What are the main factors that influence a Special Agent's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Special Agent's salary?

A Special Agent's salary grows with experience: an Insurance Broker Trainee (2-4 years)earns $63,432, an Special Agent (4-7 years)earns $87,189, an Insurance Senior Broker (7-10 years)earns $154,234, an Insurance Managing Broker (10+ years)earns $208,776, an Insurance Broker Executive (10+ years)earns $251,290,

What are the highest paying states for a Special Agent?

Special Agent salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Special Agent roles are District of Columbia $97,525, California $97,155, Massachusetts $95,860. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Special Agent roles make?

Salaries for Special Agent level roles vary by specialization: Supervisory Special Agent: $142,856; Land Support Agent Supervisor: $101,083; Special Agent In Charge: $82,053; Assistant Special Agent In Charge: $81,682; Special Investigator: $68,645.

How do different companies affect a Special Agent's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Special Agent roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Special Agent Salary in the United States

How much does a Special Agent make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Special Agent in the United States is $88,082 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

However, a Special Agent's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $111,277
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78,391 to $100,223
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $69,567

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Special Agent Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$100,223	$8,352	$1,927	$48
Average	$88,082	$7,340	$1,694	$42
25th Percentile	$78,391	$6,533	$1,508	$38

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Key Factors That Influence Special Agent Salaries

A Special Agent's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Special Agent Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Special Agent's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $63,432
Early Career (1-2 years): $87,189
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $154,234
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $208,776
Expert (over 8 years): $251,290

Levels	Salary
Insurance... Level Special Agent	$63,432
Special A... Level Special Agent	$87,189
Insurance... Level Special Agent	$154,234
Insurance... Level Special Agent	$208,776
Insurance... Level Special Agent	$251,290

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Special Agent Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Special Agents. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $97,525.
California: $97,155.
Massachusetts: $95,860.

District of Columbia $97,525 California $97,155 Massachusetts $95,860 Washington $95,508 New Jersey $95,472 Alaska $95,349 Connecticut $94,133 New York $93,640

Hawaii $92,064 Rhode Island $91,324 Maryland $90,822 Minnesota $90,135 Colorado $89,870 Illinois $89,782 Oregon $89,447 Delaware $89,201

New Hampshire $89,046 Virginia $88,699 Pennsylvania $87,686 Nevada $87,175 North Dakota $87,008 Michigan $86,743 Wisconsin $86,646 Vermont $86,453

Texas $85,915 Maine $85,880 Arizona $85,827 Ohio $85,766 Georgia $84,955 Indiana $84,550 Wyoming $84,471 Utah $84,348

Iowa $84,295 Kansas $83,872 Louisiana $83,749 North Carolina $83,705 Missouri $83,687 Florida $83,343 Montana $83,158 Nebraska $82,982

Kentucky $82,885 South Carolina $82,533 Tennessee $82,313 Idaho $82,225 New Mexico $81,582 Oklahoma $81,441 Alabama $80,921 South Dakota $80,049

Arkansas $79,573 West Virginia $79,318 Mississippi $78,552

Top Paying Cities for Special Agents

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $111,098
San Francisco: $109,882
Oakland: $107,566

San Jose, CA $111,098

San Francisco, CA $109,882

Oakland, CA $107,566

New York, NY $101,417

Paramus, NJ $100,184

Queens Village, NY $100,179

Passaic, NJ $100,096

Bergenfield, NJ $100,088

Stamford, CT $99,894

Huntington, NY $99,858

Newark, NJ $99,207

Bridgeport, CT $99,021

Vallejo, CA $98,846

New Brunswick, NJ $98,811

Petaluma, CA $98,758

Middlesex, NJ $98,590

Somerset, NJ $98,529

Santa Cruz, CA $98,414

Boston, MA $97,877

Monterey, CA $97,568

Seattle, WA $97,366

Santa Rosa, CA $97,348

Los Angeles, CA $97,322

Juneau, AK $97,093

Washington, DC $96,996

Orange, CA $96,683

Santa Ana, CA $96,450

Long Beach, CA $96,362

Anaheim, CA $96,344

Anchorage, AK $96,300

Santa Maria, CA $96,036

Everett, WA $96,018

Danbury, CT $95,708

Bremerton, WA $95,587

Tacoma, WA $95,270

New Suffolk, NY $95,268

Sacramento, CA $95,243

Santa Barbara, CA $95,146

Trenton, NJ $95,050

San Diego, CA $95,050

Brockton, MA $94,953

Fairbanks, AK $94,737

Lompoc, CA $94,512

Lowell, MA $94,441

Ventura, CA $94,424

Nashua, NH $94,407

Stockton, CA $94,398

Modesto, CA $93,755

Poughkeepsie, NY $93,561

Olympia, WA $93,394

Kennewick, WA $93,394

New Haven, CT $93,358

Lawrence, MA $93,041

Hartford, CT $92,953

Riverside, CA $92,936

New Bedford, MA $92,847

Richland, WA $92,847

Bakersfield, CA $92,724

San Bernardino, CA $92,689

New Britain, CT $92,680

Atlantic City, NJ $92,680

New London, CT $92,645

Norwich, CT $92,618

Portsmouth, NH $92,601

Boulder, CO $92,414

Portland, OR $92,293

Worcester, MA $92,284

Minneapolis, MN $92,011

Philadelphia, PA $91,887

Honolulu, HI $91,597

Saint Paul, MN $91,554

Vineland, NJ $91,535

Providence, RI $91,280

Chicago, IL $91,024

Bellingham, WA $90,918

Springfield, MA $90,848

Baltimore, MD $90,822

Chico, CA $90,601

Pittsfield, MA $90,364

Manchester, NH $90,196

Spokane, WA $89,809

Denver, CO $89,800

Albany, NY $89,386

Troy, NY $89,351

Nassau, NY $89,256

Schenectady, NY $89,166

Wilmington, DE $89,095

Burlington, VT $88,972

Salem, OR $88,937

Portland, ME $88,664

Yakima, WA $88,575

Rochester, MN $88,302

Reno, NV $88,258

Fresno, CA $88,258

Milwaukee, WI $88,179

Detroit, MI $88,091

Ann Arbor, MI $88,076

Allentown, PA $88,065

Colorado Springs, CO $87,915

Syracuse, NY $87,871

Carson City, NV $87,871

Houston, TX $87,747

Eugene, OR $87,703

Gary, IN $87,598

Springfield, OR $87,527

Bismarck, ND $87,510

Galveston, TX $87,448

Medford, OR $87,316

Fort Collins, CO $87,281

Concord, NH $87,237

Austin, TX $87,210

Mesa, AZ $87,025

Reading, PA $87,016

Phoenix, AZ $87,008

Dallas, TX $86,981

Saint Cloud, MN $86,897

Madison, WI $86,779

Utica, NY $86,541

Rochester, NY $86,400

Des Moines, IA $86,391

Raleigh, NC $86,382

Atlanta, GA $86,250

Battle Creek, MI $86,224

Salt Lake City, UT $86,197

Lancaster, PA $86,065

Harrisburg, PA $85,942

Kansas City, MO $85,854

Champaign, IL $85,836

Kansas City, KS $85,836

Fort Worth, TX $85,827

Columbus, OH $85,812

Boca Raton, FL $85,792

Pittsburgh, PA $85,757

Richmond, VA $85,722

Indianapolis, IN $85,704

Cleveland, OH $85,695

Las Vegas, NV $85,589

Cincinnati, OH $85,589

Petersburg, VA $85,457

Huntsville, AL $85,325

Lansing, MI $85,266

Lebanon, PA $85,255

Pueblo, CO $85,246

Appleton, WI $85,220

Buffalo, NY $85,184

Dayton, OH $85,158

Racine, WI $85,140

Charlotte, NC $85,131

Saint Louis, MO $85,105

York, PA $85,052

Elkhart, IN $85,052

Gastonia, NC $85,035

Billings, MT $85,014

Beaumont, TX $84,991

Lorain, OH $84,973

Benton Harbor, MI $84,955

Toledo, OH $84,938

Binghamton, NY $84,894

Rock Hill, SC $84,885

Rockford, IL $84,841

Springfield, IL $84,806

Elyria, OH $84,797

Fargo, ND $84,797

Flagstaff, AZ $84,735

Fort Lauderdale, FL $84,682

Duluth, MN $84,629

Miami, FL $84,629

Cheyenne, WY $84,568

Grand Forks, ND $84,568

Bangor, ME $84,374

Cedar Rapids, IA $84,277

Durham, NC $84,240

Louisville, KY $84,233

Grand Rapids, MI $84,215

Hialeah, FL $84,207

Casper, WY $84,083

Scranton, PA $83,978

New Orleans, LA $83,951

Virginia Beach, VA $83,942

Akron, OH $83,898

Peoria, IL $83,784

Sarasota, FL $83,766

Nashville, TN $83,705

Omaha, NE $83,705

Green Bay, WI $83,705

Baton Rouge, LA $83,660

Charleston, SC $83,643

Jamestown, NY $83,599

Davenport, IA $83,599

Tucson, AZ $83,555

Saint Petersburg, FL $83,502

Tampa, FL $83,484

Evansville, IN $83,431

Port Arthur, TX $83,431

Bradenton, FL $83,396

Santa Fe, NM $83,238

Orlando, FL $83,079

Clearwater, FL $83,053

Canton, OH $82,868

La Crosse, WI $82,868

Albuquerque, NM $82,815

Newport News, VA $82,806

High Point, NC $82,780

Ogden, UT $82,744

Corpus Christi, TX $82,674

Norfolk, VA $82,621

Laramie, WY $82,621

Rock Island, IL $82,568

Saginaw, MI $82,551

Jacksonville, FL $82,542

Salisbury, NC $82,524

Boise, ID $82,507

Moline, IL $82,463

Fort Myers, FL $82,436

Memphis, TN $82,419

Tulsa, OK $82,374

Waterloo, IA $82,322

Spartanburg, SC $82,234

Lincoln, NE $82,190

Fort Wayne, IN $82,172

Provo, UT $82,163

Cedar Falls, IA $82,057

San Antonio, TX $82,022

Greensboro, NC $81,987

South Bend, IN $81,978

Savannah, GA $81,881

Muskegon, MI $81,846

Birmingham, AL $81,837

Winston Salem, NC $81,794

Lake Charles, LA $81,582

Anderson, IN $81,564

Lexington, KY $81,538

Augusta, GA $81,511

Greenville, SC $81,511

Lima, OH $81,441

Wichita, KS $81,432

Tuscaloosa, AL $81,432

Columbia, SC $81,353

Springfield, OH $81,335

Asheville, NC $81,194

Bloomington, IN $81,133

Knoxville, TN $80,815

Shreveport, LA $80,807

Wilmington, NC $80,692

Roanoke, VA $80,692

Topeka, KS $80,534

Frankfort, KY $80,524

Oklahoma City, OK $80,463

Chillicothe, OH $80,428

Longview, TX $80,419

Melbourne, FL $80,410

Sioux Falls, SD $80,269

Mobile, AL $80,261

Terre Haute, IN $80,225

Altoona, PA $80,172

Amarillo, TX $80,111

Killeen, TX $80,084

Fayetteville, AR $80,014

Chattanooga, TN $79,987

Sioux City, IA $79,908

Idaho Falls, ID $79,891

Lynchburg, VA $79,820

Gainesville, FL $79,706

Portsmouth, OH $79,662

Little Rock, AR $79,644

Lafayette, LA $79,609

Youngstown, OH $79,609

Daytona Beach, FL $79,556

Clarksville, TN $79,547

Pensacola, FL $79,538

Temple, TX $79,532

Hopkinsville, KY $79,274

Erie, PA $79,256

Florence, SC $79,221

Charleston, WV $79,080

Great Falls, MT $79,036

Macon, GA $78,913

Tallahassee, FL $78,904

Fayetteville, NC $78,886

Waco, TX $78,869

Helena, MT $78,807

Pine Bluff, AR $78,774

Vincennes, IN $78,666

Lubbock, TX $78,631

Alamogordo, NM $78,578

Twin Falls, ID $78,499

Rapid City, SD $78,472

Jackson, MS $78,314

Huntington, WV $78,308

Greenville, MS $78,305

Parkersburg, WV $78,215

Montgomery, AL $78,199

Wichita Falls, TX $78,111

Springfield, MO $78,111

Biloxi, MS $78,067

Monroe, LA $77,979

Johnstown, PA $77,918

Sumter, SC $77,882

Columbus, GA $77,873

Pascagoula, MS $77,706

Abilene, TX $77,706

Kingsport, TN $77,477

Albany, GA $77,477

Gulfport, MS $77,451

Alexandria, LA $77,160

Fort Smith, AR $76,940

El Paso, TX $76,702

Las Cruces, NM $76,306

Harlingen, TX $76,082

Pocatello, ID $76,068

Florence, AL $75,953

Brownsville, TX $75,936

Mcallen, TX $75,751

Dothan, AL $75,627

Columbus, MS $75,104

Altus, OK $74,694

Lawton, OK $74,526

Pierre, SD $74,209

What Skills Can Increase a Special Agent's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Presentation (Mentioned in 6.24% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
Prospecting (Mentioned in 2.75% Job Postings): Prospecting is the first stage of the geological analysis (second – exploration) of a territory. It is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking. Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by commercial mineral companies to find commercially viable ore deposits. Prospecting is physical labour, involving traversing (traditionally on foot or on horseback), panning, sifting and outcrop investigation, looking for signs of mineralisation. In some areas a prospector must also make claims, meaning they must erect posts with the appropriate placards on all four corners of a desired land they wish to prospect and register this claim before they may take samples. In other areas publicly held lands are open to prospecting without staking a mining claim.
Work Ethic (Mentioned in 2.01% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Presentation	6.24%
Prospecting	2.75%
Work Ethic	2.01%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Special Agent's salary.

Customer Relationship: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Telemarketing: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Product Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Customer Relationship	$94,248	7%
Telemarketing	$94,248	7%
Product Marketing	$94,248	7%
Listening	$93,367	6%
Outside Sales	$92,486	5%
Billing	$92,486	5%

Get Latest Data

Special Agent Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Special Agent roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 25% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Insurance, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Special Agent positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Special Agent as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Special Agent

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Insurance	$96,890	$47.0	10%
Financial Services	$92,486	$44.0	5%

Special Agent Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Special Agent's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$78,391

Average $88,082/year

$100,223

$6,533

Average $7,340/month

$8,352

$1,508

Average $1,694/week

$1,927

$38

Average $42/hour

$48

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$100,223	$8,352	$1,927	$48
Average	$88,082	$7,340	$1,694	$42
25th Percentile	$78,391	$6,533	$1,508	$38

Salaries of jobs related to Special Agent

Salary Trends for Special Agent

Salaries for a Special Agent can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $81,929 in 2023 to around $80,297 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Special Agent salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Special Agent Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$81,929

2024

$81,425

2025

$80,297

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$81,929
2024	$81,425
2025	$80,297
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Special Agent

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Special Agent

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Special Agent?

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Special Agent roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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