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Job outlook for police investigators in the United States
Police investigator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected police investigator job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 20,600 new jobs for police investigators are projected over the next decade.
Police investigator salaries have increased 11% for police investigators in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,867 police investigators currently employed in the United States.
There are 6,597 active police investigator job openings in the US.
The average police investigator salary is $47,796.
Are police investigator jobs in demand?
Police investigator job and salary trends over time
Police investigator jobs over time
Police investigator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,867 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,798 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,785 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,708 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,776 | 0.00% |
Average police investigator salary over time
Police investigator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,796 | $22.98 | +4.5% |
| 2025 | $45,724 | $21.98 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $45,037 | $21.65 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $43,965 | $21.14 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $42,948 | $20.65 | +1.2% |
Police investigator jobs by state
Most common states for police investigators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 52 | 7% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 32 | 4% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 161 | 3% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 59 | 3% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 32 | 3% |
| 6 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 428 | 2% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 208 | 2% |
| 8 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 185 | 2% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 129 | 2% |
| 10 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 114 | 2% |
| 11 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 108 | 2% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 100 | 2% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 51 | 2% |
| 14 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 46 | 2% |
| 15 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 28 | 2% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 27 | 2% |
| 17 | Delaware | 961,939 | 23 | 2% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 20 | 2% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 53 | 1% |
| 20 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 39 | 1% |
Police Investigator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of police investigator experts
Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
Curry College
Pennsylvania State University - Beaver
University of Maryland
La Sierra University
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
International Crime Scene Investigators Association
NALI - National Association of Legal Investigators
Jill Myers
Director of the School of Law Enforcement and Justice AdministrationWhat general advice would you give to a Police Investigator?
Jill Myers: The more skill sets you have the better prepared you will be for future advancement and salary increases. Having a solid education, a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and a masters degree will sometimes result in increased wages. Having federal certifications and competencies will enhance your opportunities and create potential marketability for your career. It is always a great skill set to have people skills, communication in both written and oral formats. It will enhance your ability to explain yourself in court, in the warrants one prepares, and with dealing with the public in all circumstances from victims and witnesses and suspects, to legislators, the funding sources like mayors and city council and the public at large.
What Police Investigator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jill Myers: Law Enforcement is a much needed and distinguished profession. Going into the field you need a thorough background in the criminal justice system, state and federal, a working knowledge of the laws and Constitutional dictates, and the ability to communicate well both verbally and in writing. The job requires the ability to not just talk the part, but to critically think and apply the skills learned in the classrooms with real people in real situations. You will need to start the job with the ability to be a hero, to respond to real events on perhaps the worst days of someone's life. The job requires knowledge, ethical conduct, and compassion for everyone, even those who have committed unlawful actions.
What general advice would you give to a Police Investigator?
James Gibbens: Good Morning Alex, I am the Director of the Brevard Police Testing Center here at EFSC. While I am not an instructor or professor here at EFSC I have been an adjunct professor at Florida Tech in Melbourne, FL since 2009 teaching Criminal Justice courses under the umbrella of the Psychology/Homeland Security Department. Prior to that I retired after 30 years from the Melbourne Police Department. If you want to send me some questions I can answer them.
What will help Police Investigators increase their earning potential?
James Gibbens: Mr. Johnson, Good Morning, Our Law Enforcement/Corrections instructors are, for the most part, active law enforcement officers working in the field or recently retired from the industry. We have no full-time instructors/professors teaching in the Law Enforcement Academies. Most of our students are sponsored and employed when the Academy starts so there is little to no recruitment, everyone is paid to attend class. Brevard County has a number of Law Enforcement agencies. My suggestion is to contact one of the agencies and speak with their Human Resource Department. Locally, in today's employment climate there are many employment opportunities in the Public Safety Sectors.
Jennifer Gibbs Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
School of Public Affairs, Criminal Justice Program
What skills stand out on Police Investigator resumes?
Jennifer Gibbs Ph.D.: Police officers need many skills to be successful on the job. The most important are written and oral communication skills and the ability to make ethical decisions with limited information quickly. Written communications skills are crucial. If a police report is poorly worded or incomplete, it can derail a criminal case. Police officers also need to talk to people of all ages from all walks of life in any circumstance. Often, police meet people on what may be the worst day of their lives when emotions are running high. Police need to be able to help calm a person while gathering information. Police need to be able to use their words and body language to empathize with someone who has been victimized, and they need to project authority, so people making poor decisions obey their commands.
This may be common sense, but research has demonstrated that communication and ethical decision-making skills are important for police officers. (See the research article published in 2017 in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education, entitled "An assessment of the relative importance of criminal justice learning objectives," by Baker and colleagues.) Baker and colleagues asked students, professionals, and college professors to rate the skills of hypothetical job applicants. These participants rated the following as the most important characteristics for criminal justice applicants (including law enforcement officers):
Ethics
Oral communication
Critical thinking
Sensitivity to diversity
Written communication skills
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Police Investigators?
Jennifer Balboni: For those interested in law enforcement, coursework in community policing is critical for new graduates to have as a foundational background. Recognizing the importance of working with the community is absolutely vital to agencies establishing legitimacy within communities. In addition, coursework and/or certifications in (white collar) fraud examination, emergency management, and cybercrime investigations are an excellent background for new grads who are interested in law enforcement and investigations; each of these fields has increasingly been recognized as integral to successful planning and investigations in the criminal justice realm. In addition, fluency in a different language is always an asset in the criminal justice job market.
What will help Police Investigators increase their earning potential?
Jennifer Balboni: It's certainly been said before, but soft skills-the ability to communicate effectively with different individuals and groups, as well as the ability to advocate for others--are key competencies in the justice field. Being able to communicate with others, as well as understand and empathize with others--is a vital skill in this field.
More technically, graduates who are able to navigate the virtual/digital world will be prepared to help agencies transition to build more permanent digital programming into the fields of corrections, courts, and law enforcement moving forward. The digital programming that has cropped up as a result of this pandemic is likely not going away entirely once the pandemic is more under control-people like the flexibility it provides. The same is true in the justice realm: virtual connections have been integrated in various processes, facilitating important connections between support services and folks involved in the justice system.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Police Investigators?
Jodi Gill: In criminal justice, our "business" is people and can think critically and quickly in responding to them. In addition to required courses in the major, I always suggest students take classes in Psychology (at a minimum, an introductory period). Our society is also more diverse and global, so any levels which increase knowledge and understanding of other cultures are helpful. Foreign language skills are beneficial in the field, as well.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Police Investigators to find work opportunities?
Jodi Gill: Our field is not dependent on geography, and there are needs everywhere! Right now, it is an exciting time as governments are exploring additional ways to address issues beyond law enforcement. For example, restorative justice, mediation, and other community-related programs can proactively prevent crime before it happens. A degree in criminal justice can prepare graduates to contribute to these initiatives in significant ways successfully.
What's a day at work look like for a Police Investigator?
Jodi Gill: There is no "typical day" in this field, which is why I enjoy it so much! At any point in time, criminal justice professionals are required to pivot and adapt. Coursework in criminal justice prepares individuals for changing times and circumstances, and our graduates are ready to meet those challenges!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Police Investigator job market given the pandemic?
Gary LaFree: In terms of the criminology market, we are facing not only the pandemic but also the Black Lives Matter movement. These two events probably have their own impact, but they are difficult to separate. In terms of college education, the pandemic has not been all bad for universities-our criminology enrollments are strong right now. On the other hand, the job market is more uncertain because of the pandemic. The criminology market is also somewhat uncertain because of major questioning about the proper role of the police.
What Police Investigator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gary LaFree: In criminology, having statistical skills is very useful for either an academic career or a research career. Researchers in police departments are getting increasingly sophisticated. Many criminology positions, both in academia and in the private sector, also depend on statistical training.
What general advice would you give to a Police Investigator?
Gary LaFree: Think about obtaining as much education and training as you can. Be patient. The fundamentals of the economy are relatively strong. Outlet should be much better when we get through the current crisis.
T.Christopher Bell
ProfessorLa Sierra University
Criminal Justice Program
What experience really stands out on Police Investigator resumes?
T.Christopher Bell: Students who have good critical thinking skills, communication skills and those that can adapt and improvise will do well in the 21st century. Also, students who have interned, volunteered, or worked in any capacity and showed their ability to be a TEAM PLAYER would have successful careers.
Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Department of Criminal Justice
What Police Investigator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.: The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic apparently has brought uncertainty to the job market, and job opportunities, especially in some of the social sciences, are reduced. There is an old Turkish saying, "bread is in the mouth of the lion" (ekmek aslanın ağzında) that sums it up nicely. It implies that it is a struggle to make a living. Life after college is not easy. There is too much competition in the job market. Suppose graduates need to take a gap year. In that case, they need to continue to learn after graduation—an extra set of skills that can put them ahead of other applicants—learning another language can put the graduates on the top of other candidates since there are plenty of applicants just like them. Becoming fluent in a second language can bring graduates several advantages.
They can also apply for internship programs of local and federal criminal justice agencies during a gap year. The graduates can observe a criminal justice agency's working environment and the culture of a specific community. They can decide if they want to serve in the organization and the community. They should also consider international organizations' internship programs, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) or Office of Counter-Terrorism internship programs. The UNODC has an office in New York. This internship program provides a framework for students (enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a bachelor's level or equivalent degree programs) to develop their professional skills and gain practical work experience in an international environment. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants may be requested to undertake the internship online.
Daryl Clemens
President & Chairman of the BoardInternational Crime Scene Investigators Association
What type of skills will young Police Investigators need?
Daryl Clemens: Primary skills for Crime Scene Investigation are: Photography, Fingerprint Processing, and the ability to sketch and measure a scene - think a floorplan or landscape diagram, not an artistic sketch. DNA is important, but DNA collection is dead simple.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Police Investigators to find work opportunities?
Daryl Clemens: CSI jobs are primarily found with large police departments. Smaller departments (which is most of them) don't have the staff to specialize and will have patrol officers or detectives do the crime scene work in addition to their other duties.
John Lajoie CLI
National Director, President of Lajoie Investigations, Inc, of MANALI - National Association of Legal Investigators
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Police Investigator job market given the pandemic?
John Lajoie CLI: I can speak to the investigation industry much more effectively than others, but I want to emphasize the "work from the home trend." Pre-pandemic, work from home was picking up but not busting out as most employers were concerned about losing some control over employees, less social and workplace interaction, and having the ability to work closely with the employee to assess their strengths and weaknesses. Oversight is diminished for the employer, but additional freedom for the employee is comfortable, so long as they are disciplined and organized to get the work done. For the employee, there is something about flexibility and additional freedom to control when and how the work gets completed, to deal with non-work appointments and family commitments, and simply rolling out of bed at 8:45 AM to be at the computer, phone, Zoom video call, or email 10 minutes later, ready to go to work and get the job done.
There is just something about being home for the kids when they get home from school or other activities for parents. However, the social aspect of showing up at the workplace suffers as some employees are locked up in their houses or apartment with no live social interaction. In-person social skills become rusty. So there are trade-offs, for sure. Post pandemic, employers find out who can and can't work productively from home - who is disciplined to work well from home and who is not. And the savings to both the employee and employer are significant.
Additionally, the employee (and other employees) is presumed to be safer at home than at work, which is probably accurate. The liability of a super-spreader event within a workplace is minimized and keeps insurance costs and other costs down...and the employer out of court, should things go south. The employer is learning that perhaps employees can permanently work from home, saving on rent, commercial real estate, taxes and maintenance, and other related costs.
The cost savings is very significant for the employer and the employee. There are other considerations, but I could write what seems like forever on this, so I will keep it brief. The investigation is a bit different for legal investigators because we on the road conducting studies in the area incidents occur, knocking on doors, interviewing witnesses, interacting with law enforcement, evaluating scenes, collecting records, etc...... so it's much harder to work from home for the average private legal investigator. It's almost impossible. But a couple of days a week doing reports from home is a reality. For all employers, we are treading on new ground controlled by an outside source - a virus. Regardless of how an employer and employee move forward, there will always be a trend of "uncertainty" that lingers until we have Covid beat....and when that happens is anyone's guess.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Police Investigators in the next 3-5 years?
John Lajoie CLI: Remote computer applications; cybersecurity; cell phone applications that do just about anything work-related and track locations; and advances in hardware and wireless applications. Any technology that will help employers and employees become faster and better communicating and selling will be significant. The biggest will be in the social media arena, as working from home creates a void for in-person social interaction. So the next best thing to many is electronic social media.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Police Investigators?
John Lajoie CLI: Regardless of bleak employment numbers during this horrific pandemic, legal investigators and private detectives' outlook remains hopeful and optimistic for growth through 2030. The onset of COVID 19 and accompanying state and federal guidelines have produced new protocols for all employers, including detective agencies, to operate safely and effectively. Civil pursuits, accidents, incidents, fraud, and criminal enterprise will continue; therefore, the need for legal investigation services will remain in demand.
Those investigators who have positioned their agency to adhere to recommended guidelines and safety protocols, and adapt to the changing technologies, will survive and likely thrive. Those that don't, will have a challenging experience and may not last. For employers, now is time to review business plans and operational and administrative policies, reinvent the business, look for unique training arenas, establish new revenue streams, and markets. Graduates entering the workforce today will experience a new way of searching for, interviewing, and landing a new job. Be prepared. And make sure you do your research on the company you are targeting for a job.