How To Become A Detective Lieutenant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a detective lieutenant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Jodi Gill

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a detective lieutenant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $25.13 an hour? That's $52,265 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 3% and produce 20,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What's a day at work look like for a detective lieutenant?

Jodi Gill

Internship Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University - Beaver

There is no "typical day" in this field, which is why I enjoy it so much! At any point in time, criminal justice professionals are required to pivot and adapt. Coursework in criminal justice prepares individuals for changing times and circumstances, and our graduates are ready to meet those challenges!

ScoreDetective LieutenantUS Average

Salary

4.1

Avg. Salary $52,265

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.43%

Asian 1.98%

Black or African American 10.28%

Hispanic or Latino 11.79%

Unknown 4.08%

White 70.45%

Gender

female 5.62%

male 94.38%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a detective lieutenant

Explore detective lieutenant education requirements

Most common detective lieutenant degrees

Bachelor's

57.4 %

Associate

22.2 %

Master's

10.8 %

Start to develop specific detective lieutenant skills

Skills	Percentages
Patrol	19.54%
Law Enforcement Agencies	15.75%
Direct Supervision	11.70%
Evidence Collection	11.13%
Internal Affairs	8.74%

Complete relevant detective lieutenant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New detective lieutenants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a detective lieutenant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real detective lieutenant resumes.

Research detective lieutenant duties and responsibilities

Manage and maintain equipment to include CCTV, MVS, operation security and alarm systems.
Perform background checks and investigations for all firearms applications within the township.
Assist in police training such as arrest procedures, firearms qualifications and report writing.
Work and supervise both patrol and investigations during career.

Prepare your detective lieutenant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your detective lieutenant resume.

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