrs. ago, just before the Judicial budget tanked. Keep taking tests and don't get discouraged. good luck
Any detectives out there?
1) Most agencies require detectives to have been a beat officer for several years and have shown an above average ability to investigate crimes. 2) Basic Administration of Justice courses, Forensics, English and Writing classes, Psychology, Crime Scene Investigation, etc. 3) Most detectives work a regular 40 hour schedule, but are on 24 hour call. They put in a lot of overtime when the cases come in. 4) They do work with partners, but have their own case load. 5) The FBI has changed requirements in the last few years. They now allow police officers with a certain number of years experience to apply. Why would you want to be an FBI Agent. They are on 24/7 and don't get paid overtime.