Your clearance is worth
more than you think.

Yes, in most cases. A clearance creates access to a constrained labor market where cleared candidates are in shorter supply than open positions. The impact varies by level, location, role fit, and whether the clearance is active or reactivatable. Secret typically adds $10,000 to $20,000 in annual market leverage. TS/SCI can add $30,000 to $60,000 or more depending on access, polygraph status, and domain experience.

Yes, especially if the investigation remains within its eligibility window. Secret is the most widely required clearance level in the defense contractor and federal IT market. Even inactive, a Secret clearance can often be reactivated by a sponsoring employer at lower cost than initiating a new investigation. How long the clearance has been inactive and current DCSA timelines both affect the practical value.

TS/SCI is one of the most valuable credentials in the cleared labor market. Active TS/SCI typically commands $30,000 to $60,000 in market leverage above comparable non-cleared roles. In Northern Virginia, DC, Maryland, Huntsville, and Colorado Springs, cleared TS/SCI demand is especially high among intelligence community contractors and DoD program offices. If you are considering cyber or IT roles, see our Air Force and Army career guides for cleared tech roles.

Investigation validity periods have historically been 15 years for Confidential, 10 years for Secret, and 5 years for Top Secret and TS/SCI. After separation, a clearance moves to inactive status and can often be reactivated by a sponsoring employer. DCSA has shifted toward Continuous Vetting for active contractor personnel, which changes how ongoing eligibility works. If your clearance has been inactive for an extended period, verify current status with a cleared employer before assuming specific timelines.

Yes. If your clearance is within its investigation validity window, a cleared employer can sponsor reactivation through DISS. Reactivation is faster and less costly than initiating a new investigation. At higher levels such as TS/SCI with polygraph, employers often cover the full cost of reactivation for strong candidates.

Yes, always. Place it in a dedicated Security Clearance section near the top of your resume, or within your summary. Format: Security Clearance: [Level] (Active or Inactive, [Granting agency if determinable]). Do not list specific programs, access details, or compartments. The clearance level itself is not classified. Use Resume Intel to translate your military duties into civilian resume bullets to pair with your clearance listing.

Intelligence analyst, cybersecurity analyst, program manager (DoD), systems engineer (cleared), all-source analyst, signals analyst, cleared IT administrator, counterintelligence analyst, contracts and acquisition specialist, and logistics specialist supporting defense programs are among the most common. Browse the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps career guides for role-specific guidance.

No. A clearance creates access and improves negotiating position, but employers still screen for role fit, relevant tools and certifications, mission or domain experience, location, and cultural alignment. The clearance gets you considered. Role fit gets you hired. Use your CommandPath blueprint to map where your full background targets, not just your clearance.