For Educators: Military Resources
Military Signals Intelligence Specialists
Median Salary
69,624
Workforce Count
15,439
Overview
What are the responsibilities of this role?
Signals intelligence specialists oversee the collection and exploitation of electromagnetic signals, including communication and non-communication signals. They operate sophisticated equipment to gather, sort, and scan intercepted signals. They identify and process the signals and perform analyses to establish target identification and operational patterns. Using this information, they produce combat, strategic, and tactical intelligence reports.
What is the work environment like?
Signals intelligence specialists work in offices on land and aboard ships, and in tents when in the field.
How many people have this role in the Military?
15,439
Compensation
Understanding How Military Pay is More Than Just a Salary
Base pay is the standard income you’ll earn as a service member, providing a stable foundation to start achieving your financial goals.
- Always fixed based on rank and service time.
- Distributed monthly.
What is the typical salary range?
Salary by Years of Service
$51,000
2 Years
$86,432
6 Years
$134,268
10+ Years
Median Salary
Military Details
What Service Branches offer this role?
Is this a staff or leadership role?
Enlisted service members execute vital tasks, support operations alongside officers and develop role-specific skills to achieve mission success.
Learn More About Enlisted and Officer PathsWhat does the training for this role entail?
All enlisted service members complete basic military training, which includes time spent in a classroom and in the field, and covers tactical and survival skills, physical training, military life and customs, and weapons training. Signals intelligence specialists in the Military will gain skills through classroom study and on-the-job experience. Job-specific training may include:
- Planning imagery and geospatial data from satellite and airborne systems
- Preparing intelligence reports, maps, and charts
- Analyzing aerial, satellite, and radar imagery
- Using computer systems
- Foreign language training
- Target identification and operational patterns
- Analyzing communications information using technical references
Education
What level of education do professionals in this role have?
Which college majors best prepare you for this role?
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance
- Computer Engineering, General
- Computer Engineering, Other
- Information Technology
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
- Network and System Administration/Administrator
- Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst
- Cloud Computing
Learn About How Military Can Pay for 100% of your College Degree
The Military has several programs that cover college costs — so you can pursue your education with little to no debt.
Learn More About Paying For CollegeSkills and Interests
What knowledge is essential to bring to the table?
- Telecommunications
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
What personality traits help people thrive in this role?
Conventional
You like structure, staying organized, and working with systems to get things done efficiently.
Realistic
You love hands-on work and solving practical problems — like fixing things and building stuff.
Investigative
You love figuring out how things work and researching subjects that interest you.
RIASEC represents six broad interest areas—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional—helping individuals identify careers that match their skills and preferences.
Take the RIASEC Test