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Investigator vs detective investigator

The differences between investigators and detective 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 detective investigator. Additionally, an investigator has an average salary of $71,406, which is higher than the $53,616 average annual salary of a detective investigator.

The top three skills for an investigator include law enforcement agencies, management system and customer service. The most important skills for a detective investigator are physical evidence, patrol, and law enforcement agencies.

Investigator vs detective investigator overview

InvestigatorDetective Investigator
Yearly salary$71,406$53,616
Hourly rate$34.33$25.78
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs5,08520,213
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

Investigator vs detective investigator salary

Investigators and detective investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

InvestigatorDetective Investigator
Average salary$71,406$53,616
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $119,000Between $37,000 And $76,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyApple-
Best paying industry--

Differences between investigator and detective investigator education

There are a few differences between an investigator and a detective investigator in terms of educational background:

InvestigatorDetective Investigator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Investigator vs detective investigator demographics

Here are the differences between investigators' and detective investigators' demographics:

InvestigatorDetective Investigator
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 56.6% Female, 43.4%Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7%
Race ratioBlack 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, 13.4% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between investigator and detective investigator duties and responsibilities

Investigator example responsibilities.

  • Participate in and lead the controlled purchase of illegal narcotics and firearms to apprehend suspects.
  • Manage all business reporting to include; payroll, taxes, client billing, account reconciliations and compliance reports.
  • Manage corporate-wide document production relative to complex litigation cases.
  • Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
  • Collaborate with federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF and IRS.
  • Write a detail case report, and attach all supporting documentation necessary to write up SAR's where necessary per BSA.
    • Show more

Detective investigator example responsibilities.

  • Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
  • Prepare in-depth detail reports including arrest warrants, search warrants, subpoenas and court orders for criminal prosecution.
  • Prepare subpoenas and search warrants for account information from various companies and entities for follow-up investigations.
  • Analyze high risk transaction activity and provide final approval of investigative case analyses utilize for SAR preparation and filing.
  • Establish a review procedure with IRS and assign an analyst.

Investigator vs detective investigator skills

Common investigator skills
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 7%
  • Management System, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Criminal Justice, 5%
  • Senior Level Management, 4%
  • Child Abuse, 4%
Common detective investigator skills
  • Physical Evidence, 14%
  • Patrol, 12%
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 7%
  • Insurance Fraud, 5%
  • Homicide, 5%
  • Electronic Surveillance, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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