Intelligence Analyst
The civilian and federal jobs that hire Army Intelligence Analysts — with real salaries and the resume that gets callbacks.
Every 35F has more options than a Google search will tell you. Below: career paths, BLS salary data, federal GS series, certifications by target career, and how to translate your experience without losing what made you valuable to the Army in the first place.
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After the Navy I got hired into 6 federal career fields and tech sales, and sat on federal hiring panels along the way. I spent the last 2 years rebuilding everything I learned into BMR, tuned for how AI actually screens resumes today. This is the system I wish I'd had on day one.
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Military Role Overview
The Army 35F Intelligence Analyst is the primary enlisted MOS responsible for all-source intelligence analysis — collecting, processing, and synthesizing information from multiple intelligence disciplines (HUMINT, SIGINT, GEOINT, OSINT) to produce actionable intelligence assessments for commanders. 35Fs are the analytical engine of every Army unit from battalion to theater level.
Training at Fort Huachuca, AZ covers intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB), threat analysis, order of battle development, intelligence product creation, and briefing techniques. 35Fs learn to operate classified systems including DCGS-A (Distributed Common Ground System - Army), Palantir, and various SIPR-based tools. Additional assignments may include exposure to GEOINT, SIGINT, or HUMINT disciplines depending on the unit.
In the civilian world, 35Fs bring a combination that is genuinely rare: the ability to analyze large volumes of data from disparate sources, identify patterns and threats, communicate findings clearly to decision-makers, and do all of this with a TS/SCI clearance. That clearance alone puts 35Fs in a hiring category with significantly less competition — many employers cannot fill cleared analyst positions fast enough.
BMR has built more than 55,000 resumes across every MOS, and 35Fs consistently land cleared analyst offers faster than almost any other Army MOS we see — provided the resume actually translates the all-source workflow into civilian language. The clearance opens the door; structured analysis lands the offer. — Brad Tachi, Navy Diver veteran & BMR founder
Pay Reality Check
The number that matters when you're deciding what's next: how does civilian pay compare to what you make now?
Military comp is approximate (varies by location/dependents). Civilian is BLS median. Federal includes locality pay. Your real number depends on duty station, family status, GS step, and overtime.
Private Sector Career Paths
Defense contractors and intelligence community support firms offer the fastest path to high civilian salaries for 35Fs. Cleared intelligence analysts in the DC Metro area routinely earn $90,000-$130,000+ depending on experience and specific clearance access. Companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, Leidos, and ManTech hire hundreds of former 35Fs annually for positions ranging from all-source analysis to program management.
Beyond the defense sector, the demand for analytical talent has expanded significantly. According to BLS May 2024 data, information security analysts earn a median of $124,910, management analysts earn $101,190, and operations research analysts earn $91,290. Financial services firms hire former intel analysts for risk assessment, fraud investigation, and due diligence — roles where synthesizing incomplete information into actionable recommendations is the core job.
Corporate intelligence, competitive analysis, and cybersecurity threat intelligence are growing fields where 35F experience translates directly. Technology companies and consulting firms pay a premium for candidates who can brief senior leadership, produce written assessments under deadline, and distinguish signal from noise in large datasets.
Civilian Job Title Translations
| Civilian Job Title | Industry | BLS Median Salary | Outlook | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Information Security Analyst O*NET: 15-1212.00 | Cybersecurity | $124,910 | Much faster than average (32%) | strong |
Management Analyst O*NET: 13-1111.00 | Consulting / Government / Corporate | $101,190 | Faster than average (10%) | strong |
Operations Research Analyst O*NET: 15-2031.00 | Government / Defense / Corporate | $91,290 | Much faster than average (23%) | strong |
Market Research Analyst O*NET: 13-1161.00 | Corporate / Consulting | $76,950 | Much faster than average (13%) | moderate |
Financial Analyst O*NET: 13-2051.00 | Financial Services | $101,350 | Faster than average (8%) | moderate |
Computer Systems Analyst O*NET: 15-1211.00 | Information Technology | $103,790 | Faster than average (10%) | moderate |
Private Detective / Investigator O*NET: 33-9021.00 | Investigation Services | $52,370 | About as fast as average | moderate |
Compliance Officer O*NET: 13-1041.00 | Financial / Healthcare / Government | $78,420 | About as fast as average | moderate |
Companies That Hire This Background
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BMR rewrites your 35F experience for any of the civilian roles above — keywords, achievements, and language hiring managers actually scan for.
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“I am still getting compliments on my resume. Still getting interviews left and right, and now I have to say no. Very grateful to have so many options suddenly.”
Federal Career Paths
The intelligence community (IC) maintains the most direct military-to-civilian hiring pipeline of any federal sector. DIA, CIA, NSA, NGA, FBI, and the other IC agencies have dedicated programs for transitioning military intelligence analysts — and the timeline from application to hire is often shorter than standard federal hiring because of expedited processing for cleared candidates.
35Fs qualify directly for GS-0132 (Intelligence) positions at the GS-7 to GS-13 level depending on experience and education. Analytical experience also opens GS-0343 (Management and Program Analyst), GS-0301 (Miscellaneous Administration), and GS-1515 (Operations Research) positions. For those interested in cybersecurity, GS-2210 (IT Specialist - INFOSEC) roles at intelligence agencies combine analytical tradecraft with cyber defense.
Veterans' Preference adds 5 or 10 points to hiring assessments, and DIA operates specific military-to-civilian transition programs. The combination of preference points, active clearance, and IC-relevant experience makes the federal hiring process significantly faster than building a private sector career from scratch.
GS Series & Position Matches
| GS Series | Federal Job Title | Typical Grades | Match | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-0132 | Intelligence | GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, GS-12, GS-13 | View Details → | |
| GS-0080 | Security Administration | GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 | View Details → | |
| GS-0343 | Management and Program Analyst | GS-9, GS-11, GS-12, GS-13 | View Details → | |
| GS-0340 | Program Management | GS-11, GS-12, GS-13 | View Details → | |
| GS-2210 | Information Technology Management | GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 | View Details → | |
| GS-1515 | Operations Research | GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 | View Details → | |
| GS-1811 | Criminal Investigator | GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, GS-13 | View Details → | |
| GS-1710 | Education and Vocational Training | GS-7, GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-0301 | Miscellaneous Administration and Program | GS-5, GS-7, GS-9 | View Details → |
Federal resumes follow different rules. We know them.
Federal hiring uses keyword-matching and structured experience. BMR builds federal-format resumes (USAJobs-ready) with the right keywords, hours/week, and supervisor info — for any GS series above.
Free to start · Federal + civilian resume formats included
Want to Change Careers Entirely?
Not everyone wants to stay in a related field. These career paths leverage your transferable skills — leadership, risk management, logistics, project planning — in completely different industries.
Data Analyst / Business Intelligence Analyst
35Fs analyze data from multiple sources, identify patterns, and present findings to decision-makers — that is business intelligence. The analytical framework is identical: collect, process, analyze, disseminate. The difference is the data sources and the audience.
Management Consultant
35Fs solve complex problems using a structured methodology: define the problem, collect information, analyze data, develop options, recommend a course of action, and brief the decision-maker. This IS management consulting methodology — McKinsey, BCG, and Deloitte use the same framework.
Financial Analyst / Risk Analyst
Intelligence threat assessment and financial risk assessment use identical analytical rigor — evaluate sources, assess reliability, identify threats, quantify probability and impact, recommend mitigation. Banks and hedge funds hire former intel analysts for exactly this reason.
Project Management Specialist
Senior 35Fs who managed collection requirements, coordinated multi-agency intelligence efforts, or ran analytical sections were executing intelligence project management — requirements, timelines, stakeholders, deliverables, and quality control.
Cybersecurity Analyst / Threat Intelligence
Cyber threat intelligence is intelligence analysis applied to the cyber domain — same methodology, same rigor, same briefing cycle. You already analyze adversaries, track indicators, and assess capabilities. Learning the cyber-specific tools and frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK, STIX/TAXII) is the bridge.
Corporate Investigator / Due Diligence Analyst
Corporate investigation uses the same research and analysis skills as intelligence work — evaluating sources, identifying discrepancies, building analytical products, and presenting findings. Fraud investigation, corporate due diligence, and competitive intelligence firms hire former analysts.
Pivoting industries? You don't need to start from scratch.
The skills that made you a good Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Soldier transfer further than you think. BMR rewrites your bullets for any of the pivot careers above — without making you sound like you've never done the work.
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Skills Translation Guide
If you're applying to intelligence agencies, defense contractors, or cybersecurity firms, your analytical terminology translates directly. Recruiters at Booz Allen, CACI, or DIA know exactly what IPB, all-source analysis, and threat assessment mean.
But if you're applying to corporate strategy, financial analysis, management consulting, or non-defense data analytics — the hiring manager has never seen 'DCGS-A' on a resume. Below are translations that reframe your 35F intelligence experience into language that resonates in non-intelligence industries. These show how to position your analytical and briefing skills for a business audience.
Resume Bullet Examples
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BMR turns your 35F duties and accomplishments into civilian bullets that match the job you're applying for — no manual translation, no rewriting.
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Certifications by Career Path
Which certifications you need depends on where you're headed. Find your target career path below.
Accounting & Finance
Compliance & Regulatory
Cybersecurity
Data Analytics
Federal Employment
Project Management
Security Management
Got a cert? Don't bury it. List it the right way.
The wrong placement can sink an otherwise strong application. BMR knows where each cert ranks, what to call it, and how to frame it for ATS keyword matching and hiring manager attention.
Free to start · Built around your real certs and clearance
Transition Resources
For Staying in Intelligence/Defense
Intelligence Community Careers: Apply directly through IntelligenceCareers.gov for IC agency positions (DIA, CIA, NSA, NGA, FBI). Also check USAJobs for GS-0132 Intelligence series. Your TS/SCI clearance and analytical background make you a priority candidate.
Defense Contractors: Major firms hiring 35Fs include Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, Leidos, ManTech, SAIC, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems. Most positions require active TS/SCI. Use ClearanceJobs.com — it is the primary job board for cleared positions.
Cybersecurity Path: Intelligence analysis + Security+ puts you in a strong position for cyber threat intelligence roles. Next steps: CompTIA CySA+ or CISSP from ISC2 (requires 5 years experience). Cyber threat intelligence analyst median salary is $124,910 per BLS.
SkillBridge Programs: Defense contractors and IC support firms participate in SkillBridge. Search skillbridge.osd.mil for intelligence and analytics openings. Apply 6+ months before your last 180 days.
For Careers Outside of Intelligence
Data Analytics: Your analytical methodology transfers directly to business analytics. Learn SQL, Python, and Tableau/Power BI — many free courses available through Coursera, edX, and LinkedIn Learning. SAS certification and Google Data Analytics Certificate are recognized credentials.
Management Consulting: Firms like McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, and Accenture recruit veterans. Your structured analytical approach (problem definition, data collection, analysis, recommendation) IS consulting methodology. MBA from a top program strengthens candidacy. Vets in Finance and American Corporate Partners (ACP) provide mentorship.
Financial Analysis: Banks, hedge funds, and insurance companies hire former intel analysts for risk assessment, due diligence, and competitive intelligence. CFA certification is the gold standard for finance careers. Your security analysis skills transfer to financial risk analysis.
GI Bill Strategy: If targeting consulting or finance, an MBA from a target school is the strongest move. Many top MBA programs have veteran recruiting pipelines. Use the GI Bill Comparison Tool with Yellow Ribbon for private programs.
Clearance Leverage: Your TS/SCI clearance is worth $15,000-30,000+ in hiring cost savings. It stays current for up to 24 months after separation (investigation current for 5 years for TS). This is your most valuable asset in the job market — use it before it lapses. ClearanceJobs.com is essential.
BMR Career Resources
Army Resume Guide: MOS Translation | Complete Military Resume Guide | Army ETS Checklist | Build Your Resume Free
Your 30 / 60 / 90-Day Transition Plan
Most people do this backwards. They wait until terminal leave to start, then panic. Here's the sequence that works. Already out? Same plan, start at day one today.
Set the foundation
- Pull your DD-214 (request from Milconnect if separated)
- List your top 3 civilian roles AND top 3 GS series
- Build your tailored 35F resume — BMR does it free
- Write 1 strong LinkedIn headline (not "veteran seeking opportunities")
- Pull together your evals/performance reports for accomplishments
Apply with intent
- Apply to 5–10 jobs/week — quality over quantity
- Tailor every resume to the job description (BMR auto-tailors)
- Connect with 5 people/week on LinkedIn (not a spray)
- Set up a USAJobs profile and a saved-search alert for your GS series
- Practice translating your military bullets out loud — explain to a civilian friend
Close the offer
- Track every application — date, status, contact, notes
- Follow up 7–10 days after each application
- Prep for behavioral interviews using the STAR method
- Negotiate salary — don't take the first offer (BLS median is your floor)
- Stay applying even after one offer — leverage = options
Print this. Tape it to your monitor. Veterans who treat the job search like a 90-day op get hired faster than the ones who treat it like an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
How valuable is my TS/SCI clearance for civilian jobs?
What is the median salary for intelligence and analytics jobs?
Should I stay in intelligence or transition to a different field?
What certifications should I get before separating?
Can I get a cybersecurity job with 35F experience?
How do I explain intelligence analysis to non-defense employers?
What federal agencies hire former 35Fs?
Is an MBA worth it for a former intelligence analyst?
Where are the best job markets for former 35Fs?
How does Veterans' Preference work for intelligence jobs?
Translate your 35F Intelligence Analyst experience into a resume that gets callbacks
Stop rewriting from scratch every time you apply. BMR turns your military experience into civilian and federal resumes — tailored to each job.