What is a Legal Investigator?

A legal investigator uses their knowledge of the law to uncover evidence of wrongdoing. They can work for a law office to help attorneys build a case against a company accused of malpractice, for an insurance company to help uncover fraud, or even for law enforcement agencies.

Legal investigators need to be highly knowledgeable about the law to analyze legal documents and gather evidence to be used in court. They need to have excellent attention to detail and an analytical mindset to uncover discrepancies in the evidence and discover the truth about what really happened.

Legal investigators are not lawyers, so they don't have to go to law school or pass the bar. However, most have a bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice or a related field. It also helps if they have experience working in the legal field, such as a legal assistant, before striking out on their own. For their investigative services, legal investigators earn an average salary of $57,984 a year.

What Does a Legal Investigator Do

There are certain skills that many legal investigators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills.

How To Become a Legal Investigator

If you're interested in becoming a legal investigator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 61.0% of legal investigators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 9.9% of legal investigators have master's degrees. Even though most legal investigators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Top Legal Investigator Jobs Near You

Legal Investigator Career Paths

In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of investigator you might progress to a role such as case manager eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title business owner.

Legal Investigator

Top Careers Before Legal Investigator

Police Officer(116,287 Jobs)
14.8 %
Legal Extern(10,986 Jobs)
12.0 %
Paralegal(5,177 Jobs)
8.2 %

Top Careers After Legal Investigator

Legal Assistant(9,560 Jobs)
12.9 %
Legal Secretary(13,182 Jobs)
9.2 %
Paralegal(5,177 Jobs)
8.0 %

Average Salary for a Legal Investigator

Legal Investigators in America make an average salary of $72,914 per year or $35 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $117,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $45,000 per year.
Average Legal Investigator Salary
$72,914 Yearly
$35.05 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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Roles and Types of Legal Investigator

There are several types of legal investigator, including:

Legal Extern

Role:

Let's rip the Band-Aid off, shall we? As a legal extern, you're probably not going to get paid. But what you take away from these opportunities may prove more useful in the longterm. What you'll take away from a legal externship will be experience and academic credit. Which really is priceless, if you ask us.

You'll have experience right off the bat within a legal setting. This definitely will give you an edge against your other colleagues. A legal extern is very similar to an internship, but is usually much shorter. So while you're getting the experience, you don't have to commit to it for as long.

Since being a legal extern won't last very long, it's a good way to see if you even want to work in the legal industry. It'll give you a glimpse into everything you will be doing, like conducting client interviews, making a court appearance, and even some legal research and writing. Just think of it as a very in-depth glimpse into "a day in the life" of a legal profession.
  • Average Salary: $47,238
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Attorney

Role:

An attorney's job is to be there for people who are down on their luck, legally, of course. They provide legal advice to individuals, businesses and even government agencies (yes, the government can get into trouble too).

While a degree in law may not sound too bad, this profession also requires that you pass the bar exam. Which, if you haven't heard of before, it's pretty difficult to pass. If you're willing to put in the study hours, though, the average attorney makes $122,960 a year. So that's definitely a plus.
  • Average Salary: $109,476
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree

Contract Attorney

Role:

Whether you're a recent law graduate or a seasoned professional with years of experience, becoming a contract attorney might be the best way to generate money using your legal skills. Working as a contract attorney may help secure your dream position, or it may help you make a steady income while you search for that dream job. Not only will you learn valuable skills, but you can also build a valuable network of professional contacts.

In general, a contract attorney works on legal cases on an as-needed or temporary basis. Contracts can be for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few years. Generally, a contract lawyer's core responsibility is drawing up and reviewing legal contracts and documents. They may also perform contract research, prepare case strategies, offer legal advisory services to clients, and support the litigation team.

