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The differences between background investigators and police cadets 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 $33,243 average annual salary of a police cadet.
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 police cadet are patrol, traffic control, and public safety.
| Background Investigator | Police Cadet | |
| Yearly salary | $51,076 | $33,243 |
| Hourly rate | $24.56 | $15.98 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 4,428 | 94,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| 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.
Police cadets require multiple police department-relevant skills in traffic control, police reports, public safety, and special events. Those who choose this career will be responsible for participating in training programs that will introduce them to the fundamentals of law enforcement and prepare them for becoming police officers, supporting police operations like traffic control, working on criminal investigation, and performing administrative duties at the station.
Background investigators and police cadets have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Background Investigator | Police Cadet | |
| Average salary | $51,076 | $33,243 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $90,000 | Between $23,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Meridian Township |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a background investigator and a police cadet in terms of educational background:
| Background Investigator | Police Cadet | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between background investigators' and police cadets' demographics:
| Background Investigator | Police Cadet | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% | Male, 63.4% Female, 36.6% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 2.9% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |