Best Defense Contractors Hiring Cleared Veterans (2026): Booz Allen, SAIC, Leidos, CACI
Honest guide to the major defense contractors hiring transitioning cleared veterans. What each pays, what each looks for, how clearance levels translate to salary premium, and where vets actually land.
If you're separating with an active security clearance, the major defense contractors are usually the fastest, highest-paying landing spot. Federal civilian (GS) positions pay 20-40% less for the same work and take 4-6x longer to hire. Here's an honest read on the major contractors and where vets actually land.
The "Big 6+" cleared contractors
These are the contractors with the largest cleared workforces, the most veteran hires, and the most predictable hiring pipelines. Listed alphabetically — there's no one "best" for everyone.
BAE Systems Inc.
- Workforce: ~32,000 in the US
- Where they hire vets: Ship repair (Navy maintenance ratings → BAE Ship Repair San Diego, Norfolk, Hawaii), defense electronics, electronic warfare systems
- Clearance ranges: Secret to TS/SCI depending on role
- Geography: Concentrated in southern California, Hampton Roads, NH, NC
- Vibe: Industrial / engineering culture; less consulting flavor than Booz Allen
- Strong match for: HT, MM, ET, FC, EM, GM Navy ratings; combat engineers; cyber/IT vets
Booz Allen Hamilton
- Workforce: ~32,000 in the US, ~95% with clearances
- Where they hire vets: Cyber operations, intelligence analysis, advisory work for DoD/IC, civil agency consulting
- Clearance ranges: Most positions Secret/TS at minimum; SCI common; poly required for some
- Geography: Massive DC/Northern Virginia presence; major hubs in Hampton Roads, San Antonio (cyber), Tampa (CENTCOM), Honolulu (PACOM)
- Vibe: Consulting-heavy, fast-paced, billable-hour pressure on some teams. Not for everyone.
- Strong match for: Intelligence analysts (35F, 1N0X1, IS), cyber operators, MILGOV (information warfare), JFCC personnel
CACI International
- Workforce: ~24,000 worldwide, mostly cleared
- Where they hire vets: Intel community work, language services (linguist contracts), counter-UAS, training and simulation
- Clearance ranges: Heavy SCI/poly population
- Geography: Reston VA HQ; major presences in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Tampa, San Diego
- Vibe: Mission-focused, large IC customer base, strong Army/Marine veteran population
- Strong match for: 35-series MOS, MILGOV, language MOS (35M, 35P), special forces vets
Leidos
- Workforce: ~48,000
- Where they hire vets: IT services, healthcare IT (largest healthcare IT contractor to DoD), defense engineering, civilian agency IT
- Clearance ranges: Mix — many positions are public-trust or Secret, but full TS/SCI on intel work
- Geography: Reston VA HQ; broad national footprint
- Vibe: Less hardcore-consulting than Booz Allen, more "stable engineering shop"
- Strong match for: 25-series IT MOS, healthcare-rated vets (HM/68W), program managers
ManTech International
- Workforce: ~9,500
- Where they hire vets: Cyber operations, mission systems, intel community engineering, computer forensics
- Clearance ranges: Heavy TS/SCI with poly population
- Geography: Northern Virginia / DC concentrated; Hampton Roads, Tampa, San Antonio
- Vibe: Smaller than the giants but very technical; engineering-grade work
- Strong match for: 25-series IT, 17C cyber, 1B4X1 cyber warfare ops, signals intelligence
Northrop Grumman
- Workforce: ~95,000
- Where they hire vets: Aerospace systems, autonomous systems (UAVs, AI), cyber, weapons systems, ISR
- Clearance ranges: Secret to TS/SCI; specific programs require SAP/SAR access
- Geography: Major hubs in San Diego, Maryland, El Segundo CA, Colorado Springs, Hampton Roads
- Vibe: Engineering-heavy; large company; some bureaucracy
- Strong match for: Aviation maintenance, ISR ratings, EOD, UAV operators, engineers
Peraton
- Workforce: ~18,000
- Where they hire vets: Defense services, intel, civil agency IT, cyber
- Geography: Reston VA HQ
- Notes: Spun out of DXC + bought Perspecta in 2021; large-and-growing footprint in cleared services
- Strong match for: IT and cyber vets, especially mid-grade with 5-15 years
SAIC
- Workforce: ~24,000
- Where they hire vets: C5ISR (command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), engineering integration
- Clearance ranges: Mostly TS/SCI for technical work
- Geography: Reston VA HQ; broad national presence; San Diego heavy for Navy work
- Strong match for: Communications-rated vets (25-series, 1A8X1, IT), CW operators, EW operators
Other notable:
- KBR — government services, sustainment work; smaller cleared portfolio but heavy DoD presence in OCONUS contracts
- L3Harris Technologies — communications, ISR, electronic warfare; Florida-heavy, but presences in Colorado Springs, Maryland, Texas
- Lockheed Martin — bigger and more diversified than the above; aerospace, missiles, ISR; Colorado Springs, DC, Texas, California heavy
- Raytheon Technologies — defense, intel, aerospace; Tucson, Massachusetts, DC heavy
- General Dynamics IT (GDIT) — IT services and integration; major federal/civil agency presence
- Accenture Federal — newer entrant in cleared space; more consulting-flavored
- Engility / Modern Technology Solutions — smaller mid-tier players, often pay slightly above Big 6
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What clearance is worth in salary premium
Active clearance is the single biggest leverage you have. Approximate annual salary premium over an uncleared equivalent role:
| Clearance | Typical premium |
|---|---|
| Public Trust / NACI | $0-3K (almost nothing) |
| Secret | $5-10K |
| Top Secret | $10-20K |
| TS/SCI | $20-30K |
| TS/SCI with FS Poly | $30-40K |
| TS/SCI with CI Poly + FS Poly (full scope) | $40-60K |
| Above-and-beyond access (SAP/SAR, specific compartments) | $50K+ premium on top of clearance |
These are ranges; specific contracts and customers can stretch them.
The single biggest mistake separating service members make: letting clearance lapse during the job hunt. A cleared vet starts the search 6-12 months pre-separation. An uncleared vet (just-expired clearance) starts at the bottom of the salary range AND has to wait 12-18 months for a fresh investigation.
If you're separating with an active clearance:
- Start applying 6-12 months before separation
- Get your DD-214 and SF-86 (security clearance application) ready
- Don't take a non-cleared job "just to bridge" — you'll lose the clearance leverage
- Talk to your security manager about post-separation clearance maintenance
Salary ranges (mid-2026 cleared market)
These are realistic ranges for someone with 6-15 years of military experience + active TS/SCI in a major cleared metro (DC, NoVA, Hampton Roads, San Diego, Tampa, San Antonio, Colorado Springs).
| Role | E-5 to E-7 with TS/SCI | E-8 to W-3 with TS/SCI | O-3 to O-5 with TS/SCI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Operator / Analyst | $115-145K | $140-180K | $160-220K |
| Intelligence Analyst | $100-130K | $130-170K | $150-200K |
| Systems Integration Engineer | $110-150K | $140-180K | $160-210K |
| Program Manager | $105-140K | $135-180K | $160-230K |
| Software Developer (cleared) | $120-165K | $145-200K | $170-240K |
| Linguist (with active language certs) | $90-125K | $120-160K | $145-200K |
These are TC ranges — base + bonus + sometimes equity for senior roles. Cleared TC has been climbing 4-7% per year for the past several years due to clearance scarcity.
Where to apply
The cleared job market has its own job boards:
- ClearanceJobs — the primary one. Most cleared positions are posted here. Free to candidates.
- Indeed.com — filter by "Security Clearance" — broad job board, has cleared roles
- LinkedIn — "TS/SCI" searches — many recruiters work LinkedIn directly
- Direct contractor career sites — Booz Allen, Leidos, etc. all post their open reqs on their company sites
- Hiring Our Heroes — runs cleared-job fellowships specifically for transitioning service members
- Veteran Recruiting — virtual job fairs with cleared employers
- Corporate Gray — military hiring conferences and job board
How long the cleared hiring process actually takes
For an active TS/SCI veteran applying to a cleared role:
- Application to first interview: 1-3 weeks
- First interview to offer: 1-4 weeks
- Offer to start: 2-4 weeks (paperwork, background check refresh, briefing)
- Total: 4-12 weeks
Versus federal civilian (GS) which typically runs 4-6 months.
For someone who recently lost their clearance or has an inactive clearance, add 6-18 months for re-investigation.
Common mistakes
- Applying without an active clearance and not flagging it. "Eligible for clearance" is not the same as "active clearance." Be explicit on your resume.
- Disclosing classified info on a public resume. Mission names, project names, customer names — if it's sensitive, redact. "Senior cyber operator supporting a national-security customer" is fine. Naming the agency or program isn't.
- Going to the lowest-bidding contractor. Some smaller contractors win contracts on price by underpaying. Research the company before signing.
- Skipping the salary negotiation. Cleared market is candidate-favorable right now. Negotiate.
- Accepting at the first offer level. First offers from cleared contractors are usually 5-15% below their max for the role. The gap closes when you push back politely.
Related
- Federal Jobs Hub — full pathway overview
- How to Use Veterans Preference on USAJOBS — for federal civilian path
- How to List Your Security Clearance on Your Resume — exact format civilian recruiters scan for
Military Transition Toolkit — free
Free tools for your military transition
MOS / AFSC Translator
Convert your military role to civilian job titles and salary data
Military Resume Builder
Translate military experience into language civilian employers understand
VA Combined Rating Calculator
Calculate your combined VA rating the same way VA does
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