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The differences between credit risk analysts and investigative analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a credit risk analyst, becoming an investigative analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an investigative analyst has an average salary of $125,975, which is higher than the $85,376 average annual salary of a credit risk analyst.
The top three skills for a credit risk analyst include risk management, SAS and SQL. The most important skills for an investigative analyst are criminal justice, external stakeholders, and anti-money laundering.
| Credit Risk Analyst | Investigative Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $85,376 | $125,975 |
| Hourly rate | $41.05 | $60.56 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 32,578 | 28,703 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A credit risk analyst's primary role is to assess loan and purchase applications to determine a client's ability to uphold financial obligations. Their responsibilities revolve around performing various analyzation techniques to evaluate financial risks, maintain records of all applications and relevant data, and provide advice on businesses on whether to approve or decline the credit application. Furthermore, a credit risk analyst may perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and presentations, responding to inquiries, and coordinating with all departments.
An investigative analyst is responsible for handling and resolving suspicious activities that pose risks for an organization's reputation and stability. Investigative analysts review incident reports, such as fraud and other law violations, strategizing on effective ways to minimize losses and prevent misconduct reoccurrence. They collect evidence, including documents and interviews, to support their claims and record their findings. An investigative analyst must be highly communicative and organizational, as well as the ability to keep and secure confidential information until further notice.
Credit risk analysts and investigative analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Credit Risk Analyst | Investigative Analyst | |
| Average salary | $85,376 | $125,975 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $116,000 | Between $102,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Montana |
| Best paying company | Western Alliance Bank | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a credit risk analyst and an investigative analyst in terms of educational background:
| Credit Risk Analyst | Investigative Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Finance | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between credit risk analysts' and investigative analysts' demographics:
| Credit Risk Analyst | Investigative Analyst | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% | Male, 44.9% Female, 55.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.5% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |