Skip to content
Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Intelligence Analysts

Part of Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security, in the Law Enforcement Services pathway.

Job zone 4: considerable preparationO*NET 33-3021.06

What the work is

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

On a typical day

  • Predict future gang, organized crime, or terrorist activity, using analyses of intelligence data.
  • Study activities relating to narcotics, money laundering, gangs, auto theft rings, terrorism, or other national security threats.
  • Design, use, or maintain databases and software applications, such as geographic information systems (GIS) mapping and artificial intelligence tools.
  • Establish criminal profiles to aid in connecting criminal organizations with their members.
  • Evaluate records of communications, such as telephone calls, to plot activity and determine the size and location of criminal groups and members.
  • Gather intelligence information by field observation, confidential information sources, or public records.

What it pays

$83,830
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $52,440
Experienced workers reach $138,110
  1. $52k10th
  2. $73k25th
  3. $84kMedian
  4. $89k75th
  5. $138k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $52,440, 25th $73,140, Median $83,830, 75th $89,470, 90th $138,110

About 1,670 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+4.9%

employment change in the Alamo region, 1,666 to 1,747 jobs · U.S. -1%

122

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 7,800

1,666

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 117,900

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Experience: Less than 5 years · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Reading Comprehension4.9
  2. Active Listening4.1
  3. Critical Thinking4.4
  4. Speaking4.1
  5. Writing4.0
  6. Active Learning4.0
  7. Complex Problem Solving3.6
  8. Monitoring3.4

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Some college4%
  2. Associate degree9%
  3. Bachelor's degree74%
  4. Master's degree13%

Job zone 4, considerable preparation: Usually a bachelor's degree, sometimes a strong associate plus experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northeast Lakeview
  • Northwest Vista
  • Palo Alto
  • St. Philip's
  • San Antonio
  1. Criminal Justice

    Transfer pre-major · Public Service

  2. Cyber Investigator; Level I Certificate

    Certificate · Science & Technology

  3. Criminal Justice

    Transfer pre-major · Public Service

  4. Criminal Justice

    Degree · Transfer pre-major · Public Service

  5. Criminal Justice

    Transfer pre-major · Public Service

  6. Criminal Justice

    Degree · Online option · Public Service

Apply to Alamo Colleges

Does this fit you?

Six questions rank every career here by how closely its interest profile follows yours.

Check my interests
  1. Information Security Engineers

    Zone 46 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $110kSan Antonio median
  2. $57kSan Antonio median
  3. Penetration Testers

    Zone 46 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $110kSan Antonio median
  4. $84kSan Antonio median
  5. Information Security Analysts

    Zone 414 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $123kSan Antonio median
  6. Data Scientists

    Zone 413 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $103kSan Antonio median
  7. $75kSan Antonio median
  8. Security Management Specialists

    Zone 410 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $82kSan Antonio median