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Special Agent

Forge Your Path

Start your career where it matters—at the FBI. Whether you choose to lead from a field office or from FBI headquarters, your work will be crucial to the communities we serve. Grow as a professional, collaborate on cases, and see your impact shape both your career and our mission.

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As seen from above, five male and one female FBI special agents, wearing tactical gear, stand in a circle planning at the bottom of a staircase.

IMMERSIVE TRAINING

You’ll receive 850 hours of instruction through our BFTC course in defensive tactics, investigative techniques, and firearms skills during your 18-week immersion to prepare for your career as an agent.

SEE YOUR IMPACT

Help protect communities by using your expertise to lead investigations, disrupt domestic and international drug trafficking, cyber actors, and terrorist organizations, and work with law enforcement partners to bring criminal offenders to justice.

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An FBI agent listens to the operation pre-briefing for Operation Dead Hand.
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A female special agent poses next to an FBI vehicle while wearing tactical gear on a training assignment with her field office.

SECURE YOUR FUTURE

As an agent, you can retire with 25 years of service at any age or 20 years at age 50. As an employee, you are eligible to receive benefits like a federal pension and retirement plan, student loan repayment, locality and availability pay, health insurance, and more.

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FBI Boston Special Agent Tim B., one of the lead case agents in the marathon bombing investigation, reviewed the case during a 10-year-anniversary remembrance event in March 2023 at the Boston Field Office.

 

 

[It] was the victims’ families and the hundreds of survivors who gave us motivation each day to keep pushing forward to get the job done.”

Boston Special Agent Tim B., part of the investigative team for the Boston Marathon Bombing

Set Yourself Apart

As a special agent with the FBI, you won’t just be doing a job—you’ll be shaping the future of national security. This is your chance to move beyond the ordinary and be part of a team committed to protecting our nation from evolving threats. Don’t miss out on the chance to elevate your career to a level where your impact is tangible, and your contributions are invaluable.

The path to becoming an FBI special agent is more than a career change; it’s a chance to embrace a mission-driven experience that challenges and rewards you in ways you can’t find elsewhere.  

This is your moment. Take your career to the next level and be part of something greater.

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Two female special agents walk through the courtyard at the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building with the Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity statue in the background.

Special Agent Eligibility

Our eligibility requirements help us evaluate your ability to perform mission-critical work and safeguard communities across America.

SA Eligibility

Benefits

The FBI not only invests in your career but also in your personal well-being and your future. As an FBI employee, you’ll be able to enjoy generous paid time off, dedicated weekly wellness hours, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, professional development and mentorships, tuition reimbursement opportunities, a secure retirement with pension, and more.

Physical Requirements

The special agent position requires that you meet several physical requirements, including completing medical examinations, proof of vaccinations, and the physical fitness test (PFT). The PFT—developed to prioritize agent and civilian safety—is not like most workout routines. It requires planning and continuous training to pass this arduous test.

Special Agent Selection System (SASS)

The SASS is a thorough evaluation process that ensures that our special agents meet the high standards of the world’s leading law enforcement agency. The multi-step application can mirror the demands and expectations of rigorous investigations—integrity, attention to detail, patience, flexibility, and accountability. 

Need more time to prepare?

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Hurricane Helene Response

When Hurricane Helene killed more than 200 people and left thousands homeless and without power, special agents from the Johnson City Resident Agency and the Washington field office’s Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) worked alongside local and state partners to support the community. The RDT provided technology to help first responders communicate, used electronic fingerprint devices to collect prints from victims, and coordinated between Mobile Biometrics Application (MBA) and Special Processing Center (SPC) teams to expedite the identification.

“There were days when it was overwhelming—seeing the destruction and hearing the stories,” said Special Agent Paul Durant, who has been an agent for five years. “But at the end of the day, knowing we can help identify these victims and bring some comfort to their families makes it all worth it.”

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An FBI Rapid Deployment Team member slogs through the mud while assisting communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Make a difference in your local community by becoming an FBI special agent. See yourself in the FBI.

Apply Today