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The differences between credit investigators and investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 3-6 months to become a credit investigator, becoming an investigator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an investigator has an average salary of $71,406, 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 an investigator are law enforcement agencies, management system, and customer service.
| Credit Investigator | Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $34,703 | $71,406 |
| Hourly rate | $16.68 | $34.33 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 9,442 | 5,085 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Criminal investigators play an essential role in criminal justice and law enforcement. Their job entails solving open cases that may take them weeks or even months to accomplish. Collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and arresting suspects are among their many tasks. They work at every level of criminal justice and law enforcement. For criminal investigators to succeed in their profession, they should have sound judgment, strong communication skills, ethical standards, physical fitness, and empathy. They also benefit from strong job prospects, in addition to an exciting and rewarding job.
Credit investigators and investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Credit Investigator | Investigator | |
| Average salary | $34,703 | $71,406 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $42,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a credit investigator and an investigator in terms of educational background:
| Credit Investigator | Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between credit investigators' and investigators' demographics:
| Credit Investigator | Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.5% Female, 71.5% | Male, 56.6% Female, 43.4% |
| 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, 13.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 4.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |