Homeland security jobs are diverse and the work is constantly changing to meet the security needs of our country. The Department of Homeland Security was created in 2001 to ensure security coordination between private industries and government agencies. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security is one of the largest federal agencies employing more than 200,000 workers.
Homeland security jobs are available for those who have a variety of backgrounds and educational experiences. Options are available for those who like to work in the background or in the forefront.
Four of the most sought out jobs in the homeland security industry are cyber security, border patrol agents, emergency management directors, and analytical chemists. Read on and learn more about the job outlook and salary expectations in these exciting fields.
Cyber Security
Computer security specialists protect the nation by performing some of the following tasks:
Install security software.
Plan and coordinate computerized security.
Monitor computerized networks for breaches in security.
Respond to cyber attacks.
Gather data and evidence of cyber attacks and criminal activity.
Workers in the computer security field had favorable job prospects over the 2001-2010 decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the need for computer specialists is expected to increase 30% from 2008 to 2018. This exceptional job growth is in direct correlation to the increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks that have been occurring in recent years.
The following are the reported earnings for computer security specialists according to the Department of Labor:
$71,000 (median annual salary)
More than $111,000 (highest reported earnings for the top 10%)
Less than $42,000 (lowest reported earnings for the bottom 10%)
Between $54,000 and $91,000 (salary for the middle 50%)
Border Patrol Agents
Border patrol agents perform two main tasks:
Prevent illegal citizens from entering the country.
Prevent people from bringing illegal items into the county such as drugs or weapons.
According to the Office of Border Patrol, there were more than 12,000 border patrol agents in 2006. Most of the jobs are in states that neighbor Mexico including Texas, Arizona, California, and New Mexico. The job outlook for border patrol agents is expected to be good.
Border patrol agents beginning salary is between $25,000 to $31,000 depending on an applicant’s background experiences and education level. The salary increases tend to be fairly regular. In addition, most border patrol agents tend to receive overtime.
Emergency Management Directors
The main task of emergency management directors is to respond to disasters. In 2004, over 11,000 emergency manager directors were employed throughout the government and private industries. The projected job growth for emergency management directors is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations. More than 2,500 jobs will be added over the next decade in this field.
The following are the reported salary expectations for emergency management directors according to the Department of Labor:
$45,700 (median salary)
$81,900 (highest reported earnings for the top 10%)
$24,600 (lowest reported earning for the bottom 10%)
Between $33,400 and $62,000 (salary for the middle 50%)
Analytical Chemists
Analytical chemists perform the following main tasks:
Chemists analyze substances and determine what they are and how much of the substance is there.
Chemists also study how a variety of compounds interact.
Analytical chemists make decisions about chemical weapons in national security situations.
Analytical chemists also study how to decontaminate areas that have been exposed to chemical weapons using environmentally friendly methods.
In 2004, there were more than 78,000 chemists employed in all kinds of areas. Jobs for chemists are expected to grow more slowly than average for all occupations. However, work will be available due to retirement and promotions. Analytical chemists do have the best job opportunities.
Analytical chemists who choose to work for homeland security need to commit to this area. Once analytical chemists specialize it can be difficult to leave and find other areas of work. Employers prefer to hire analytical chemists who are problem solvers and can generalize in many areas.
The following are the reported salaries for all chemists according to the Department of Labor:
$57,100 (median salary)
$100,000 (highest reported earnings for the top 10%)
$34,000 (lowest reported earnings for the bottom 10%)
Between $43,000 and $77,000 (salary for the middle 50%)
The highest earnings went to analytical chemists who worked for the federal government.
In conclusion, homeland security jobs are highly sought after. These jobs are available in Washington D.C. and throughout the country. For most of these careers the job outlook and salaries are favorable even in difficult economic