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The differences between special agents and criminal investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special agent has an average salary of $60,916, which is higher than the $54,520 average annual salary of a criminal investigator.
The top three skills for a special agent include professional work, national security and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a criminal investigator are investigative reports, resourcefulness, and firearms.
| Special Agent | Criminal Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $60,916 | $54,520 |
| Hourly rate | $29.29 | $26.21 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,232 | 5,131 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A special agent is responsible for investigating law violations and criminal activities by collecting pieces of evidence, including witnesses' testimonies, to release a warrant of arrest and initiate prosecution. Special agents work closely with other law enforcement agencies to identify threats, analyze occurring criminal activities, and connect intelligence records through observation and field investigations. They also attend court proceedings to present evidence for court decisions. A special agent must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, assessing unusual situations, and handling suspicious activities.
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.
Special agents and criminal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Agent | Criminal Investigator | |
| Average salary | $60,916 | $54,520 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $85,000 | Between $34,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | BNSF Railway | National Railroad Passenger Corporation |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a special agent and a criminal investigator in terms of educational background:
| Special Agent | Criminal Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between special agents' and criminal investigators' demographics:
| Special Agent | Criminal Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 9% | 9% |