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The differences between background investigators and detectives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a detective has an average salary of $57,984, which is higher than the $51,076 average annual salary of a background investigator.
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 detective are physical evidence, patrol, and law enforcement agencies.
| Background Investigator | Detective | |
| Yearly salary | $51,076 | $57,984 |
| Hourly rate | $24.56 | $27.88 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 4,428 | 56,521 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| 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 detective is responsible for conducting in-depth investigations for criminal activities, potential threats, and other law-violating incidents, coordinating closely with law-enforcement agencies and crime intelligence analysts. Detectives often work on the field, gathering data and related evidence to support claims and connect the timeline of events. They keep an organized record of their findings for further validation before reporting it to the authority. A detective must have excellent investigative and critical-thinking skills, especially on solving puzzles and security solutions.
Background investigators and detectives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Background Investigator | Detective | |
| Average salary | $51,076 | $57,984 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $90,000 | Between $35,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a background investigator and a detective in terms of educational background:
| Background Investigator | Detective | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of Arizona |
Here are the differences between background investigators' and detectives' demographics:
| Background Investigator | Detective | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% | Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3% |
| 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, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |