Credit investigator vs criminal investigator

The differences between credit investigators and criminal investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a criminal investigator has an average salary of $54,520, which is higher than the $34,703 average annual salary of a credit investigator.

The top three skills for a credit investigator include financial statements, loan applications and credit bureau reports. The most important skills for a criminal investigator are investigative reports, resourcefulness, and firearms.

Credit investigator vs criminal investigator overview

	Credit Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Yearly salary	$34,703	$54,520
Hourly rate	$16.68	$26.21
Growth rate	-3%	3%
Number of jobs	9,442	5,131
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	-

What does a credit investigator do?

A credit investigator investigates credit or loan applications to determine if applicants can uphold financial obligations, thus helping companies decide which applications to approve. They gather and evaluate documents, conduct research and analyses, study financial histories and credit reports, and calculate loan-to-income ratios. Most credit investigators work at banking institutions, lending firms, or similar establishments. In some companies, a credit investigator may also have the responsibility of running background checks on potential employees.

What does a criminal investigator do?

A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who endeavors to solve felony crimes. Criminal investigators may work alone or as a member of an investigative team whose goal is to uncover the certainty of a case and potentially keep suspects to prevent the ensuing criminal activity. Their tasks and responsibilities depend on various job functions and specialties. They may specialize in the information and evidence of a crime scene, conduct interviews and searches, or perform surveillance.

Credit investigator vs criminal investigator salary

Credit investigators and criminal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Credit Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Average salary	$34,703	$54,520
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $34,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	National Railroad Passenger Corporation
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between credit investigator and criminal investigator education

There are a few differences between a credit investigator and a criminal investigator in terms of educational background:

	Credit Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	Stanford University	-

Credit investigator vs criminal investigator demographics

Here are the differences between credit investigators' and criminal investigators' demographics:

	Credit Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 28.5% Female, 71.5%	Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.9% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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	9%	9%

Differences between credit investigator and criminal investigator duties and responsibilities

Credit investigator example responsibilities.

Manage accounting operations, accounting close, account reporting and reconciliations.
Utilize credit reports such as Experian, Transunion Equitifax.
Work on A/R and billing for a manufacturing company specializing in premium orthopedic, reconstructive and postoperative products.
Provide direct service with customers to process loan modifications, typically under SBA regulations.

Criminal investigator example responsibilities.

Conduct joint planning and manage AFOSI's criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations in northern Italy.
Close accounts and file SAR's with FinCEN as warranted.
Write suspicious activity reports (SAR).
Follow up on sub reviews and documentation require information for FinCEN reporting.
Coordinate and conduct firearms training.
Examine discovery, prepare subpoenas, and review pertinent documents.

Credit investigator vs criminal investigator skills

Common credit investigator skills

Financial Statements, 15%
Loan Applications, 10%
Credit Bureau Reports, 7%
Credit Applications, 7%
Credit Investigations, 6%
Credit Worthiness, 5%

Common criminal investigator skills

Investigative Reports, 13%
Resourcefulness, 11%
Firearms, 11%
Treasury, 9%
Investigative Techniques, 8%
IRS, 6%

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Credit Investigator
Credit Investigator vs Criminal Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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