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The differences between criminal investigators and security officers 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 $31,101 average annual salary of a security officer.
The top three skills for a criminal investigator include investigative reports, resourcefulness and firearms. The most important skills for a security officer are customer service, ladders, and patrol.
| Criminal Investigator | Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,520 | $31,101 |
| Hourly rate | $26.21 | $14.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 5,131 | 125,879 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A security officer is responsible for maintaining the peace and safety of everyone by regularly patrolling and monitoring surveillance equipment within the assigned premises. Security officers' duties also include reporting suspicious behaviors, restricting trespassers and unauthorized personnel from entering the establishment, providing incident reports for policy violations, and adhering to the standard protocols and legal requirements set by the management. Security offers must also have excellent decision-making and critical-thinking skills and extensive knowledge of emergency drills in case any unfortunate circumstances arise.
Criminal investigators and security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Criminal Investigator | Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $54,520 | $31,101 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $85,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | National Railroad Passenger Corporation | Battelle |
| Best paying industry | Government | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a criminal investigator and a security officer in terms of educational background:
| Criminal Investigator | Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between criminal investigators' and security officers' demographics:
| Criminal Investigator | Security Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |