As mentioned previously, you gain experience points as you progress through the game. There is a single pool of experience for the entire squad, allowing you and your companions to advance at a similar rate. Each time you accumulate a sufficient number of experience points, you will level up, granting access to new talent points which you can spend at the Squad screen in the Mission Computer. Your character starts at level 1, and the highest possible level is 60.

At the Squad screen you can automatically distribute talent points to the selected character, or you can spend them manually on each desired talent.

Players earn talent points for each new level as follows:

Level	Shepard Points per Level	Squad Points per Level
1-5	3	2
6-20	2	2
21-35	2	1
36-60	1	1

This means that Shepard can earn up to 100 talent points through leveling up, while squad members can earn up to 80 points. However, all characters begin with 2 points already allocated, and automatic points in the Charm and Intimidate talents can be earned by raising your Paragon and Renegade meters to sufficient levels. This will be explained more later.