What qualifications and experience can increase starting salary for ICE entry-level hires?
Executive summary
Entry-level pay for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) roles varies widely by job series, location and experience; broad salary snapshots show median/average ranges around roughly $62k–$74k for ICE job categories on private sites, while some reporting says entry-level agents may start at lower GS levels (e.g., GS‑5 ≈ $29,350) depending on hiring path [1] [2] [3]. Available sources emphasize that location, years of relevant experience, education and the specific ICE job family are the main levers that can raise starting pay [4] [1] [5] [2].
1. Pay is not one number — it depends on job family and data source
Public/private salary snapshots differ: ZipRecruiter lists average annual pay for “ICE Agent” roles around $62,702 with interquartile ranges roughly $49k–$82k [1], while other ZipRecruiter pages for ICE immigration/deportation roles show averages near $73k–$74k and wide ranges up to six figures in some percentiles [6] [2]. Private aggregator Levels.fyi reports a much higher median total compensation for “ICE” as a company but that dataset mixes roles, bonuses and stock and appears to capture a broader employer set, not just federal GS pay [7]. These differences mean candidates should check the exact job title and data source when benchmarking [1] [6] [7].
2. Formal qualifications that can increase starting pay
All sources point to education and relevant experience as consistent pay drivers. ZipRecruiter and Salary.com note that higher education and more years of relevant experience generally move candidates into higher percentiles or higher GS steps for federal-type roles [1] [4] [5]. Hindustan Times reporting notes that entry-level ICE agents “typically need at least a bachelor’s degree” and that some federal entry requirements permit one year of graduate study to substitute unless Superior Academic Achievement applies — qualifications that affect the GS level at hire [3]. In short: a bachelor’s or advanced degrees and documented relevant experience increase the likelihood of being appointed at a higher starting step or competing for higher-paying job series [1] [3].
3. Experience, skills and specialization move pay significantly
Aggregators repeatedly list “experience” and “skill level” as major determinants of where an individual falls within salary ranges; specialized skills (investigative experience, language proficiency, technical or legal expertise) are commonly rewarded in higher pay bands or specialized positions that start higher [1] [5] [2]. Levels.fyi’s broad totals suggest technical and managerial roles can command much higher compensation, indicating that candidates with IT, analytics or management credentials can access better starting packages where those roles exist [7]. Sources therefore advise tailoring your profile to the specific ICE job family to capture premium pay [1] [7].
4. Location and cost‑of‑living adjustments matter
ZipRecruiter pages repeatedly highlight geographic variation: several ICE-related salary pages show different state/city averages and advise that moving to higher‑paying locales can materially raise pay [1] [8]. Salary.com likewise lists location among the factors shaping pay levels [4]. Candidates should factor in locality pay and federal locality adjustments or local market differentials captured by private aggregators when estimating starting pay [4] [1].
5. How the federal General Schedule (GS) rules influence starting pay — and limits of available reporting
One news report cites entry-level ICE agents beginning at GS‑5 with an example pay figure near $29,350, and notes advancement through GS levels with experience [3]. However, private aggregators report much higher averages for ICE job categories overall, reflecting mixture of series, locations and non‑agent roles [1] [6] [7]. Available sources do not provide a comprehensive, official GS table for every ICE hiring path here; candidates seeking definitive starting GS/step guidance should consult ICE/OPM job announcements or the official vacancy announcement (not found in current reporting).
6. Practical steps to increase your starting offer
Based on the factors named in the sources, applicants can raise starting pay by: (a) qualifying for higher GS appointment through advanced degrees or documented experience [3]; (b) highlighting specialized skills (languages, investigations, IT) that map to higher‑paying job families [1] [7]; (c) targeting higher‑paying locations or vacancy announcements with locality pay premia [1] [8]; and (d) comparing multiple data sources (Salary.com, ZipRecruiter, Levels.fyi) to set negotiation expectations [4] [1] [7]. All these levers are explicitly named across the reporting [4] [1] [5] [2].
Limitations and next steps: the sources are aggregate third‑party salary sites and a news piece; they mix job families and do not substitute for an official ICE/OPM vacancy announcement. For precise starting GS level and locality pay for a specific vacancy, consult the official job posting or ICE/OPM guidance — those documents are not included in the provided sources (not found in current reporting).