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Skip tracer vs lead investigator

The differences between skip tracers and lead investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a skip tracer and a lead investigator. Additionally, a lead investigator has an average salary of $60,060, which is higher than the $36,545 average annual salary of a skip tracer.

The top three skills for a skip tracer include debt collection, outbound calls and skip trace. The most important skills for a lead investigator are law enforcement agencies, background investigations, and data analysis.

Skip tracer vs lead investigator overview

Skip TracerLead Investigator
Yearly salary$36,545$60,060
Hourly rate$17.57$28.88
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs1,46421,299
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 29%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

Skip tracer vs lead investigator salary

Skip tracers and lead investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Skip TracerLead Investigator
Average salary$36,545$60,060
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $66,000Between $31,000 And $113,000
Highest paying City-South San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Delaware
Best paying company-BNY Mellon
Best paying industry-Pharmaceutical

Differences between skip tracer and lead investigator education

There are a few differences between a skip tracer and a lead investigator in terms of educational background:

Skip TracerLead Investigator
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 29%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessCriminal Justice
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldCalifornia State University - Bakersfield

Skip tracer vs lead investigator demographics

Here are the differences between skip tracers' and lead investigators' demographics:

Skip TracerLead Investigator
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 35.3% Female, 64.7%Male, 68.6% Female, 31.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 4.7% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%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%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between skip tracer and lead investigator duties and responsibilities

Skip tracer example responsibilities.

  • Prevent impeding loss and increasing profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns, consistently achieving high success standards.
  • Prevent impeding loss and increasing profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns, consistently achieving high success standards.
  • Utilize various skip-tracing services such as Accurint and TheWorkNumber in order to locate consumers and verify employment for account recovery purposes.

Lead investigator example responsibilities.

  • Manage corporate-wide document production relative to complex litigation cases.
  • Require to testify at court appearances in response to research pertaining to various types of subpoenas.
  • Develop procedures for and review incoming referrals from internal departments and subpoenas to determine if a full investigation are warranted.
  • Ensure effective prioritization of investigation through supervision and monitor & review investigative activity and outcomes using CCTV & by running reports.
  • Investigate and open cases on customers and non-customers who have potentially engage in activity which goes against federally mandate BSA/AML regulations.
  • Generate records by interrogatories or name, date of birth and social security number.
  • Show more

Skip tracer vs lead investigator skills

Common skip tracer skills
  • Debt Collection, 25%
  • Outbound Calls, 11%
  • Skip Trace, 7%
  • Delinquent Accounts, 6%
  • Payment Arrangements, 5%
  • FDCPA, 5%
Common lead investigator skills
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 9%
  • Background Investigations, 9%
  • Data Analysis, 8%
  • Corrective Action, 8%
  • Criminal Justice, 7%
  • Loss Prevention, 7%

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