Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between medical examiners and investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical examiner, becoming an investigator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a medical examiner has an average salary of $156,092, which is higher than the $71,406 average annual salary of an investigator.
The top three skills for a medical examiner include EKG, medical history and vital signs. The most important skills for an investigator are law enforcement agencies, management system, and customer service.
| Medical Examiner | Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $156,092 | $71,406 |
| Hourly rate | $75.04 | $34.33 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 47,428 | 5,085 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A medical examiner works with deceased bodies to determine the cause and time of death. They analyze available information, testify in court, act as an expert witness in various criminal and civil cases, and provide forensic evidence. They are generally only expected to investigate deaths that occur under suspicious circumstances, as not all deaths will require an autopsy.
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.
Medical examiners and investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Examiner | Investigator | |
| Average salary | $156,092 | $71,406 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $308,000 | Between $42,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Bexar County | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a medical examiner and an investigator in terms of educational background:
| Medical Examiner | Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between medical examiners' and investigators' demographics:
| Medical Examiner | Investigator | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% | Male, 56.6% Female, 43.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |