What is the typical career pay progression for an ICE special agent from entry GS to senior GS levels?
Executive summary
A typical ICE special agent starts at a GS hiring grade that reflects education and experience—commonly GS-5, GS-7 or GS-9—and then moves up a career ladder through GS-11, GS-12 and into journeyman or supervisory GS levels such as GS-13 and above, with GS-14/15 and SES reserved for competitive, selective promotions [1] [2] [3] [4]. Actual take‑home compensation is driven not only by base GS pay but by locality adjustments, within‑grade step increases, Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP, ~25% of base), and occasional recruitment or assignment bonuses, producing wide reported ranges from roughly mid‑five figures at entry to well over six figures for senior agents [5] [6] [7] [8].
1. Entry grades: where agents begin and why it varies
New hires may be placed at GS-5, GS-7, or GS-9 depending on education and specialized experience—bachelor’s degrees and prior qualifying work often push candidates into higher starting grades while advanced degrees or law degrees can justify GS-9 or above (federal hiring guidance summarized by multiple career guides) [1] [2] [9]. ICE and HSI recruiting materials indicate GL/GS‑7 is a common qualification point for criminal investigator announcements, with the agency describing eligibility rules tied to one year of specialized experience for GL-7 [4] [3]. Public recruiting pages and older aggregate guides show historical variability (for example, many earlier entrants at GS-5), so starting grade can differ by announcement and year [1] [9].
2. The formal ladder: typical grade progression for investigators
Career‑ladder postings and industry summaries describe a progression that moves entrants through GS-11 and GS-12 to a journeyman grade at or near GS-12–GS-13, depending on the source; Homeland Security Investigations sources commonly list GS-11 → GS-12 → GS-13 as the standard route, while some analysts call GS-12 the journeyman breakpoint, highlighting a modest divergence in how "journeyman" is labeled across materials [3] [10]. Promotions along this ladder require satisfactory performance and completion of required training and are not automatic—advancement combines time‑in‑grade, demonstrated competence, and available positions [4].
3. Pay beyond the GS table: LEAP, locality pay and bonuses
ICE special agents classified as criminal investigators receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP), which is applied as roughly 25% of basic pay to compensate for irregular hours and on‑call expectations; locality pay and within‑grade step increases further increase compensation and explain much of the variation between offices and postings [11] [5] [6]. Recent reporting on ICE recruiting also notes hiring incentives and signing bonuses in some campaigns—figures up to $50,000 have been mentioned in reporting about recruitment pushes—though these are discretionary, time‑limited, and tied to specific postings [6].
4. Senior grades: competitive jumps to GS-14/GS-15 and SES
Beyond the journeyman level, supervisory and executive positions are filled through competitive processes; GS-14 and GS-15 supervisory pay is attainable but selective, and Senior Executive Service (SES) roles sit above the GS scale and are filled through separate, highly competitive channels [4] [12]. Job postings and contemporary pay tables show supervisory announcements listing upper ranges into the high five figures or low six figures (for example, a GS-14 posting with a top end above $192,000), illustrating how senior assignments and locality adjustments can push total compensation considerably higher [6].
5. Dollar context and real‑world ranges
Published career guides and job‑site aggregates provide a broad numeric picture: entry base pay historically cited in older guides ranged in the $27k–$35k band for GS‑5 hires, while modern entry announcements and career summaries place entry criminal investigator pay commonly between mid‑$40k (GL‑7) up toward mid‑$70k depending on grade and locality, and experienced agents listed up to GS‑15 scales or equivalent total compensation well into six figures when LEAP and locality are included [1] [7] [9] [13] [8]. Aggregated employer review sites report median and percentile spreads that show many agents clustered in the six‑figure territory once premium pays and progression are counted, but these figures vary widely with location, grade, step, and assignment [8] [13].
6. Caveats, variance and what reporting doesn’t resolve
Sources differ on whether the journeyman label lands at GS-12 or GS-13 and on precise starting pay figures—reflecting changing OPM tables, locality schedules, and recruitment policy updates—so any single dollar figure should be treated as illustrative rather than definitive [3] [10] [9]. Official ICE career pages and current USAJOBS postings remain the authoritative places to confirm grade, step, LEAP eligibility and any bonus for a specific vacancy; reporting and aggregate sites illuminate ranges and trends but cannot substitute for the specific vacancy announcement [4] [6].