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When you look through job postings on various websites you you may have opened a few job descriptions that say a security clearance is required. If this is you I am sure at one point you have wondered how much more you could make if you had a DOD security clearance. How much more you can make with a clearance depends many things. How much demand is already out there for people with your skill set is one impotent factor. Another factor is how you would use the fact you have a security clearance to find work. Just like any other job your experience level in the area you are looking for a job in will have a lot to do with how much more you can make. What level of security clearance you have will also determine how much more you could make than someone without a security clearance.
How much demand there is for someone with your skills is a big part of how much you can make with a security clearance. If you can make big bucks without a security clearance because the demand is high for people with your skill set you can bet that companies who have positions to fill will pay a bit more for someone like you. If a company is looking for someone to fill a slot that requires a security clearance but there are a lot of people out there with that skill set that already has a DOD security clearance the company will not have to pay that person much more than the non-clearance job does.
How you use your security clearance to get a job is another big factor in how much more you can make. Are you just trying to get a job locally or are you willing to go where you can get the most money? If you are willing to use the fact you have a clearance to get a job where the demand is the highest you will make a lot more than if you just take the first job that comes up in your current location. If you are willing to go one step further than moving to a new state you can usually make a lot more money by taking a job overseas. Just because there are a lot of people with your skill set to choose from in one area does not mean that is the case in another area. Being willing to move is a way you can maximize the benefits of having a security clearance. If a company is having a hard time finding someone like you with a security clearance they are not only more apt to give you a higher salary they will be more likely to help you out with moving expenses.
More and more companies who have slots to fill that require a security clearance are cross training current employees if the slot does not require a lot of experience. If they cant find someone in there own ranks that they can cross train they can find someone who may not be totally qualified for the position but close enough were the company feels they can train them for the slot. When the company does this the person they hire usually sees this as a way to upgrade their resume to make them more marketable and are willing to take the job for less than someone with more experience would. If the position needs to be filled by someone with at least ten years of experience in the field the company is going to have to increase the amount of money it offers to potential employees.
What level of security clearance you have has a lot to do with how much more you can make. If there are two positions open and each are Technician level two slots but one requires someone with a secret clearance and the other requires someone with a top secret clearance the position that requires a top secret clearance will pay the most. Like all things there are always exceptions. Many times someone with a secret clearance is willing to take the job that requires a top secret clearance for less so they can get their security clearance upgraded. The company is able to fill the slot for less but has to spend the money to get the employee a security upgrade. If they go this route chances are that company is going to raise that employees salary when they offer them a new contract so they can keep them from leaving and taking a higher paying job with someone ells. Getting someone a security clearance is not cheap for companies so they tend to do there best to retain workers they already have because if the employee sticks around it saves the company money in the long run.
The biggest factor that determines how much more you can make with a security clearance is your ability to negotiate. It is always best to look for jobs when you already have one. If you are already working it is easier to turn down an offer if they are not giving you close to what you want. When you ask for more money then they offer you it is up to the company to decide if they are willing to give you the amount you want. Companies like to low ball potential employees and will tell you this is there final offer. You then have a choice to either take what they are offering or turn it down. If you turn it down you have to be willing to not take the job. They may never contact you again about the job if you turn it down. By turning it down though you show them that you are serious about how much money you want to make and they may contact you gain with a higher offer. This does not always happen though but it is part of negotiations. Sometimes you have to be willing to walk away from the table before the other party is willing to deal.
From personal experience I found jobs that require a secret security clearance tend to pay $10,000 to $20,000 more a year than a job that does not require a clearance. If you are willing to move overseas this goes up to about $20,000 to $30,000. If you have a top secret clearance you can make between $15,000 and $35,000 more a year and if you are willing to move overseas you could make between $20,000 to $40,000 more a year. Like I said though it comes down to other factors other than your security clearance. How much your skill set is in demand, how much experience you have, and how many people with your particular skill set have security clearances to name a few.
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