Forensic investigator vs forensic computer examiner

The differences between forensic investigators and forensic computer examiners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a forensic investigator and a forensic computer examiner. Additionally, a forensic computer examiner has an average salary of $66,393, which is higher than the $52,267 average annual salary of a forensic investigator.

The top three skills for a forensic investigator include incident response, windows and FTK. The most important skills for a forensic computer examiner are digital forensics, extraction, and FTK.

Forensic investigator vs forensic computer examiner overview

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Computer Examiner
Yearly salary	$52,267	$66,393
Hourly rate	$25.13	$31.92
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	5,032	16,108
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

What does a forensic investigator do?

A forensic investigator is responsible for collecting evidence and pieces of a clue to solve a complicated incident. A forensic investigator must have strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to handle various cases that would require intensive research and scientific principles application. Forensic investigators usually work closely with law enforcement personnel to identify all possible sources and secure evidence for further examination. They also study the scene where the incident happened, document observations, creating investigation reports, and communicating with several witnesses that would support possible claims.

What does a forensic computer examiner do?

With the arrival of the computer age came a plethora of crimes. Forensic computer examiners collect and analyze data to uncover and prosecute electronic fraud, scams, and identify theft. As a forensic computer examiner, you will tackle cyber-crimes. In doing this, you must adhere strictly to the standards of evidence gathering found in general forensic science, being that legal cases depend on the integrity of evidence. Investigative and report writing skills will also be much-needed assets.

Forensic investigator vs forensic computer examiner salary

Forensic investigators and forensic computer examiners have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Computer Examiner
Average salary	$52,267	$66,393
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $98,000	Between $46,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Booz Allen Hamilton
Best paying industry	-	Insurance

Differences between forensic investigator and forensic computer examiner education

There are a few differences between a forensic investigator and a forensic computer examiner in terms of educational background:

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Computer Examiner
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Forensic investigator vs forensic computer examiner demographics

Here are the differences between forensic investigators' and forensic computer examiners' demographics:

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Computer Examiner
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9%	Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between forensic investigator and forensic computer examiner duties and responsibilities

Forensic investigator example responsibilities.

Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
Prepare investigative reports, scientific forensic analysis reports and other documents in support of civil litigation.
Perform in-depth forensic analysis of Macintosh computer hard drives and prepare expert report for use in ongoing litigation.
Prepare affidavits of information and apply for investigative or grand jury subpoenas and other legal orders necessary for a thorough investigation.
Present to schools, community organizations, and local corporations prevention techniques in a PowerPoint format.
Evaluate impressions for AFIS (automate fingerprint identification system) potential.

Forensic computer examiner example responsibilities.

Provide polygraph screening to members of the intelligence community (CIA, NRO, NGA, DOD, etc).
Access password protect and secure files.
Collect DNA samples for lab testing.
Prevent imminent disconnection of DoD network to U.S.
Use of LIMS during all aspects of laboratory analysis.
Use chemical reagents to stand out mutilate serial numbers on firearms.

Forensic investigator vs forensic computer examiner skills

Common forensic investigator skills

Incident Response, 17%
Windows, 12%
FTK, 11%
Litigation, 8%
Physical Evidence, 6%
Digital Evidence, 5%

Common forensic computer examiner skills

Digital Forensics, 12%
Extraction, 10%
FTK, 9%
Computer Forensics, 7%
DOD, 7%
Forensic Analysis, 7%

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Forensic Investigator vs Forensic Computer Examiner

Updated January 8, 2025

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