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The differences between investigators assistants and criminal investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a criminal investigator has an average salary of $54,520, which is higher than the $44,686 average annual salary of an investigators assistant.
The top three skills for an investigators assistant include background checks, physical evidence and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a criminal investigator are investigative reports, resourcefulness, and firearms.
| Investigators Assistant | Criminal Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $44,686 | $54,520 |
| Hourly rate | $21.48 | $26.21 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 16,836 | 5,131 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
As the name entails, the job of an investigator's assistant is to perform office duties and field jobs to support investigations into criminal justice and criminal cases. Typical duties will include processing legal documents and reports such as subpoenas and complaints, collecting fingerprints, police reports, and background checks, and interviewing victims and witnesses. Additionally, as an investigator's assistant, you are responsible for reviewing criminal background checks and conducting research on new social trends. You will also be responsible for preparing payroll and delegating and coordinating multiple projects under a tight deadline.
A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who endeavors to solve felony crimes. Criminal investigators may work alone or as a member of an investigative team whose goal is to uncover the certainty of a case and potentially keep suspects to prevent the ensuing criminal activity. Their tasks and responsibilities depend on various job functions and specialties. They may specialize in the information and evidence of a crime scene, conduct interviews and searches, or perform surveillance.
Investigators assistants and criminal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investigators Assistant | Criminal Investigator | |
| Average salary | $44,686 | $54,520 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $85,000 | Between $34,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | National Railroad Passenger Corporation |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an investigators assistant and a criminal investigator in terms of educational background:
| Investigators Assistant | Criminal Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between investigators assistants' and criminal investigators' demographics:
| Investigators Assistant | Criminal Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.8% Female, 64.2% | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |