Upgrading from Secret to Top Secret clearance can boost your career and salary but comes with serious risks. While Top Secret clearance holders earn $134,144 annually on average – a 43% increase over Secret clearance salaries – the process is lengthy, rigorous, and risky. If denied, you lose your existing Secret clearance, potentially ending your cleared career.
Key Points to Consider:
- Salary Increase: $40,000+ more annually for Top Secret roles.
- Denial Risks: 9.2% for NSA, 8.5% for CIA, and 0.1% for FBI.
- Main Reasons for Denial: Financial issues (73%) and personal conduct (18%).
- Timeline: 249 days on average, with extensive background checks.
Takeaway: The financial benefits are clear, but the risk of losing your clearance means preparation is critical. Resolve financial issues, maintain a spotless record, and time your application strategically to maximize your chances of success.
My experience going through TS clearance
How the Clearance Upgrade Process Works
Moving from Secret to Top Secret clearance is a detailed and lengthy process, often taking close to a year. Here’s a breakdown of how it works.
Tier 3 vs. Tier 5 Investigations
A Secret clearance involves a Tier 3 investigation, which looks back over the past 5–7 years. However, upgrading to Top Secret requires a Tier 5 investigation, which is far more thorough, covering a full 10-year period.
Tier 5 investigations also include an Enhanced Subject Interview (ESI) – a 1–2-hour session designed to clarify any inconsistencies or concerns that surface during the review.
How Long Top Secret Clearance Takes
On average, obtaining Top Secret clearance takes 249 days for the fastest 90% of Department of Defense (DoD) contractor cases. This timeline breaks down into 208 days for the investigation itself and 41 days for adjudication.
In some cases, you may receive an interim clearance, allowing you to work on classified projects during the review. However, interim clearance does not grant access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or Special Access Programs (SAP) until the final adjudication is complete. For cybersecurity professionals and others in intelligence-related roles, this limitation can restrict your project involvement and delay the full salary increase that often comes with Top Secret clearance.
While 249 days is the average, more complicated cases – such as those involving financial concerns, foreign connections, or extensive travel – can take much longer, sometimes exceeding a year.
Defense Information System for Security (DISS) Process
Once the timeline is established, the upgrade process begins through the Defense Information System for Security (DISS).
Your employer’s Facility Security Officer (FSO) initiates the upgrade request in DISS, the system that handles clearance processing for the DoD. After the FSO submits your paperwork, the Tier 5 investigation begins. You’ll also need to complete an updated SF-86 form, providing comprehensive details from the past 10 years.
It’s important to note that any negative findings uncovered during ongoing monitoring – required under SEAD 3 guidelines – can affect your upgrade, even if your Secret clearance was previously approved without issue.
DISS coordinates with multiple federal agencies to conduct the background investigation, schedule interviews, and finalize the adjudication decision. While your FSO will receive periodic updates, detailed information about your case is typically unavailable until the investigation concludes.
Once the administrative hurdles are cleared, the financial benefits of holding a Top Secret clearance become the next key focus.
Financial Benefits of Top Secret Clearance
Upgrading from Secret to Top Secret clearance comes with a clear financial advantage. The higher salary potential at every career stage makes the 249-day wait and associated risks worthwhile.
Salary Differences by Clearance Level
On average, professionals with Top Secret clearance earn $134,144 per year, compared to $93,748 for those with Secret clearance. That’s a 43% increase – more than $40,000 annually. As careers progress, this gap widens:
- 3–5 years of experience: An extra $12,000 annually.
- 6–10 years of experience: About $24,000 more per year.
- 10+ years of experience: Over $25,000 in additional compensation.
These figures highlight the financial rewards of pursuing Top Secret clearance, especially for experienced professionals.
Who Pays for the Investigation
The federal government fully funds the cost of Top Secret clearance investigations, so neither employers nor individuals bear the expense. This funding, managed through FEDCAS, eliminates financial obstacles for employers. As a result, companies are often more inclined to support clearance upgrades, especially when competing for contracts requiring Top Secret credentials.
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Denial Rates and Risk Factors
When pursuing a Top Secret clearance upgrade, understanding denial rates and the associated risks is crucial. The likelihood of losing your Secret clearance can vary significantly depending on the agency sponsoring your clearance.
Denial Rates by Agency
Agencies within the intelligence community enforce stricter standards compared to Department of Defense (DoD) contractors. Data from 2015 reveals notable differences in denial rates across agencies:[1]
| Agency | Denial Rate |
|---|---|
| Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) | 8.5% |
| National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) | 7.0% |
| National Security Agency (NSA) | 6.1% |
| National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) | 4.7% |
| Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) | 0% |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | 0.1% |
| Department of Defense (DoD) | 0.1% |
Agencies like the CIA, NGA, and NSA apply more rigorous scrutiny than the FBI or DoD. These intelligence agencies focus heavily on lifestyle choices, foreign contacts, and personal conduct, as their operations demand access to the most sensitive national security information.
Why Clearances Get Denied
The majority of Top Secret clearance denials stem from financial issues, which account for 73% of cases, followed by personal conduct concerns at 18%. Understanding these factors can help you prepare your application more effectively.
Financial Issues
Unpaid debts, tax liens, and bankruptcies are common red flags. Even resolved financial problems can raise concerns if they suggest poor judgment or make you vulnerable to coercion. The Tier 5 investigation delves into your financial history over the past 10 years, reviewing credit reports, tax returns, and interviews with creditors.
Personal Conduct
Issues like criminal activity, drug use, or inconsistencies in your reported information are closely examined. During the Enhanced Subject Interview (ESI), which typically lasts one to two hours, investigators compare your SF-86 form with findings from the background check.
Once the investigation begins, addressing these issues becomes significantly harder. It’s wise to resolve financial and legal concerns before your employer submits your case through the Defense Information System for Security (DISS). Additionally, the Continuous Evaluation system – monitoring all 3.8 million cleared personnel in real time since 2021 – ensures investigators have access to up-to-date financial and legal records.
Given these factors, resolving potential concerns ahead of time is critical, as the appeals process offers limited chances for success.
Appeals Process and Success Rates
If your clearance is denied, the options for reversing that decision are limited. The Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) manages these cases, but success rates are discouraging. Without legal representation, only 0.8% of appeals succeed. Even with legal support, success rates only rise to 51%.
The process itself is lengthy, often taking 12–18 months, during which you will not have clearance. To overturn a denial, you must prove the decision was arbitrary, capricious, or unlawful – a high bar to meet. By the time a case reaches DOHA, investigators typically have compiled substantial evidence supporting their decision.
These statistics highlight the importance of thorough preparation and proactive issue resolution before pursuing a Top Secret clearance upgrade. The process is high-stakes, leaving little room for error or corrective action once a denial occurs.
Getting Sponsored and Timing Your Upgrade
Securing employer sponsorship and carefully planning the timing of your upgrade are essential steps when transitioning from a Secret to a Top Secret clearance. These factors can help you avoid unnecessary risks and set you up for success.
How Employer Sponsorship Works
You can’t initiate a Top Secret clearance upgrade on your own. Only an employer with a legitimate business need can sponsor the process. This is typically handled by the company’s Facility Security Officer (FSO), who submits your case through the Defense Information System for Security (DISS). The reasoning behind this is simple: clearances are granted based on the principle of need-to-know. In other words, you must have a specific job-related reason to access classified information at the Top Secret level.
Employers generally sponsor upgrades when a new role requires Top Secret access, when an existing project expands to include higher-level classified work, or when preparing for upcoming contract opportunities. Without a clear, job-related justification, requesting an upgrade can raise red flags during the investigation process.
To streamline the process, your employer must provide a solid explanation for why you need Top Secret access. Investigators will verify this during the Enhanced Subject Interview (ESI). You can prepare by organizing detailed personal records, such as your addresses, foreign travel history, financial documents, and a complete employment history covering the past 10 years – information required for Tier 5 investigations.
This sponsorship system not only ensures that your need for a higher clearance is legitimate but also opens doors to lucrative contract opportunities.
Major Contracts That Require Top Secret
Employers often have strong incentives to sponsor upgrades, especially when major government contracts are involved. High-profile contracts like the CIO-SP3 vehicle, valued at $28 billion, or DISA Encore III, worth $17.5 billion, often require Top Secret clearance for many cybersecurity roles. These contracts create significant business opportunities, driving employers to invest in upgrading qualified professionals.
Best Time to Pursue an Upgrade
Timing your upgrade to align with both your career goals and employer needs can help you minimize risks and maximize benefits. For most cybersecurity professionals, the ideal time to pursue a Top Secret upgrade falls between 5 and 15 years of experience. By this point, you’re likely to have the professional stability needed to handle the 249-day average processing time while still having plenty of career growth ahead.
- Early career (0–5 years): This stage can be risky due to financial instability and a limited work history. While the salary premium for Top Secret clearance – jumping from $93,748 to $134,144 annually – might sound appealing, the potential setback of a denied upgrade can outweigh the benefits early on.
- Mid-career (5–15 years): At this point, you’ve likely overcome early financial challenges, built a solid employment record, and established a reputation that supports your clearance application. The financial gains are more significant here, with the annual salary increase compounding over the remaining decades of your career.
- Senior professionals (15+ years): For those with more than 15 years of experience, the upgrade may be less beneficial unless it aligns with specific leadership roles. The shorter remaining career span may not fully justify the risks involved.
Before pursuing an upgrade, ensure your finances are in order, maintain a professional online presence, and cooperate fully with the investigation process. Refusing to participate in investigator interviews can result in your application being canceled, regardless of your qualifications.
The key is to approach the upgrade strategically, focusing on genuine career opportunities rather than speculative ambitions. When your employer can clearly demonstrate a business need and you maintain a clean personal and financial record, the process becomes far more manageable and successful.
Conclusion: Is the Top Secret Upgrade Worth It?
Moving from Secret to Top Secret clearance comes with notable rewards and manageable challenges. The financial upside is hard to ignore – on average, salaries jump from $93,748 to $134,144 annually, representing a 43% increase that can significantly impact your long-term earnings.
But it’s not just about the paycheck. Top Secret clearance opens doors to lucrative contracts like CIO-SP3 and DISA Encore III, which offer higher pay and career growth opportunities unavailable to those with only Secret clearance. These contracts don’t just deliver better compensation – they also provide greater job security, especially in the ever-evolving cybersecurity industry.
While financial issues account for 73% of clearance denials, these hurdles are often preventable. Staying on top of your credit, avoiding excessive debt, and resolving any outstanding financial obligations before applying can help you sidestep these risks. Plus, the federal government covers all investigation costs, so qualified candidates don’t face any upfront financial burden.
Denial rates also vary depending on the agency. For instance, intelligence agencies like the NSA (9.2%) and CIA (8.5%) have stricter standards than typical DoD contractors (5%). While the bar is higher, these positions often come with more prestige and better compensation, making the extra scrutiny worth it for many.
Timing is another critical factor. The sweet spot typically falls between 5-15 years of experience. By this point, you’ve likely resolved early financial challenges and still have plenty of time to capitalize on the career benefits. Combining this timing with employer sponsorship and a spotless personal and financial record can significantly boost your chances of approval.
For cybersecurity professionals with stable finances and a clear need for the upgrade, pursuing Top Secret clearance is a savvy career move. The key lies in preparation – ensuring your employer can justify the need, maintaining clean records, and timing your application to align with your career goals. With careful planning, the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary risks.
FAQs
What can I do to increase my chances of successfully upgrading from Secret to Top Secret clearance?
To boost your chances of moving from Secret to Top Secret clearance, keeping a spotless record is key. Steer clear of financial troubles like unpaid debts or missed payments, and make sure your behavior aligns with the strict standards required for security clearance. Financial and personal conduct issues are among the top reasons for clearance denials.
When filling out your SF-86 form, take your time to ensure every detail is accurate and complete. This is especially important because the Tier 5 investigation for Top Secret clearance is far more thorough than the Tier 3 process. If you have professional certifications, specialized training, or notable achievements, be sure to include them. These can reinforce your dependability and highlight your dedication to your career.
Lastly, your employer plays a critical role in this process. Make sure they are prepared to sponsor your clearance upgrade, as self-sponsorship isn’t an option. A supportive employer can make the process smoother by handling the necessary paperwork and helping to keep things on track.
What are the denial rates for Top Secret clearance across agencies, and why do they differ?
The denial rates for Top Secret clearance applications vary noticeably across agencies. For instance, the NSA rejects about 9.2% of applicants, the CIA follows closely at 8.5%, while the FBI has an impressively low denial rate of just 0.1%. These differences aren’t random – they reflect the distinct security priorities, the type of sensitive information each agency manages, and the depth of their background checks.
Agencies like the NSA and CIA enforce stricter standards because their work revolves around highly classified intelligence, requiring more rigorous scrutiny. On the other hand, the FBI’s broader range of operations and differing risk evaluations likely explain its significantly lower denial rate. Knowing these differences can give applicants a clearer picture of what to expect and help them navigate the process with greater confidence.
What happens to my career if my Top Secret clearance application is denied?
If your application for a Top Secret clearance is denied, the impact on your career can be serious. In many cases, a denial could lead to the automatic loss of your Secret clearance as well. This would limit your ability to access roles that demand Top Secret access, often tied to higher salaries and specialized contracts, effectively stalling your career in the cleared cybersecurity sector.
Beyond that, a denial might cast doubt on your reliability or trustworthiness, complicating your chances of obtaining security clearances in the future. This could make it harder to work on sensitive projects or with employers that require such clearances. While there are ways to address and potentially overcome a denial, the process can be lengthy and uncertain, leaving a lasting mark on your professional reputation.
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