How to Become an FBI Agent in New York

Being the main investigative branch of the United States department of justice, the FBI has 56 field offices setup all over the country. It has 3 branches in New York. It remains a top-notch law enforcement agency made up of highly trained and dedicated professional who are charged with safeguarding national security and protecting the lives of citizens.

FBI Agent Requirements in New York

Basic Requirements

  • To become a federal agent in New York, there are a few necessary requirements which applicants must possess.
  • All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or other higher qualifications in relevant fields.
  • Personnel must be within 23 and 27 years of age.
  • He or she must be equipped with a minimum of three years’ relevant experience
  • Applicants must be either a citizen of the United States or the northern Mariana island.

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Additional Requirements

Aside the aforementioned requirements, prospective agents are expected to be willing to go anywhere due to the tasking nature of the job.

Personality tests are administered to candidates, seeing as the job requires great mental acuity and analytical skills; the test consists of situational judgment and logical reasoning assessment.

The FBI is a reputable organization and to maintain its standard, candidates are screened thoroughly to ensure that they have clear records and can serve as exemplary citizens. In doing this, they ensure that all agents admitted to the agency are fit and suitable for the job.
FBI Training New York

Different Positions with the FBI in New York

The organization is divided into several divisions. Each category specializes in different fields and consists of well-trained experts who have undergone FBI training.

Evidence Response Team – FBI agents working with the ERT are highly trained in evidence gathering and other forensic jobs. This division is responsible for attending to crime scenes; a crime scene investigator’s job involves analyzing and gathering evidence such as DNA, ammunition trajectories, blood splatters, and fingerprints.

Computer Analysis Response Team – Agents in this division are skilled at operating a wide range of computers and electronics, and intelligence analysts job ranges from retrieving evidence from devices and processing them into usable forms.

Translation Team – Since the United States is home to both citizens and immigrants, it is therefore necessary that law enforcement agencies can communicate with individuals that speak different languages. FBI special agents in this division are proficient in several languages, they help in the translation of files and documents as well as conducting interviews.

Specialized Weapons and Tactics Team – Popularly known as SWAT, they are the tactical and field operations unit of the FBI.  They are equipped with the necessary gear and are trained to make arrests and engage assailants.

Crisis Negotiation Team – In some cases, the FBI encounter scenarios where they have to negotiate to solve crises. Agents working for the FBI are trained to solve tricky situations and ensure that parties involved reach a comfortable solution. This unit is responsible for handling hostage situations. 

New York FBI Agent Education

As part of the FBI agents’ requirements, applicants are expected to possess a bachelor’s degree or higher qualifications. There are several positions with the FBI and each one requires a specialized field of study to fit in properly.

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Bachelors of Science in criminology – The FBI deals with federal crimes and a degree in criminology offers applicants a good background in law enforcement. This is an undergraduate course offered by several universities and colleges.

Masters of Science in criminology – This program may be completed in two years in most colleges and applicants with higher qualifications are better suited for certain positions within the organization.

Degrees for FBI support specialists – All FBI agents possessing a degree that are relevant to their units. To become a federal agent, all applicants must be qualified in any of these fields; computer science, accounting and finance, law, language and linguistics, criminal justice.

Major Cities in New York State

The state of New York constitutes 62 counties and five major cities. The FBI has three of its field offices located in Buffalo, Albany, and Rochester city. The Albany field office is one of the earliest setups of the organization and it has been operating since 1918.

Specific Duties of FBI Agents in New York

In addition to the standard responsibilities of the FBI, the New York offices have specialized roles for their agents.

  • The New York City office has a strong crisis negotiation team with special agents trained to handle crisis and hostage situations, they also respond to wide-scale investigations outside the country.
  • The Albany office located in the capital of New York has agents that are trained for emergencies and are capable of providing emergency care during operations.
  • A lot of criminal offenses in New York are handled out of the buffalo office. The division has handled cases ranging from the conviction of sex offenders, fraudulent employees, and loan fraud.

Interesting Facts

The FBI has always had a strong presence in New York. It is one of the most significant terrorist hotspots in the country and is home to the joint terrorist task force which was created in 1980. After the 9/11 attack, there was a significant increase in the operations of security forces and as a result, there are always agents ready to thwart any threat. The New York division has recorded significant success in recent times, it is responsible for the conviction of a high-ranking member of the Gambino crime family, and in addition to that, they have secured indictments against internet fraudsters, drug traffickers, a child pornographer, and many others.

New York FBI Agent Salary

The range of salary for an FBI agent in New York depends greatly on both his/her experience on the job and qualification. For example, recent job descriptions with the FBI shows that a biologist with the forensic research unit may earn between $27,431 and $44,176 at an entry-level position while applicants with Ph.D. level qualifications can earn as much as $50,287-$129,517. However, agents in training have salaries that are consistent with that of the GS pay scale. They earn $43,441 annually and after 21 weeks of training; they retain their GS 10 status but are given an accommodation bonus which is usually an increase between 12.5 and 28.7 of their salary.

FBI Training Programs and Schools in New York

Criminal Justice Programs and Schools in New York

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Choose your area of study and receive free information about programs you are interested in. FBI agents are dedicated to America’s defense and security. There are a number of careers you can pursue within the FBI with current activities focusing heavily on anit-terrorism. No matter which career you pursue becoming an FBI agent requires deep commitment and dedication. Request information from multiple schools to find the best program and educational opportunity for you!