FBI vs. CIA — What's the Difference?

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice, serving as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency. In contrast, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) functions as a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, tasked primarily with gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world.

The FBI's duties include investigating crimes related to domestic security, such as terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime. It also has jurisdiction over federal crimes like bank robbery and kidnapping. On the other hand, the CIA has no law enforcement function; instead, it focuses on overseas intelligence gathering, with an emphasis on providing defense and foreign policy intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers.

The FBI operates mainly within the United States and its territories or on cases that involve U.S. persons or interests abroad. It often collaborates with other U.S. law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Conversely, the CIA operates almost exclusively outside the United States, although it is headquartered in Langley, Virginia.

In terms of structure, the FBI is led by a Director and organizes its operations around various divisions based on different types of criminal activity. The CIA, directed by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, is divided into four major directorates—Operations, Analysis, Science & Technology, and Supporteach responsible for a different aspect of the agency's mission.

Training for FBI agents includes law enforcement skills and investigative techniques, applicable primarily within the U.S. legal framework. CIA officers, however, are trained in intelligence collection and operational practices with a strong focus on international affairs and often require language skills and cultural knowledge relevant to their area of assignment.