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The differences between investigators and background investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an investigator and a background investigator. Additionally, an investigator has an average salary of $71,406, which is higher than the $51,076 average annual salary of a background investigator.
The top three skills for an investigator include law enforcement agencies, management system and customer service. The most important skills for a background investigator are excellent time management, work ethic, and face-to-face interviews.
| Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $71,406 | $51,076 |
| Hourly rate | $34.33 | $24.56 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 5,085 | 4,428 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Criminal investigators play an essential role in criminal justice and law enforcement. Their job entails solving open cases that may take them weeks or even months to accomplish. Collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and arresting suspects are among their many tasks. They work at every level of criminal justice and law enforcement. For criminal investigators to succeed in their profession, they should have sound judgment, strong communication skills, ethical standards, physical fitness, and empathy. They also benefit from strong job prospects, in addition to an exciting and rewarding job.
The primary job of background investigators is to conduct background checks into an individual's personal and professional history that can validate or disprove their identity and character. They perform background investigations as part of hiring new employees, making an investment, and choosing a public official. Background investigators are responsible for obtaining and reviewing witness statements and arrest reports and meeting with candidates or the management to keep them updated on the investigation's progress and status. They are also responsible for completing background packages for final review and recommendation.
Investigators and background investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Average salary | $71,406 | $51,076 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $119,000 | Between $28,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Apple | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an investigator and a background investigator in terms of educational background:
| Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between investigators' and background investigators' demographics:
| Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.6% Female, 43.4% | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 4.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 15.2% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.6% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |