Military / Defense Specialist.
Minneapolis.
$74,000
median salary, 6% above the national average
$55,000 to $97,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Minneapolis is 5% more expensive than the national average. For Military / Defense Specialists, that shakes out to a median of $74,000, with the full range spanning $55,000 to $97,000. Clearance level and technical specialization are the primary salary drivers for defense civilians and contractors. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
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How Minneapolis compares
Minneapolis, MN
$74,000
Cost of living: 5% above average
National Average
$70,000
Minneapolis is $4,000 above
What you should know
The Military / Defense Specialist landscape in Minneapolis is not what most salary sites will tell you. Minneapolis is a Fortune 500 powerhouse with Target, UnitedHealth Group, Best Buy, and 3M headquartered in the metro. The city's strong corporate base creates consistent demand across finance, healthcare, retail tech, and supply chain roles. Quality of life is high, and employers offer competitive salaries to offset the cold winters. Clearance level and technical specialization are the primary salary drivers for defense civilians and contractors. TS/SCI with polygraph adds $15,000 to $30,000 over uncleared peers. Intelligence analysis, cybersecurity, and systems engineering roles pay the most. Proximity to defense hubs (DC metro, Huntsville, San Diego) concentrates the highest salaries.
Junior defense analysts start at $52,000 to $65,000. Mid-level specialists earn $70,000 to $92,000 after four to six years. Senior program analysts and team leads reach $95,000 to $130,000, with program managers at major defense contractors earning $140,000 to $190,000. In Minneapolis, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Defense contractors offer 8 to 15% bonuses and retention incentives for cleared personnel. Federal civilian roles (GS/GG scale) provide TSP matching, FERS pension, and locality pay adjustments of 15 to 35%. Deployed positions add hazard and hardship pay of 25 to 35%. And on the tax side: minnesota's top income tax rate is 9.85%, one of the highest state rates. There is no city income tax in Minneapolis, but the state burden significantly reduces take home pay. When someone quotes you $74,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat. The range for Military / Defense Specialists in Minneapolis runs from $55,000 to $97,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Minneapolis
Negotiating in Minneapolis
Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat.