Federal investigator vs crime scene investigator

The differences between federal investigators and crime scene investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a federal investigator and a crime scene investigator. Additionally, a crime scene investigator has an average salary of $59,391, which is higher than the $50,277 average annual salary of a federal investigator.

The top three skills for a federal investigator include background investigations, law enforcement agencies and litigation. The most important skills for a crime scene investigator are physical evidence, criminal justice, and law enforcement agencies.

Federal investigator vs crime scene investigator overview

	Federal Investigator	Crime Scene Investigator
Yearly salary	$50,277	$59,391
Hourly rate	$24.17	$28.55
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	5,213	4,621
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Federal investigator vs crime scene investigator salary

Federal investigators and crime scene investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Federal Investigator	Crime Scene Investigator
Average salary	$50,277	$59,391
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $76,000	Between $30,000 And $113,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between federal investigator and crime scene investigator education

There are a few differences between a federal investigator and a crime scene investigator in terms of educational background:

	Federal Investigator	Crime Scene Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Federal investigator vs crime scene investigator demographics

Here are the differences between federal investigators' and crime scene investigators' demographics:

	Federal Investigator	Crime Scene Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1%	Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between federal investigator and crime scene investigator duties and responsibilities

Federal investigator example responsibilities.

Investigate and open cases on customers and non-customers who have potentially engage in activity which goes against federally mandate BSA/AML regulations.
Handle and safeguard sensitive and confidential information, including personal identifiable information (PII).

Crime scene investigator example responsibilities.

Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
Investigate and open cases on customers and non-customers who have potentially engage in activity which goes against federally mandate BSA/AML regulations.
Review wire transfers and apply regulatory reporting and banking requirements to ensure compliance with BSA/AML and OFAC rules and regulations.
Conduct OFAC alert investigation using global standard policies, procedures and tools aim at meeting internal and external regulatory requirements.
Serve as firstresponder for accidents and disasters, applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other life- saving procedures as needed.

Federal investigator vs crime scene investigator skills

Common federal investigator skills

Background Investigations, 10%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 9%
Litigation, 8%
Federal Agencies, 8%
Security Clearance, 6%
Subpoenas, 6%

Common crime scene investigator skills

Physical Evidence, 17%
Criminal Justice, 10%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 8%
Laboratory Analysis, 5%
Patrol, 5%
AML, 4%

Federal Investigator vs. similar jobs

Federal Investigator related careers

Federal Investigator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Protective Service Industry
Federal Investigator
Federal Investigator vs Crime Scene Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse protective service jobs