Tier 5 And TS/SCI (2024)

FAQs

What is a Tier 5 clearance for SCI? ›

Tier 5 (Former SSBI or Level 3) – critical sensitive national security position. This investigation makes the staff member eligible for a top-secret clearance. Tier 5+ (Formerly level 4) – a select designation for staff needing TS/SCI security clearances. Only a very select few positions are within this scope.

A Tier 5 investigation is required for a Top Secret clearance, for DOE “Q” access authorization, or to hold a critical sensitive position. It is also required for all levels of access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and some other Special Access Program (SAP) information.

T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 Spinal Cord Injuries

T2 nerve roots affect sensation around the armpits and upper chest, as well as the upper chest muscles. T3, T4, and T5 nerve roots affect sensation in the upper back, as well as the upper, mid, and low chest areas, respectively.

It is not truly "above" Top Secret, since there is no clearance higher than Top Secret. SCI information may be either Secret or Top Secret, but in either case it has additional controls on dissemination beyond those associated with the classification level alone.

A top secret security clearance is a determination by the U.S. government that an individual can access highly sensitive information or data that affects national security. Obtaining a top secret clearance requires passing a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) and can take 6 to 18 months.

There's no formal clearance level higher than TS/SCI, although there are different distinctions within the government or military for people who handle highly sensitive information or work on classified projects and actively hold a clearance.

All potential employees must: Obtain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Successfully complete a drug test to screen for illegal drug use. Complete a required counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination.

Polygraph tests accompany some Top Secret or TS/SCI clearances; however, they are not required to obtain either type of clearance and are not part of the clearance background investigation.

The average cost to process a TOP SECRET clearance is between $3,000 and about $15,000, depending upon individual factors. The government pays the cost of clearances for military personnel and civilian government employees.

Form must be completed going back 10 years.

If not back 10 years, it will slow down the processing time of your background investigation. The SF-86 form requests information back 7 years for employment and residence; however, to comply with the investigative standards, 10 years is required.

How many Americans have TS SCI clearance? ›

As our chart shows, the federal government grants top secret security clearance to large numbers of government employees and contractors: 1.25 million according to the latest publicly available figures.

SCI clearance has been called "above Top Secret”, but information at any classification level may exist within an SCI control system. When "de-compartmented," this information is treated no differently than collateral (Confidential/Secret/Top Secret) information at the same classification level.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $191,500 and as low as $84,000, the majority of Ts Sci Clearance salaries currently range between $110,500 (25th percentile) to $147,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $168,000 annually across the United States.

Unless your health situation is related to criminal conduct or sexual behavior (extramarital affairs or sexual addiction), it will not be a factor. As always, an adjudicator is looking at you as a whole person; an STD alone will not have any bearing on your security clearance.