A Rewarding Career: Understanding the Salary of an ICE Agent
For those drawn to a career in federal law enforcement, a role with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offers a unique blend of national security, criminal investigation, and public service. But beyond the mission, a critical question for any prospective applicant is: What is the salary for an ICE Agent? The answer is compelling. While starting salaries are competitive, experienced agents in high-demand locations can earn well over $150,000 annually, making it a financially stable and rewarding long-term career.
This article provides a data-driven look at an ICE Agent's earning potential, breaking down the key factors that determine your pay from your first day to the peak of your career.
What Does an ICE Agent Do?
Before diving into the numbers, it's important to understand that "ICE Agent" is a term that typically refers to two primary law enforcement roles within the agency, each with a distinct mission:
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents: These are the criminal investigators of ICE. They focus on a wide range of transnational crimes, including human trafficking, cybercrime, narcotics smuggling, financial crimes, and counter-proliferation. Their work is complex, often involving long-term investigations, surveillance, and collaboration with other federal and international agencies.
- Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers: These officers are responsible for identifying, arresting, and removing noncitizens who have violated U.S. immigration laws. Their duties include managing fugitive operations, overseeing detention facilities, and executing final orders of removal.
Both roles are critical to the mission of the Department of Homeland Security and follow the same federal pay structure, though their day-to-day responsibilities and career progression can differ.
Average ICE Agent Salary
An ICE Agent's salary is not a single, flat number. It is determined by the federal government's General Schedule (GS) pay system, which combines a base salary with several powerful enhancers.
According to data from salary aggregators like Salary.com and Glassdoor, the average base salary for an ICE Agent in the United States typically falls between $95,000 and $125,000 per year.
However, this average only tells part of the story. The actual salary range is much wider:
- Entry-Level (GS-5/GS-7): New agents can expect to start in a range of approximately $60,000 to $75,000, depending on their qualifications and duty station.
- Experienced/Senior-Level (GS-13 and above): Seasoned agents at the full performance "journeyman" level, especially those in major metropolitan areas, can regularly earn $150,000 to over $170,000 annually when all forms of compensation are included.
This significant variation is due to several key factors that directly influence an agent's take-home pay.
Key Factors That Influence Salary
Understanding the federal pay system is essential to grasping an ICE Agent's full earning potential. Your salary is a formula based on your education, experience, location, and more.
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Level of Education
Your educational background is a primary factor in determining your starting pay grade. To qualify for a position, a bachelor's degree is typically the minimum requirement. However, higher academic achievement can give you a significant head start.
- GS-5 Level: A bachelor's degree with a good academic record.
- GS-7 Level: A bachelor's degree with "Superior Academic Achievement" (e.g., a 3.0+ GPA or being in the top third of your class) or one full year of graduate-level education.
- GS-9 Level: A master's degree or two full years of progressively higher graduate education.
Starting at a higher GS grade means a higher base salary from day one, accelerating your career earnings.
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Years of Experience
Experience is rewarded through two mechanisms in the federal system: promotions and within-grade "step" increases.
- Promotions (Grade Increases): Agents typically enter a career ladder program, allowing them to be promoted annually (e.g., from GS-7 to GS-9, then to GS-11, and so on) until they reach the full performance level, known as the "journeyman" grade. For HSI Special Agents, this is usually GS-13; for ERO Deportation Officers, it is often GS-12.
- Step Increases: Each GS grade has 10 "steps." You progress through these steps based on your time in the role, with each step providing a salary increase. This ensures your pay continues to rise even after you've reached your journeyman grade.
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Geographic Location
Where you are assigned to work is one of the most significant factors in your overall salary. To account for different costs of living, the federal government provides Locality Pay, a percentage-based adjustment to your base salary.
For example, based on the 2024 OPM (Office of Personnel Management) salary tables:
- An agent in a lower-cost area falling under the "Rest of U.S." locality receives a 16.82% adjustment.
- An agent assigned to Washington, D.C. receives a 33.26% adjustment.
- An agent in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area receives a 44.15% adjustment.
This means two agents with the same grade and experience level can have vastly different salaries based solely on their duty station.
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The Federal Pay System: GS Scale, LEAP, and More
Beyond grade and location, federal law enforcement officers receive additional compensation. The most important of these is Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP).
- Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP): Because the job requires agents to be available for unscheduled overtime work, they receive LEAP. This is a fixed payment of 25% of your base salary plus locality pay. This premium is not optional and dramatically increases total compensation.
- Other Compensation: Agents may also be eligible for overtime pay (beyond the hours covered by LEAP), night shift differentials, foreign language awards, and special assignment pay.
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Area of Specialization
While both HSI and ERO officers are paid on the GS scale, their career ladders can differ slightly. As mentioned, HSI Special Agents typically have a full performance level of GS-13, while ERO Deportation Officers often cap out at GS-12. This difference in one grade level can equate to a significant salary gap at the senior level. Furthermore, highly specialized roles, such as those in cyber forensics or tactical teams (SRT), may offer unique training and faster paths to senior or supervisory positions (GS-14/GS-15), which come with higher pay scales.
Job Outlook
A career as an ICE Agent is highly competitive and sought-after. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the overall employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.
However, hiring for federal law enforcement agencies like ICE is heavily dependent on federal budgets, national security priorities, and administration policies. While there will always be a need for skilled agents, the number of open positions can fluctuate yearly. Aspiring agents should focus on building a strong application with a solid educational background, relevant work experience, and a clean record.
Conclusion
A career as an ICE Agent is more than a job; it's a commitment to a challenging and vital mission. The financial compensation reflects this level of responsibility and dedication. For prospective candidates, the key takeaways on salary are:
- Pay is Formulaic and Transparent: Your salary isn't arbitrary; it's calculated based on the GS scale, your experience, your location, and LEAP.
- Significant Growth Potential: Through promotions and step increases, your salary will grow substantially from your entry-level starting point.
- Location Matters: High-cost-of-living areas come with significant locality pay adjustments, boosting your overall earnings.
- LEAP is a Major Enhancer: The 25% availability pay is a standard part of compensation and makes a federal law enforcement career highly competitive financially.
For the right individual, a career with ICE offers a path to financial stability, excellent federal benefits, and the profound satisfaction of serving your country.