Private investigator vs criminal investigator

The differences between private investigators 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 $48,019 average annual salary of a private investigator.

The top three skills for a private investigator include background checks, background investigations and video surveillance. The most important skills for a criminal investigator are investigative reports, resourcefulness, and firearms.

Private investigator vs criminal investigator overview

	Private Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Yearly salary	$48,019	$54,520
Hourly rate	$23.09	$26.21
Growth rate	6%	3%
Number of jobs	6,675	5,131
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	-

What does a private investigator do?

Private investigators will require skills in surveillance, research, interviewing, critical thinking, and communication. Those who choose this career path will be called on to find information for organizations and individuals, as well as engage in different cases. An investigator's goal is to find legal, personal, or financial information through background checks, interviews, and surveillance.

What does a criminal investigator do?

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.

Private investigator vs criminal investigator salary

Private investigators and criminal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Private Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Average salary	$48,019	$54,520
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $78,000	Between $34,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	National Railroad Passenger Corporation
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between private investigator and criminal investigator education

There are a few differences between a private investigator and a criminal investigator in terms of educational background:

	Private Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	-

Private investigator vs criminal investigator demographics

Here are the differences between private investigators' and criminal investigators' demographics:

	Private Investigator	Criminal Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9%	Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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	8%	9%

Differences between private investigator and criminal investigator duties and responsibilities

Private investigator example responsibilities.

Manage all business reporting to include; payroll, taxes, client billing, account reconciliations and compliance reports.
Take ownership of the queue and promptly escalate any issues or obstacles to completing daily SAR filings
Conduct SIU, fraud, criminal, civil, and exploratory investigations as defined in client contracts.
Conduct different types of SIU investigations as well as civil, criminal, and asset background courthouse checks.
Serve subpoenas, coordinate witness court appearances, compile information from interviews, and developed/maintain community and informant contacts.
Create quality control documentation associate with manufacturing process, raw materials and quality testing procedures according to corporate and FDA guidelines.

Criminal investigator example responsibilities.

Conduct joint planning and manage AFOSI's criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations in northern Italy.
Close accounts and file SAR's with FinCEN as warranted.
Write suspicious activity reports (SAR).
Follow up on sub reviews and documentation require information for FinCEN reporting.
Coordinate and conduct firearms training.
Examine discovery, prepare subpoenas, and review pertinent documents.

Private investigator vs criminal investigator skills

Common private investigator skills

Background Checks, 15%
Background Investigations, 12%
Video Surveillance, 12%
Subpoenas, 5%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 5%
Computer Database, 4%

Common criminal investigator skills

Investigative Reports, 13%
Resourcefulness, 11%
Firearms, 11%
Treasury, 9%
Investigative Techniques, 8%
IRS, 6%

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Private Investigator
Private Investigator vs Criminal Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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