This position requires a bachelor's degree, a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a law degree, and a Bar certification. Contract lawyers must possess excellent research and multitasking skills, be detail-oriented, and have an ability to adapt to new situations regularly. They may work for an agency, serve as a part of an in-house legal department, or work for a law firm.
  • Average Salary: $97,474
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree
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States With The Most Legal Investigator Jobs

Number Of Legal Investigator Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California580$86,893
2Florida486$63,726
3Texas400$71,301
4New York268$107,690
5Illinois156$73,843
6Virginia151$76,163
7New Jersey150$85,460
8Georgia149$64,825
9Pennsylvania147$67,257
10Massachusetts145$107,363
11Maryland126$78,274
12Washington125$78,658
13Colorado112$82,384
14North Carolina105$64,133
15Ohio101$60,080
16Minnesota100$60,492
17Michigan99$62,269
18Arizona98$72,901
19Missouri87$48,462
20Alabama58$62,924
21Wisconsin54$62,178
22Louisiana52$64,808
23Indiana52$53,240
24Oregon48$78,898
25Tennessee47$72,287
26Nebraska45$59,903
27Kentucky43$57,551
28South Carolina38$55,478
29West Virginia36$67,209
30Connecticut36$80,553
31Arkansas35$56,952
32Utah33$70,241
33Mississippi30$54,800
34Delaware28$74,750
35Nevada28$58,684
36New Hampshire26$70,663
37Oklahoma25$52,531
38Iowa23$62,900
39Idaho23$60,272
40New Mexico23$57,058
41Kansas23$57,308
42Hawaii22$49,273
43Alaska16$63,754
44North Dakota16$58,220
45Rhode Island15$76,324
46Montana14$53,933
47South Dakota9$54,618
48Wyoming8$55,585
49Maine8$50,432
50Vermont5$81,758

Legal Investigator Education

Legal Investigator Majors

Criminal Justice
24.4 %
Business
13.3 %
Law
8.3 %

Legal Investigator Degrees

Bachelors

61.0 %

Associate

16.0 %

Masters

9.9 %

Top Colleges for Legal Investigators

1. University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA • Private

In-State Tuition

$52,610

Enrollment

3,215

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Law
Psychology
Political Science
Legal Support Services

2. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Communication
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
Law
Psychology

3. Mississippi College

Clinton, MS • Private

In-State Tuition

$18,026

Enrollment

3,036

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Nursing
Law
Business
Psychology
Criminal Justice

4. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Nursing
Law
Political Science
Business
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies

5. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Sociology
Political Science
History

6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Communication
Psychology
Nursing
Political Science

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Law
Business
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
Nursing
Political Science

8. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Law
Psychology
Political Science
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies

9. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Political Science
Law
Nursing

10. University of San Diego

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$49,358

Enrollment

5,760

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Law
Criminal Justice
Nursing
Legal Support Services

Top Skills For a Legal Investigator

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 24.0% of legal investigators listed investigative reports on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and interpersonal skills are important as well.

  • Investigative Reports, 24.0%
  • Litigation, 17.5%
  • Legal Investigations, 15.9%
  • Conduct Interviews, 12.1%
  • Legal Research, 4.4%
  • Other Skills, 26.1%

Legal Investigator Demographics

Legal Investigator Gender Distribution

Male
Male
66%
Female
Female
34%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among legal investigators, 34.0% of them are women, while 66.0% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among legal investigators is White, which makes up 75.2% of all legal investigators.

  • The most common foreign language among legal investigators is Spanish at 75.0%.

Online Courses For Legal Investigator That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

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2. Artificial Intelligence and legal issues

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The purpose of the course is to help students understand the legal implications related to the design and use of artificial intelligence systems, providing an overview of the risks and legal protections that can be envisaged and giving an overview of the legislation and legal principles currently applicable on the subject. In particular, the profiles of civil and criminal liability, protection in terms of intellectual property and the impacts of AI on the fundamental rights of the individual -...

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3. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...

See More on Coursera
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Top Legal Investigator Employers

Most Common Employers For Legal Investigator

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Meta$124,501$59.864
2Google$120,046$57.712
3The Sawaya Law Firm$81,005$38.941
4Edward Jones$79,773$38.354
5Cohen & Company$79,330$38.143
6Shelby County District Attorney’s Office$77,498$37.266
7U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps$76,280$36.671
8R&R Aerospace$73,574$35.371
9Morgan & Morgan$72,998$35.104
10Robert Half$69,930$33.624
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Updated February 6, 2023