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Investigative research specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an investigative research specialist. Investigative research specialists usually study business, psychology, or criminal justice. 48% of investigative research specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 49 real investigative research specialist resumes to see exactly what investigative research specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for investigative research specialists are the Western Washington University and the Western Washington University.
There are also many online investigative research specialist courses to help get the education required to be an investigative research specialist.
What education do you need to become an investigative research specialist?
What degree do you need to be an investigative research specialist?
- Bachelor's, 48%
- Associate, 21%
- Master's, 17%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become an investigative research specialist?
- Business, 24%
- Psychology, 12%
- Criminal Justice, 9%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for investigative research specialists
| Investigative research specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Western Washington University | 5.00% |
| University of Northern Colorado | 5.00% |
| Marshall University | 5.00% |
| University of Oklahoma | 5.00% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 5.00% |
Best majors for investigative research specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.5% |
| 2 | Psychology | 11.8% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 8.8% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 5.9% |
| 5 | Library Science And Administration | 5.9% |
Best colleges for investigative research specialists
The best colleges for investigative research specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
An investigative research specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for investigative research specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become investigative research specialists.
1. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
2. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
3. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
7. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$8,072
Enrollment
10,529
20 best online courses for investigative research specialists
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1. Data Analysis Immersive (Full-time)
Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries...
2. Data Analytics (Part Time)
Harness Excel, SQL, and Tableau to drive powerful analysis and insights. Build confidence and credibility to apply this versatile skill set to countless jobs. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. Data Analyst
Use Python, SQL and Statistics to advance your programming skills and refine your ability to work with messy, complex datasets...
4. Marketing Analytics
Gain an in-depth understanding of Google Analytics and marketing analytics. Analyze data and build models with Excel, Data Studio, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...
5. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...
6. Being a researcher (in Information Science and Technology)
The course provides a broad view of how to become and progress as a researcher. It spans over a wide range of topics, from the historical development of scientific thought to research methodology, to the pragmatics of publication, research funding, evaluation, and promotion in a researcher’s career. It also stresses the ethical aspects of research. Although the course speaks about scientific research in general, it especially focuses on the field on Information and Communication Science and...
7. IFCI Expert Cybercrime Investigator's Course
Protect your network - Put cybercriminals in jail. Learn computer forensics, malware analysis and hacker investigations...
8. Certificate Course in Clinical Research (CCCR)
A Clinical Research Course-ICH-GCP E6(R2), Clinical Trials, Essential Documents, Sponsor, Investigator, Pharmaceuticals...
9. Digital Marketing (Part Time)
Build confidence and capability to apply modern marketing strategies on the job. Drive growth with multichannel campaigns powered by data and customer insight. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
10. Intro to Data Analytics
Discover if data is a career fit for you Regardless of your industry or role, fluency in the language of data analytics will allow you to contribute to data driven decision making. In this free, two-hour livestream, you’ll learn to understand, analyze, and interpret data so you too can join the data conversation. We’ll cover how to ask the right questions of your data and basic analytic functionality. Then you’ll apply your new found data analytic skills to a real-world dataset, allowing you...
11. Data Structures and Algorithms
Get hands-on practice with over 80 data structures and algorithm exercises and guidance from a dedicated mentor to help prepare you for interviews and on-the-job scenarios...
12. Data Visualization
You will start by building data visualizations and dashboards, considering your audiences to be as effective as possible. Then, you’ll move into drafting presentations using storytelling techniques, visualizations, and animations to provide data-driven recommendations...
13. Uncertainty and Research
This course teaches the fundamentals of scientific research. We approach the research process as a means of systematically reducing uncertainty and demonstrate how conducting a scientific investigation can be posed as an exercise in Bayesian uncertainty quantification. We begin by exploring the scientific landscape to understand the different types of research, where they are conducted, how they are supported, and why each of these types of research is important. We then formalize scientific...
14. Threat Investigation
If you are an associate-level cybersecurity analyst who is working in security operation centers, this course will help you understand how threat-centric SOC must prepare for analyzing new and emerging threats by implementing robust security investigation procedures • By the end of the course, you will be able to: • Understand cyber-threat hunting concepts • Describe the five hunting maturity levels (HM0–HM4) • Describe the hunting cycle four-stage loop• Describe the use of the Common...
15. AML Case Investigation Skills
A guide to conducting AML case investigations, writing quality case narratives and the submission of STRs (STR filing)...
16. Tableau Data Analyst/Specialist Desktop Certification
From beginners to skills needed for Data Analyst or Desktop Specialist certifications. Tableau 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020...
17. Digital Marketing
Gain real-world experience running live campaigns as you learn from top experts in the field. Launch your career with a 360-degree understanding of digital marketing...
18. Intro to Data Analysis
Start your data science journey right with this hands-on introduction to the discipline of data analysis. In this course you'll learn the 5 key stages of the data analysis process and apply them to real data sets using Python libraries NumPy, pandas, and Matplotlib...
19. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague
International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...
20. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course
Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...
Top 10 most affordable universities for investigative research specialists
The most affordable schools for investigative research specialists are SUNY Farmingdale, florida state university, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for investigative research specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for investigative research specialists.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for investigative research specialists
The hardest universities for investigative research specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for investigative research specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for investigative research specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
6. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
7. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for investigative research specialists
The easiest schools for investigative research specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, william paterson university of new jersey, and texas woman's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an investigative research specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for investigative research specialists.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
3. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
4. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average investigative research specialist salary by education level
| Investigative research specialist education level | Investigative research specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $71,314 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,181 |
| Doctorate Degree | $72,264 |
Investigative research specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025