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The differences between investigative specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an investigative specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $50,153 average annual salary of an investigative specialist.
The top three skills for an investigative specialist include patients, investigative reports and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Investigative Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,153 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $24.11 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 39,030 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
The duties of an investigative specialist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In a business environment, their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with different departments to gather extensive data, analyzing documentation, identifying any discrepancies and irregularities, and performing corrective measures while trying to find the reason for errors. Furthermore, as an investigative specialist, it is essential to address any issues or concerns, thoroughly investigating any reported suspicious activities, dealing with them promptly and efficiently in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Investigative specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investigative Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $50,153 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $79,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an investigative specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Investigative Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between investigative specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Investigative Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.5% Female, 57.5% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.0% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |