How To Become A Special Investigation Unit Investigator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a special investigation unit investigator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Gary LaFree

If you have a law enforcement background and know a lot about conducting investigations that are detailed, then this might be the work for you. As a Special Investigation Unit Investigator, you will have interesting and flexible work. You will deal with different cases like money laundering, insurance fraud, and terrorism.

You might be tasked to conduct thorough background checks on individuals, prepare and submit reports, gather information, and research on special projects, among others.

As a Special Investigation Unit Investigator, you can earn an annual average salary of $49,425, and this job has a 5% growth rate. Not bad, considering the interesting job you'll have. You can also further your career as a Special Investigation Unit Investigator. You can become a Senior Investigator, Manager, Operations Manager, and Regional Operation Manager after some time. As long as you have the necessary skills and experience, you have the chance to explore these careers. Your chosen path will also be considered as you further your career.

What general advice would you give to a special investigation unit investigator?

Gary LaFree

Chair and Professor, University of Maryland

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.

ScoreSpecial Investigation Unit InvestigatorUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $49,213

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 2.83%

Black or African American 12.05%

Hispanic or Latino 17.20%

Unknown 5.00%

White 62.25%

Gender

female 36.99%

male 63.01%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a special investigation unit investigator

Explore special investigation unit investigator education requirements

Most common special investigation unit investigator degrees

Bachelor's

63.0 %

Associate

14.6 %

Master's

11.5 %

Start to develop specific special investigation unit investigator skills

Skills	Percentages
Management System	12.99%
BSA/AML	9.46%
FinCEN	6.88%
Anti-Money Laundering	6.88%
Law Enforcement Agencies	6.67%

Complete relevant special investigation unit investigator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New special investigation unit investigators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a special investigation unit investigator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real special investigation unit investigator resumes.

Research special investigation unit investigator duties and responsibilities

Gather and analyze pertinent documentation, collect recorded statements, report fraud, and manage data in support of subsequent litigation.
Prepare cases for and follow through with civil litigation and criminal prosecution in multiple jurisdictions.
Participate in BSA/AML seminars and workshops to enhance knowledge on industry trends.
Prepare and serve subpoenas, rockland area, together with affidavits of service.

Prepare your special investigation unit investigator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your special investigation unit investigator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a special investigation unit investigator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable special investigation unit investigator resume templates

Build a professional special investigation unit investigator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your special investigation unit investigator resume.

Apply for special investigation unit investigator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a special investigation unit investigator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do special investigation unit investigators rate their job?

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Special investigation unit investigator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Cons

Irregular work hours and pay don't go hand in hand. If you're not into doing administration work AFTER a long day of investigation, good luck. There are times where I had to request for a WEEKEND off. But because of the irregular schedule as a new Investigator, don't expect to have a life. Especially when it comes to you being the new guy who joins during peak business hours.