Background investigator demographics and statistics in the US
Background investigator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates background investigator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our background investigator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about background investigators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,926 background investigators currently employed in the United States.
- 50.4% of all background investigators are women, while 49.6% are men.
- The average background investigator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of background investigators is White (55.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.8%), Black or African American (15.2%) and Unknown (5.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 84% of what men earned.
- 8% of all background investigators are LGBT.
- Background investigators are 48% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Background investigator demographics by:
Background investigator gender statistics
50.4% of background investigators are women and 49.6% of background investigators are men.
- Female, 50.4%
- Male, 49.6%
Background investigator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 50.4% |
| Male | 49.6% |
Background investigator gender pay gap
Women earn 84¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$58,162
Female income
$49,069
Background investigator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in background investigator positions over time. Currently, 50.4% of background investigators are female.
Background investigator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.76% | 42.24% |
| 2011 | 54.21% | 45.79% |
| 2012 | 47.80% | 52.20% |
| 2013 | 53.99% | 46.01% |
| 2014 | 51.20% | 48.80% |
| 2015 | 52.48% | 47.52% |
| 2016 | 49.84% | 50.16% |
| 2017 | 52.83% | 47.17% |
| 2018 | 52.77% | 47.23% |
| 2019 | 49.08% | 50.92% |
| 2020 | 49.41% | 50.59% |
| 2021 | 49.62% | 50.38% |
Background investigator related jobs gender ratio
We compared background investigators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Background Investigator | 50% | 50% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Background investigator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among background investigators is White, which makes up 55.2% of all background investigators. Comparatively, 18.8% of background investigators are Hispanic or Latino and 15.2% of background investigators are Black or African American.
- White, 55.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.8%
- Black or African American, 15.2%
- Unknown, 5.8%
- Asian, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Background investigator race
| Background investigator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.8% |
| Black or African American | 15.2% |
| Unknown | 5.8% |
| Asian | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Background investigator race and ethnicity over time
See how background investigator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Background investigator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.62% | 11.31% | 3.60% | 16.50% |
| 2011 | 61.70% | 14.10% | 3.16% | 18.80% |
| 2012 | 62.62% | 13.44% | 3.96% | 16.83% |
| 2013 | 60.88% | 14.85% | 2.69% | 17.86% |
| 2014 | 63.65% | 13.79% | 2.66% | 16.28% |
| 2015 | 61.27% | 14.14% | 3.95% | 17.95% |
| 2016 | 61.43% | 12.96% | 4.04% | 18.42% |
| 2017 | 61.35% | 11.74% | 5.06% | 17.42% |
| 2018 | 59.80% | 14.92% | 4.57% | 17.31% |
| 2019 | 59.47% | 14.46% | 5.31% | 18.66% |
| 2020 | 61.68% | 13.02% | 3.47% | 17.57% |
| 2021 | 55.23% | 15.24% | 4.64% | 18.83% |
Background investigator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown background investigators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american background investigators have the lowest average salary at $54,610.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,489 |
| White | $59,278 |
| Black or African American | $54,610 |
| Asian | $58,629 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $58,951 |
Average background investigator age
See how the average age of background investigators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Background investigator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 48 | 36.5 |
| White | 43 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 46 | 47 |
| Asian | 43.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 40 |
Background investigator age breakdown
The average age of background investigators is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the background investigator population.
Background investigator age breakdown
| Background Investigator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Background investigator educational attainment
The most common degree for background investigators is bachelor's degree, with 64% of background investigators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Background investigators by degree level
| Background investigator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 64% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Master's | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Background investigator jobs you might like
Background investigator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, background investigators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $68,929 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, background investigators earn a median annual income of $57,361 compared to $47,529 for background investigators with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $68,929 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,898 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $57,361 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,529 |
Background investigator employment statistics
Most background investigators work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where background investigators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where background investigators work.
Background investigator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Background investigator jobs by company type
Employees with the background investigator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most background investigators prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Background investigator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 48% |
| Government | 26% |
Background investigator jobs by industry
The most common industries for background investigators are government, professional and technology.
Background investigator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 23% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Finance | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Transportation | 6% |
| Media | 6% |
| Utilities | 6% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Background investigator turnover and employment statistics
Background investigator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for background investigators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Background investigator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Background investigator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.58% |
| 2011 | 7.05% |
| 2012 | 4.89% |
| 2013 | 5.47% |
| 2014 | 4.38% |
| 2015 | 3.03% |
| 2016 | 1.98% |
| 2017 | 2.44% |
| 2018 | 2.70% |
| 2019 | 2.51% |
| 2020 | 4.40% |
| 2021 | 3.23% |
Average background investigator tenure
The average background investigator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,872 background investigators resumes in Zippia's database.
Background investigator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Background investigator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of background investigators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Flagman | 3.84% | 2,605 |
| Customer Security Clerk | 6.29% | 152,684 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 7.17% | 62,658 |
| Camp Counselor/Lifeguard | 7.20% | 31,219 |
| Background Investigator | 8.27% | - |
| Passenger Screener | 15.51% | 1,776 |
Similar background investigator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Flagman | 3.84% | 2,605 |
| Customer Security Clerk | 6.29% | 152,684 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 7.17% | 62,658 |
| Camp Counselor/Lifeguard | 7.20% | 31,219 |
| Passenger Screener | 15.51% | 1,776 |
Foreign languages spoken by background investigators
The most common foreign language among background investigators is Spanish at 67.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 4.5% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 3.0%.
- Spanish, 67.2%
- Arabic, 4.5%
- Portuguese, 3.0%
- German, 3.0%
- Japanese, 3.0%
- Other, 19.3%
Background investigator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 67.2% |
| Arabic | 4.5% |
| Portuguese | 3.0% |
| German | 3.0% |
| Japanese | 3.0% |
| Other | 19.3% |
