How To Become A Head Investigator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a head investigator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Gary LaFree

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a head investigator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.22 an hour? That's $50,379 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 3% and produce 20,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a head investigator?

Gary LaFree

Chair and Professor, University of Maryland

Think about obtaining as much education and training as you can. Be patient. The fundamentals of the economy are relatively strong. Outlet should be much better when we get through the current crisis.

ScoreHead InvestigatorUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $50,379

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 2.83%

Black or African American 11.94%

Hispanic or Latino 17.03%

Unknown 4.87%

White 62.69%

Gender

female 12.70%

male 87.30%

Age - 44

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 - 44

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a head investigator

Explore head investigator education requirements

Most common head investigator degrees

Bachelor's

51.1 %

Doctorate

22.2 %

Diploma

11.1 %

Start to develop specific head investigator skills

Skills	Percentages
CCTV	29.85%
Transaction Monitoring	28.11%
Fraud Investigations	24.69%
OFAC	17.35%

Complete relevant head investigator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New head investigators 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 head investigator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real head investigator resumes.

Research head investigator duties and responsibilities

Manage corporate-wide document production relative to complex litigation cases.
Ensure effective prioritization of investigation through supervision and monitor & review investigative activity and outcomes using CCTV & by running reports.
Conduct informational interviews and submit comprehensive reports on investigations per OPM guidelines.

Apply for head investigator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a head investigator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams