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The differences between crime specialists 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 $35,227 average annual salary of a crime specialist.
The top three skills for a crime specialist include criminal justice, anti-money laundering and secrecy. The most important skills for a criminal investigator are investigative reports, resourcefulness, and firearms.
| Crime Specialist | Criminal Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $35,227 | $54,520 |
| Hourly rate | $16.94 | $26.21 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 1,239 | 5,131 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
The duties of a Crime Specialist usually depend on their place of employment. Their responsibilities include visiting crime scenes, gathering and analyzing pieces of evidence, conducting interviews with witnesses, utilizing forensic equipment and techniques, taking photographs or videos, and preparing reports and other paperwork. They may also attend court hearings, provide insights, and train new members of the workforce. Crime Specialists work together with law enforcement, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
Crime specialists and criminal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Crime Specialist | Criminal Investigator | |
| Average salary | $35,227 | $54,520 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $47,000 | Between $34,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salt Lake City, UT | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Collabera | National Railroad Passenger Corporation |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a crime specialist and a criminal investigator in terms of educational background:
| Crime Specialist | Criminal Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between crime specialists' and criminal investigators' demographics:
| Crime Specialist | Criminal Investigator | |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9% | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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% |