How much does a top secret clearance cost?
The average cost to process a TOP SECRET clearance is between $3,000 and about $15,000, depending upon individual factors. The government pays the cost of clearances for military personnel and civilian government employees.
Compensation is also connected to the level of security clearance. Survey respondents with a Defense Department secret-level clearance earned just over $92,000 on average, while DoD top-secret clearance holders earned an average of $119,000.
How long does the security clearance process take? The security clearance process takes an average of three to four months to complete but can take up to a full year to complete depending on your background.
Depending on where you want to be located and your field, having a Top Secret clearance offers a lot more job security. And it also offers future job opportunities too. Just because it's best to do some research doesn't mean that you should avoid the option.
- Controlled Unclassified.
- Public Trust Position.
- Confidential.
- Secret.
- Top Secret.
- Compartmented.
Therefore, all FBI positions require at least a Top Secret Clearance; special agents must be able to obtain a Top Secret SCI Clearance.
Is There a Debt Limit to Obtain a Security Clearance? No branch of the military has a set amount of debt that is the breaking point for security clearance. You could owe $5,000 or $50,000 and be granted or denied clearance. It's all a matter of how you deal with the debt.
You were dishonorably discharged from the military. You are currently involved in illegal drug use. You have been judged as mentally incompetent or mentally incapacitated by a mental health professional. You have had a clearance revoked for security reasons.
Tier 5 – Top Secret Security Clearance
As the highest level of security clearance, applicants can expect a more rigorous examination. If approved, this clearance gives cleared personnel access to information or material that could cause disastrous damage to national security. Tier 5 is the only tier in this category.
The government can deny or revoke your clearance because of noncompliance with security regulations that raises doubt about your trustworthiness, willingness, and ability to safeguard classified information.
What are red flags for security clearance?
Many security clearance applications are denied due to specific financial concerns. For example, large quantities of debt that are potentially unmanageable or unpaid taxes are both considered red flags.
Information "above Top Secret," a phrase used by the media, means either Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or Special Access Program (SAP). It is not truly "above" Top Secret, since there is no clearance higher than Top Secret.
| SENSITIVITY REINVESTIGATION LEVEL (1) | CATEGORY | SECURITY/SUITABILITY CLEARANCE DETERMINATION |
|---|---|---|
| Level 6 PRI every 5 years | Public Trust | High Risk |
| Level 6 PRI every 5 years | Public Trust Duties | High Risk involving designated |
| Level 6 PRI every 5 years | National Security & PT | Secret & High Risk |
All potential employees must: Obtain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Successfully complete a drug test to screen for illegal drug use. Complete a required counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination.
The average cost to process a TOP SECRET clearance is between $3,000 and about $15,000, depending upon individual factors. The government pays the cost of clearances for military personnel and civilian government employees.
SEALs candidates must be a male U.S. citizen under the age of 28 and able to get a Top Secret security clearance.
Your credit and debt will be a primary factor in whether you are granted security clearance. In fact, it's far and away the most common reason security clearance requests are denied.
Imperfect financial circ*mstances, such as bad credit scores, can have a negative influence on your application and potentially cause your security clearance to be denied. In fact, financial issues comprise a large percentage of security clearance denials.
If your request for an interim security clearance is denied, your dreams of a security clearance aren't lost! The denial rate for interim clearances is around 20 to 30% but is only 1% for full security clearances.
- current or former employers. ...
- Someone who knows you from civic or community engagement. ...
- A current or former professor, teacher, or instructor. ...
- A personal friend you've known for many years.
What positions require Top Secret clearance?
- Cybersecurity Engineering - Mid. ...
- ISO 20000/27001 Business Analyst/Lead. ...
- Deputy Program Manager (Cyber) ...
- Senior Financial and Project Management Consultant. ...
- Program Manager / Technical Lead. ...
- Structural Engineer. ...
- Hunt Lead (Security Architect) ...
- Management and Program Analyst.
Yankee White is an administrative nickname for a background check undertaken in the United States of America for Department of Defense personnel and contractor employees working with the president and vice president.
T3 is the investigation required for positions designated as non-critical sensitive and/or requiring eligibility for "L" access or access to Confidential or Secret information.
Although security clearance background checks can be intensely thorough, the government can't view your emails, Internet browsing history, hard drive data, and other virtual assets without a subpoena or warrant.
Top Secret Security Clearance: A top secret security clearance grants you access to information that could result in the gravest of consequences for our nation's security if disclosed. Clearances at this high level will naturally require more intensive scrutiny than the lower levels.
An individual is normally subject to reinvestigation approximately every five years for a Secret or Top Secret clearance.
During the background check process, certain factors may lead to a person's clearance being denied—such as having a criminal record, financial issues such as bankruptcy or delinquent debts, having affiliations with groups or organizations connected with espionage, and/or drug use or addiction.
Information "above Top Secret," a phrase used by the media, means either Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or Special Access Program (SAP). It is not truly "above" Top Secret, since there is no clearance higher than Top Secret.
It currently takes 121 days to obtain a Top Secret security clearance for the fastest 90% of DoD/Industry applicants, and 95 days to obtain a Secret clearance for the fastest 90% of DoD/Industry applicants. Clearance denials and revocations flagged by DCSA for FY 2022 were: Financial issues.
