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The differences between lead investigators and deputies can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead investigator has an average salary of $60,060, which is higher than the $53,682 average annual salary of a deputy.
The top three skills for a lead investigator include law enforcement agencies, background investigations and data analysis. The most important skills for a deputy are patrol, public safety, and transport inmates.
| Lead Investigator | Deputy | |
| Yearly salary | $60,060 | $53,682 |
| Hourly rate | $28.88 | $25.81 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 21,299 | 56,150 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Lead investigators are responsible for gathering information from both eyewitnesses and suspects. They have to untangle the crime scene for possible clues like DNA, fingerprints, physical evidence, and more. They document the scene by taking photos or by using Leica scanners to capture every detail of the crime scene. Also, they take evidence, processed them, preserve records, and then present the evidence to courts. Additionally, they, at times, procure supplies and items essential for an investigation like identifications apparatus. Lead investigators must know the state, federal, and local laws regarding police operations, investigative procedures as well as evidence safekeeping and demolition.
The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat. There are also instances when a deputy must serve court documents, transport detainees or suspected criminals, and monitor courtrooms. Furthermore, a deputy reports to higher-ranking officers such as a sheriff.
Lead investigators and deputies have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Investigator | Deputy | |
| Average salary | $60,060 | $53,682 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $113,000 | Between $31,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New York |
| Best paying company | BNY Mellon | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead investigator and a deputy in terms of educational background:
| Lead Investigator | Deputy | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between lead investigators' and deputies' demographics:
| Lead Investigator | Deputy | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.6% Female, 31.4% | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.5% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |