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The differences between background investigators and correction officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a background investigator has an average salary of $51,076, which is higher than the $39,369 average annual salary of a correction officer.
The top three skills for a background investigator include excellent time management, work ethic and face-to-face interviews. The most important skills for a correction officer are public safety, correctional facility, and emergency situations.
| Background Investigator | Correction Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $51,076 | $39,369 |
| Hourly rate | $24.56 | $18.93 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 4,428 | 103,383 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
The primary job of background investigators is to conduct background checks into an individual's personal and professional history that can validate or disprove their identity and character. They perform background investigations as part of hiring new employees, making an investment, and choosing a public official. Background investigators are responsible for obtaining and reviewing witness statements and arrest reports and meeting with candidates or the management to keep them updated on the investigation's progress and status. They are also responsible for completing background packages for final review and recommendation.
A correction officer is responsible for monitoring the daily activities of individuals serving time in prison, enforcing the standard rules and regulatory procedures to maintain safety and security within the premises. Correction officers' duties include searching for restricted items, inspecting the facilities' condition, observing unusual and suspicious behaviors, generating incident reports, and providing assistance during counseling and trial schedules. Correction officers must be highly knowledgeable of legal regulations. They must also cooperate with court procedures for any investigations within their place of work.
Background investigators and correction officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Background Investigator | Correction Officer | |
| Average salary | $51,076 | $39,369 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $90,000 | Between $28,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a background investigator and a correction officer in terms of educational background:
| Background Investigator | Correction Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between background investigators' and correction officers' demographics:
| Background Investigator | Correction Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.2% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.6% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 16.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |