• Bachelor's Degrees in Criminal Justice

How to Become an ATF Agent

1) Earn a Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree (Bachelor's Degree Required)
2) Review the requirements below and make sure you qualify
3) Request Application Information from the ATF, Call 1-866-927-9257

About the ATF

Agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives or ATF work under the umbrella of the U.S. Treasury Department.  A job as an ATF Agent involves investigating violations of laws governing the possession and sale of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives.  An ATF Agent works closely with local, state and other federal law enforcement agencies.  The ATF Agent career is similar to that of a police officer in that ATF agents obtain warrants, serve warrants, conduct raids, collecting evidence, investigating crime scenes, and testifying in trials.  A career as an ATF agent is exciting and fulfilling but can be very dangerous.

Qualifications and Training

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, at least 21 years of age, physical and written testing, background and drug screening and a 4-year college degree.  Once hired as a new ATF Agent there will be a significant amount of law enforcement training.  9 weeks in Glynco, GA where new agents are trained in surveillance, arrest techniques, firearms training and other skills.  New agents then spend 13 weeks at FLETC where they are trained on explosives, bomb scene investigation and other similar areas. 

ATF Special Agent Salary

New agents are hired on at either the GS-5 or GS-7 level.  As a GS-5 a new agent will earn between $28,349 and $36,856 a year and as a GS-7 an agent will earn between $35,116 and $45,648.  In most cases, at yearly intervals an ATF agent can be promoted up through GS-13 level. To be hired on as a GS-5 a bachelor’s degree is required.  To qualify as a GS-7 based on education a new agent must have 1 full year of graduate level education. 

Request free, no obligation information from the fully accredited degree programs below and learn more about how these degrees will help you succeed in an ATF Agent career.

Online Criminal Justice Degrees for ATF Agent Careers

= Staff Recommended

Short on time? Click Here to request free information from all of our Criminal Justice Degree Programs.

University of Phoenix Online:

Associates of Arts Criminal Justice
BS in Criminal Justice

Request free information about online Criminal Justice programs at University of Phoenix.

Colorado Technical University (CTU): The CTU Online mission is to provide you with a higher-quality education, relevant to the needs and demands of the business and technology job markets. Their multimedia course delivery system provides rich, interactive tutorials that engage students in a dynamic learning experience.

A.S. Criminal Justice
B.S. Criminal Justice (can be completed in 2.5 years)
M.S. Criminal Justice

Kaplan University:

AAS in Criminal Justice
BS in Criminal Justice

Request Free Information about these and Kaplan University's other Criminal Justice Programs