Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between background investigators and special investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a background investigator, becoming a special investigator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a background investigator has an average salary of $51,076, which is higher than the $50,623 average annual salary of a special 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 special investigator are law enforcement agencies, background checks, and child abuse.
| Background Investigator | Special Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $51,076 | $50,623 |
| Hourly rate | $24.56 | $24.34 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 4,428 | 14,799 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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 special investigator is responsible for gathering information and analyzing evidence to identify criminal activities and law-violating instances. Special investigators review surveillance devices, interview witnesses, and coordinate with law enforcement agencies to collect related reports. They sort and store documents securely on databases for reference, confirm statements, and assist in court procedures for in-depth investigation. A special investigator must be highly communicative and observational, especially in organizing materials and verifying information to support claims and file the appropriate legal actions.
Background investigators and special investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Background Investigator | Special Investigator | |
| Average salary | $51,076 | $50,623 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $90,000 | Between $31,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Lompoc, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Maryland |
| Best paying company | - | City of Los Angeles |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a background investigator and a special investigator in terms of educational background:
| Background Investigator | Special Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between background investigators' and special investigators' demographics:
| Background Investigator | Special Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% | Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5% |
| 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, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |